Everybody wants to talk about going “beast mode” – but nobody wants to talk about “nap mode”. Recovery is the most underutilized aspect of training – and could be the missing link between lifting and actually growing. Want to get bigger? REST! Let’s get into this…
Look, I get it, we live in a culture that glorifies burnout…
“No days off” has become a badge of honor – but if your body could talk – it would slap that badge off your chest and chuck it in a lake.
Training seven days a week, doubling up workouts, skipping sleep because you “don’t have time” – none of that makes you tougher… it just makes you weaker, smaller and more sore than you should be.
Because here’s the thing: muscles don’t grow in the gym…
They grow when you rest.
If you’re not recovering – you’re not adapting…
And if you’re not adapting – you’re just breaking your body down with no payoff. You’re stagnant – which is just as bad as going backwards.
It’s time to take recovery seriously…
And here’s how you start.
You’re Not Overtrained – You’re Under-Recovered
So, you hit a wall in your training. What do you do? You start blaming your program.
Maybe you think you need a new split?
Maybe your pre-workout stopped working?
Or… maybe you need to get a training partner to push you?
This is all wrong, because the real issue?
Your central nervous system is cooked, your muscles are inflamed and your sleep is s**t.
That’s not overtraining. That’s under-recovery.
Recovery isn’t just sleep and foam rolling.
It’s what you eat, what you drink or how you’re managing stress. It’s dialing in your hydration and yes – sometimes just taking a freakin’ rest day.
You can’t keep asking your body to perform if you never give it time to rebuild.
That’s like trying to drive cross-country on a quarter tank and refusing to stop for gas because car is “hardcore.”
Sleep Like A Savage… Not A Baby
Want to grow?
Want to burn fat?
Or do you want to not feel like you got hit by a truck every time you wake up?
Then you need to make sleep a non-negotiable.
Aim for 7–9 hours, in a cold, dark room, phone out of reach.
If you’re doom-scrolling TikTok until midnight and then wondering why you feel like a zombie – that’s on you, playa.
Deep sleep is when your body produces the most growth hormone, repairs torn muscle fibers and recharges your brain.
Skip it and you’re skipping gains. Period.
You train like a savage – so recover like one.
Treat your sleep like you would the gym – make getting enough a routine.
Recovery Is a Weapon… Use It
Here’s the truth: most of your competition is out there trying to train harder.
Let them.
You train smarter.
Use recovery as your weapon.
What do I mean by that? Well, it’s simple, really…
Prioritize hydration. Replenish your electrolytes. Slam your EAAs post-lift. Use active recovery like walks, mobility, or light cardio to push out lactic acid and keep your engine running smooth.
Like I said, treat your recovery like your training – dialed, measured, aggressive in intent.
Because if you can master recovery – you’ll get stronger, leaner and more dangerous
than anybody who thinks taking a rest day is for quitters.
I’m Not Just A Spokesman… I’m A Client
Now, I’m more than just a guy who writes these weekly blogs – I walk the walk.
Recently, I’ve been training 7 days a week. For months, I’d workout out twice a day: weights and cardio Monday through Thursday and once a day jiu jitsu Friday through Sunday. It was working for me…
Until it wasn’t.
Last week I didn’t just hit a wall – the wall fell on me. I was destroyed. Tired, lethargic, sore. I was just beat up.
I couldn’t wake up in the morning – and when I did – I could barely roll out of bed. My body said, “Nope. We’re done. Time to rest.”
So, I took a rare day off. And I felt better the next day.
Imagine that!
So, I’m taking another day off today (as I have a tournament tomorrow – wish me luck!).
Trust me…
A little rest goes a LONG way.
“The best-kept secret in athletic performance isn’t training harder. It’s recovering better.” – Dr. Andy Galpin
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