Understanding Why Resting Is The Biggest Part Of Your Workout

You know that feeling when you're standing in the gym at the conclusion of an intense workout, proud of yourself for the incredible workload you just completed? Your chest and arms might be pumped fuller than they've ever been, and you're proud of the growth you've just accomplished, right?

Wrong. You don't grow in the gym. You've torn up your muscle fibers with exercise, and drawn a lot of blood and lactic acid into the area. You are pumped, but you sure haven't grown an inch. The growth you desire only occurs later, when a number of other factors have been met. First, you have to provide adequate nutrition immediately following the workout. Second, you have to provide satisfactory nutrition over the next 48 hours, when the growth will actually occur. You need to feed the muscle cells a wealth of amino acids from complete protein sources. Without these, no growth can occur. Finally, you need to sleep. When you sleep, your body begins the healing and growing process by releasing growth hormone. Additionally, the torn muscle fibers have a chance to sit still and re-bond (heal) thicker than before, using the aminos present as fuel. For this reason, sleep is a required component of the growth process. Let's learn some way to help make sleep more effective.

Temperature

Usually, keeping the room temperature cool will allow you to sleep better. However, if it gets too cold, it can lead to sinus congestion as mucus becomes solid, which will then lead to a sore throat. Make your bedroom a cool, well-ventilated environment with very little light sources to interrupt your sleep. Many firefighters and other people who must sleep during the day have discovered using aluminum foil to black out their window and therefore conceal every source of light works wonders in fostering a better sleep environment.

Select A Regular Schedule

If your work schedule requires you to be up until 2 AM on some night, and up at 6 AM on other days, you're going to develop dysfunctional sleep habits. Do everything you can to ensure you create the most consistent sleep schedule possible. Your body will get used to it, and will time its nightly GH release accordingly.

Sleep In At Least Once Per Week

When the rigors of the gym, work, school, family, and other factors start to build up, we tend to become naturally worn down. This can slow bodybuilding progress. Correct this by sleeping in once a week to catch up, leaving your central nervous system fully refreshed. Even better if you can time it so that you sleep in after a rough workout like leg or back day.

Diet & Supplementation

Avoid heavy meals before bed, or drinking a lot of water right before you fall asleep. Glutamine is recommended before bed to help with recovery. ZMA is terrific for the body. Not only does it aid in mineral deficiencies, but it helps the bodybuilders sleep better as well.

The bottom line is that you grow while you sleep. You should work just as hard on proper sleep as you do on proper training and nutrition.

Dane Fletcher is the world-wide authority on bodybuilding and steroids. He has coached countless athletes all over the world. To read more of his work, please visit either www.BodybuildingToday.com or www.SteroidsToday.com

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