I love an intense workout. I love the feeling of the blood pumping, my heart beating, and challenging myself.

However I do know that we cannot go at 100 mph all of the time. That is how overtraining and injury happen.

I’m naturally a high energy and intense person. I like to always be on to the next thing but I have learned that is unhealthy physically, emotionally, and mentally.

The past few weeks I have been pretty worked up both in my personal life and also professionally because my schedule is quite full. I was getting to the point where I realized I needed to dial it down and reset.

Yes we started the Fall PUSH but part of the PUSH for me was to get quiet, calm down, be still, and release. Now was not the time for High Intensity Workouts. It was the time for resting and I also began going back to Yoga Classes.

I went to the Gentle Flow and Vinyasa Flow Classes at Thriveability in San Francisco. It is a few doors down from the studio where I train. The teacher Alex is fantastic! I can’t believe I hadn’t been going before this.

I have felt tremendous release in my hamstrings, low back, and my hips. Each class with its emphasis on breathing and being still really helps to calm my nervous system which is important when you’re in a time of reset.

It has paid off because now I am feeling much more peaceful and calm. Plus my back feels a lot less tight and I’ve learned some great stretches for my hips and hamstrings to improve my flexibility.

Rest and Recovery are some of the most neglected parts of a routine for fitness enthusiasts. Yoga provides me

Yoga is definitely coming back into my regular routine because as my life becomes fuller, I do need to stretch and release physically.

But it’s not a real workout…

Somebody told a lie one day.

Yoga is definitely a workout but not in the traditional sense.

Externally Yoga challenges your balance, static strength, core strength, and also your mobility. Of course flexibility is critical because without proper flexibility and flexibility we are on the road to injury city!

Internally Yoga can improve digestion, is wonderful for your joints, respiratory system, and is excellent for calming stress and your nervous system.

We have to stop thinking sweating, being exhausted and excessively sore are the indicators of what makes a great workout. Those things can happen with a vigorous workout but that shouldn’t be our goal every single time.

I should also add that while exercise can be a great stress release, when you are in a high stress state, intense workouts may not be the best option.

Your cortisol (Stress hormones) levels are more than likely high and exercise will raise them even more because intense exercise is a physiological stressor.

Our society doesn’t really value slowing down, getting quiet, and being still. As Darren Hardy said in the Compound Effect, Americans love massive displays of effort but many big changes happen when it’s quiet.

During one of our yoga classes, Our Teacher Alex said “You don’t need to do so much. Just be still and get quiet”

I needed to hear that and I need to remind myself put that into practice!

I encourage you to take a break, get quiet, and refocus. You may take a yoga class, you may meditate, you can go on a walk in nature, or just stretch to some relaxing music at home.

Whatever you do give yourself permission to:

be still, be quiet, refocus, and not do so much.