The BS of Burying Yourself

Think performance: invariably, an image is conjured of someone able to generate remarkable output. Whether that’s lifting heavier, working later or posting more, the generally understood idea of someone performing leans into quantity. 

But ask elite athletes–like ZAAG users Adam Peaty, Rose Wetzel and Adam Burgess for example–and you’ll get a different answer. They aren’t in a constant state of maximum effort. They pursue maximum consistency.

Because burying yourself with constant effort, training to failure in every session and constantly pushing through fatigue doesn’t equal performance. It might look impressive, but it won’t generate the results you’re after.

Only by developing systems that maintain high performance through balance will you generate meaningful, long-lasting performance.

Basically: pace yourself.

Low & Slow

Like Eliud Kipchoge (arguably the greatest marathon runner of all time), he’ll run a 26-mile race at a 4:34 p/m pace (yes, mile)… but his recovery runs are reportedly half as fast: 9 minutes per mile. And he does one “long run” each week when he’s training–amongst many other sessions, of course. If that approach is good enough for him, it’s good enough for you.

By actually scheduling recovery sessions, you gain the agency to have a session that doesn’t blow the wheels off, rather than forcing your body through one of those just-get-it-done type of sessions.

The repercussions of forcing drastic efforts are obvious. You know them yourself. Sometimes you completely exhaust yourself with a workout when you’re unprepared. Then the rest of the day feels like a slog. Rather than take a walk later, or do something active, you justify not moving by reminiscing on your earlier efforts.

There’s no one-size-fits-all suggestion to strike a great balance. You’ve got to listen to your body to know what’s appropriate. The likelihood is that one or two days of active recovery each week will benefit you in a multitude of ways. 

Recovery sessions should feel like a 5/10 on the intensity scale; 50-60% of your max heart rate if you’re a tracker type.  Difficult if you’re anything like me, and want to blow off some steam when you train.

Movement alone will provide that. Be sensible with your effort levels and reap the benefits of thoughtful training.

Pushing to the edge consistently without adequate recovery and nutrition risks injury and illness. Because, ultimately, exercise is controlled damage. It creates inflammation and increases hormone levels of cortisol and adrenaline. Without an appropriate counterweight to the exertion, you’re not giving your body time to adapt and repair. It may make you feel a type of way by constantly pushing, but either injury or illness will stymie progress far beyond skipping a session, or not dialling things up to 100.

Likely Lurgy

Overexertion impacting the immune system’s been scientifically understood for about a hundred years. In 1932, Baetjer concluded that data “appear to indicate that exhaustive exercise just preceding or immediately following infection predisposes the animal to a more rapid and fatal attack of the infectious disease.”

This is fleshed out in a well-cited modern study, where marathon participants who ran more than 96km per week doubled their odds of illness compared to those running under 32km. The same study found 13% of runners reported being ill the week following the marathon, compared to 2.2% of non-runners.

To maximise wellness and performance the answer, as always, is a mix of interoception and balance. The grindset might get those documents to the client at 2AM but it’s not doing your health any favours. Some days will require output over wellness – life isn’t simple – but try to keep them few and far between. The link between regular moderate exercise and the reduction of illness risk via anti-inflammatory effects and enhanced immune regulation is clear.

What’s also apparent is the link between polyphenol consumption and improved immune system performance, illness risk reduction and central nervous system function enhancement.

Internal Intake

Whilst mixing up intensity is the silver bullet for movement, when it comes to nutrition, consistency is what delivers the benefits. With regards to immunity, polyphenols are remarkable micronutrients. ZAAG contains so many of these–like Tulsi, Blueberry, Astragalus, Pomegranate, Resveratrol–to reduce inflammation, boost recovery and support immune cell communication at the molecular level.

Just as weight changes (loss or gain) require consistent attention, and creation of muscle requires consistent exertion, the development of immunity requires consistent nutrition. Less than a third of Brits eat their five a day… 

Zinc, Vitamin D, Selenium and Vitamin C, again all found in ZAAG, are key players here, not for muscle growth, but for the immune cells that keep you in form enough to keep showing up.

Stop Crashing Out

No matter what motivational reels tell you, your body won’t thrive on willpower alone. If you want to last longer at your best, stop trying to peak all the time. Be considerate in your efforts and work with your body to garner results that compound.

The mindset that separates short-term effort from long-term achievement is not about how much you can endure. It’s about how smartly you can pace yourself.