Do Nothing

At the Equinox Fitness Club in Woodbury, New York, I have been taught the Tabata interval training and the High Intensity Interval Training ("HIIT") methods. Tabata, which was developed and studied by Dr. Izumi Tabata, involves 20 seconds of intense exercise, followed by 10 seconds of rest. The intervals are repeated for a total of 8 cycles. Similarly, HIIT involves a 2:1 ratio of work to rest. Both methods have been shown to improve athletic performance and effectively burn fat. More important, though, is the life lesson these methods impart about the importance of recovery.

Kristen Gagne is the Group Fitness Director at the Woodbury Equinox and an instructor. In her classes, Kristen doesn't simply give directions. Instead, she educates. She explains what to do, how to do it and the purpose of the exercise. When using an interval training method, such as Tabata, Kristen constantly harps on the importance of the rest and recovery portion. "DO NOTHING," she shouts to a room of die hard, aggressive people. She tells us that the ability to recover quickly is the best indication of cardiovascular health, that anyone can spike a high heart rate, that we need to rest - blah blah blah -like telling so many teenagers to clean their rooms. Except that she is 100% correct.

Rest and recovery are as essential to well being as any all out effort. My life is a whirl of constant motion, driving here, driving there and then driving here all over again. Last week, though, I stopped. I went to the southwest coast of Bermuda and stayed at The Pompano Beach Club. The hotel optimizes every possible ocean view. From the room, I watched the fishing boats go out in the morning, single file, and solemnly return in the evening. I enjoyed the shallow ocean water. I sat and read a book. I did nothing.

During this vacation - or recovery process - Kristen's admonishments about recovery came to mind. Indeed, recovery can be more difficult than work and the ability to recover is an important skill. Because of a purposeful rest, I attacked my training early on Monday morning with renewed vigor. I have learned to appreciate the all out push, but also to respect the power of recovery.