Do you know what invisible training is? Many people are unable to achieve their training results because they don’t know about or value invisible training.
In this article, we’ll talk about what invisible training is, its benefits, and the best tips for keeping it on track and improving your training results. Read on to find out.
What is invisible training?
Invisible training is a term that refers to an athlete’s behavior, attitude, and habits outside their training (work) environment.
Yes, no matter how technically or physically gifted an athlete may be, if they don’t focus on invisible training, they may get somewhere, but they won’t stay at the top for long.
Invisible training means avoiding sleepless nights, alcohol, drugs, poor nutrition, and even bad company, which, as we know, have destroyed or shortened the careers of many athletes.
Some of the biggest stars in sports history slipped up with their invisible training at some point, but undeniably reached their peak: Mike Tyson, Diego Maradona, etc.
None of us are elite athletes, but even so, we need to place great value on our, shall we say, little invisible training.
No matter how well-designed your workout is, if you don’t take care of your habits during the other 23 hours of the day, you won’t reach your goals, and that’s a fact!
Tips for effective invisible training
Despite its name, invisible training is becoming increasingly well known because, day after day, these factors are entirely within the athletes’ control.
1) Take rest days
We all know what it feels like to have sore muscles after a workout, and this is generally a sign that we should take a day off before our next session.
It’s also important to know that along with this (good) tissue damage, the body also experiences different types of fatigue: metabolic (the body’s energy stores are depleted), psychological (mental stress and pressure), and neurological (nervous system fatigue).
Rest days help limit the amount of fatigue an individual accumulates over a week of training, while also allowing them to feel refreshed and give their all in each training session.
2) Pay attention to your sleep
The most important time for your body to rest and recover is while you’re sleeping. During this time, your body restores its energy levels and adapts to the stressors caused by exercise.
If we don’t allow ourselves enough time to sleep, we reduce our ability to recover and adapt.
This means that fatigue and physiological stress will accumulate over days and weeks, eventually hindering our ability to take the next step in our training. Aim for a total of 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night.
There is evidence that most athletes sleep fewer than 8 hours a night, although this number varies from person to person. Sleeping longer or taking a nap after lunch is one way to increase your total number of hours of sleep each week.
If we put in a little more effort and go to bed 30 minutes earlier than usual, that adds up to almost 4 hours by the end of the week.
Eliminating sources of stress before bed, such as computers, cell phones, or watching TV, will promote a calmer state, making it easier to fall asleep and improving sleep quality.
3) Nutrition and hydration
We all know that the body’s energy stores need to be replenished after exercise, but it’s also important to focus on maintaining those stores throughout our training regimen, since all our adaptations and growth take place outside the training period.
Therefore, it’s essential to make sure you’re getting the basics right when it comes to nutrition and hydration.
As part of your invisible training, make sure to eat regularly and include a variety of fruits and vegetables.
Limit your intake of processed foods and foods high in sugar. Limit the amount of alcohol you consume during the week, and make sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day.
Conclusion
Place great importance on rest, sleep, nutrition, and even good company. It’s impossible to move forward—and this applies to both your personal and professional life—when surrounded by people who don’t add any value to your life.
Did you like these tips for improving your invisible training? Know someone else who might like them? Well, you could help them get better results by sharing this with them! #VEMPROTREINO
