Why the "King of the Jungle" sleeps for 20 hours per day...

‘Beast mode’ isn’t just gym thing.

We’ve been talking about the importance of proper nutrition & diet, as well as touching on training in the last article.

But you’ll experience none of the great benefits of these efforts without another key pillar of the Hypersane System.

Rest.

Most people can appreciate the importance of training hard, but few appreciate the value of proper recovery.

Many men in their 40s and 50s stubbornly refuse to accept their bodies and recovery abilities have changed.

They beat their bodies into a pulp training hard and follow five day a week bodybuilding programs designed for guys in their 20s.

If you’re an older trainee, your body will not be able to withstand tissue trauma from training the way it used to.

Proper recovery is especially important if you train in the brutal, HIT to failure manner, which we discussed in a previous lesson.

Look...

If you train intensely, you shouldn’t be able to work out more than three-four days per week, anyway.

How do you get adequate rest and recovery between training sessions?

Any way which suits you.

Recuperation is mental as well as physical.

Saunas, swimming, walks, and massages are great ways to boost recovery and reduce soreness.

For introverts like me, time alone is a vital part of mental recovery.

Spending time in nature away from technology & social media

AND stop working all the damn time!

True growth, whether mental, physical, emotional, or spiritual can only occur when you allow room for expansion.

And those expansive moments happen best when at rest.

Now, this mindset can be difficult to adopt if you’re a typical “go-getter” who’s default mode is "go, go, go" – but rest assured, you can do it.

These are basic recommendations, and if you wish to become the master of your own health you must master the fundamentals.

There are myriad men who go through the motions in the gym, but there are also many who overdo it.

There’s a clear distinction between pushing your body beyond its current limits and annihilating your body so you cannot train for days.

Quite simply, you need to do just enough to stimulate an adaptation, i.e. force your body to change, then go home and allow sleep and rest to work its magic.

As former Mr. Olympia competitor Mike Mentzer said:

"Any exercise carried on beyond the least amount required to stimulate an optimal increase is not merely a waste of effort, it is actually highly counterproductive … [when you train] you are utilizing biochemical resources that must be replaced, and the more you use the more that must be replaced."

Now there may be times when you train and feel weak, and you can’t lift half of what you normally can in the gym.

If this happens, there’s no shame in doing some light cardio or calling it a wrap for the day.

The smart move is to listen to your body.

The dumb move is to override this safety mechanism that has developed over millions of years of evolution.

Perhaps you’re stressed, overtrained, sick, etc.

Whatever it is, it’s a sign your body needs a rest.

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Rest and recovery are just as important as exercise.

If you don’t give your body adequate rest, you’ll never reap the rewards of your efforts.

Listen to your body and pick your battles. Running yourself into the ground benefits no one.

Rest brings growth.

So for now, pick a simple activity that will help you recover and that you can accommodate into your schedule from now on.

Examples include a regular sports massage, visit to the sauna, and hiking in nature.

Recovery activities should be simple, easy to adopt into your schedule, and above all, enjoyable!

Don't make things harder on yourself than they need to be.

My favourite is diverting a walk through a park or two on the way back from work or after dropping off the kids.

What's yours? Reply back to this email and let me know.

To your best health,

Dr Kpakpo