Think of your body like the engine of a car, which can produce horsepower. The amount of horsepower your car engine produces is as a result of many different factors like the size of the engine and the fuel you use. Your body also has several factors that determine how much horsepower it will produce. The 4 main systems that are responsible for the horsepower you are able to produce are:
- The cardiovascular system
- The neuromuscular system
- The metabolic System
- The hormonal System
When you ↑ how much horsepower you can produce, you have more energy for different activities and you can do them faster (↑ in power) and for longer periods of time (↑ in endurance). In turn, you can train at a higher level, recover and adapt more efficiently.
After each training session or workout, your body goes through the process of repair and recovery. Muscle tissue needs to be repaired, and sugar stores and hormonal levels need to be restored too.
A balance of these 4 systems must be found in order to ultimately improve your conditioning and performance, and that balance will change depending on the demands of the sport you perform. A mixed martial arts fighter doesn’t need the cardiovascular endurance of a marathon runner or the strength of a powerlifter, but rather a balance of these systems to remain explosive throughout the fight.
STRESSSSSSS
In order to successfully continue progressing and achieving higher levels in your training, your body must be prepared for the stress you’re putting it through. This means that working out, staying up late, lack of sleep and stress from work can all contribute to stress on your body. This is not the kind of stress you want your body adapting to! In terms of training specifically, sudden increases in the volume, weight/load, or frequency in your training may place more stress on the muscles, tendons, or joints of your body than they can tolerate. Potentially leading to overuse injuries.
What you eat, your mental stress and everything else you do directly affect how your body adapts to training and ultimately, how much horsepower you produce!
Which one are you?
Don’t let injuries get in the way of your progress! Get back to the activities you love quicker, with Empowered Performance Physical Therapy.