Listening to your body

This past week I have been feeling pretty tired, and bearing in mind all the bugs around this time of year I made a real effort to get some early nights.  I didnt climb till yesterday, just went for some gentle walks and did some light stretching.  I think it has paid off as yesterday I did some routes with an old friend, Lowri, and felt pretty good whilst climbing, and today I had a good bouldering session and managed a few problems that previously had me stumped.  

I write this because its easy to get sucked into continuing to push yourself or sticking rigidly to a training schedule when you are not feeling 100%.  There might be a sense that if you dont do it today, you'll get 'behind' and lose strength or stamina.  I havent really found this to be the case - indeed for myself I find that taking enough rest is crucial and often makes more difference than just training continuously.

So my advice this week would be, take a few moments to tune into your body.  Are you feeling well? Any unusual aches and pains that need attention?  Are you feeling rested and refreshed? Our bodies need a little more sleep at this time of year, with daylight hours shorter, our brain picks up on the lack of daylight and signals 'more sleep please'!  Best to listen!