Train Your Stress Away
“Training gives us an outlet for suppressed energies created by stress and thus tones the spirit just as exercise conditions the body.” –Arnold Schwarzenegger
Recently, I talked about stress as it relates to the body’s fight or flight mechanism. About how babies breathe from the belly, but when stressed they start breathing from their chest (have to give credit where credit is due, that information came from Coach Dean). About how stress, frustration, and anger in this modern age is our fight or flight. No one has to worry about stepping out their front door to make a mad dash for the car because there is a saber tooth tiger in waiting. So it manifests itself in stress – stress from work, stress from home, stress on the road. We hold that stress in our shoulders and neck as we enter a state of constant alertness.
That fight or flight reaction was not meant to be running as often as it is today. You face stress in some way or another every day. While that fight or flight may have had to be used in more severe circumstances in the past, it was not used as continually. Think about this – how many people have something traumatic happen? I mean something that really kick starts that fight or flight…when you are about to be in a car accident and you are bracing…when someone scares the heck out of you…or you find yourself in a situation that really, truly frightens you. Anyone ever notice that for some time after that, you are almost more relaxed than before? All that pent up stress and energy suddenly gets released. After you have really feared something, all the little stuff suddenly doesn’t feel as stressful anymore because you felt real fear, for a time at least.
What I’m getting at is that it all comes down to energy and energy process in the body. Of course, I do not want people to go out and experience any of those things. I wouldn’t wish that on people. For those of you that have been in those situations though, you probably know what I mean.
Well, guess what else helps with that? Training. Training is a natural outlet for those suppressed energies. Like I said, what it comes down to is energy, using up that suppressed rage and frustration so afterword you feel lighter.
What happens if you have no outlet? Long day of work, boss beats on you, kid is sick, water pump busts, but you don’t train, not that day and not the next. You just go to bed (or try to) with all that built up energy. You end up in that constant state of fight or flight because there is no outlet, no release. That constant state of alert is not healthy. It causes tons and tons of problems on all different biological fronts. So don’t let that happen. Get in here, train that stress away, and relax.
Make it Happen!
-Coach Adam