Pruning The Ornamental Tree

[Wheatfreedude]

How many of you have been to a traditional French or English garden in or out of the United States and seen those perfectly manicured hedges? Or, have you seen the really cool bushes that are cut into Disney characters at their respective theme parks? It's almost amazing how perfectly the horticulturalist gets them just right!

Well, there are some similarities with ornamental trees and your body. After a pruning back a bush, the landscape architect needs to give the plant a set period of time to grown back --- until you can start pruning again and give it your future shape. If you pruned them every day, you wouldn't give the hedge or the plant a chance to start growing back.

Why do I bring this up? Because I have received numerous private messages from board members that are OVERTRAINING. You see, you don't actually build muscle in the gym, you're actually breaking down the fibers while lifting weights. You need a full day of rest and good night of sleep to let the muscle recover.

To put this into perspective, imagine what the Disney character/bush would look like if it was pruned every single day. It would look like the $3.99 hedge in the Home Depot garden department ten years later!

So, space out your weight lifting with cardio in between. And, don't be shy to incorporate two separate body parts into one day. Here's an example:

Monday - Biceps and Back

Tues - Cardio

Wed - Shoulders

Thurs - Cardio & Legs

Fri - Chest & Triceps

Sat - Cardio

Sun - Take the day off and rest (do some garden work to prove the ornamental pruning theory!)

Just some thoughts for a more effective work out.

~Wheatfreedude~

[Jestgar]

I do:

chest and tris

light cardio

legs and shoulders

rest or superlight cardio

backs and bis

Sat and Sun endurance cardio

[vbecton]

I claim one of those messages . I am in the mist of changing up my weight training routine. I'm also trying to convince my fellow work-out gals to do the same. We all agree we are overtraining. Now we just need to change our mentality that hours in the gym everyday isn't giving us the results. Excellent post!

[chasbari]

Not only can you easily overtrain if you are healthy, it is doubly possible as your body is trying to heal a damaged gut.

[Wheatfreedude]

Now we just need to change our mentality that hours in the gym everyday isn't giving us the results. Excellent post!

Glad that you're seeing the benefits of rest and sleep... and switching up your routine.

Since we are on the agricultural analogies, I'll add yet one more thought regarding your above comment.

We learned in grade school that plants need water, sun, and fertile soil. Does that mean that you DOUSE the plant several times a day? Does that meant that you keep it in the DIRECT sun from dusk to dawn? If one tablespoon of Miracle Grow is good for the plant, a cup must be better!?!?

The answers to all of the above is "of course not".

You're right... below is a silly equation:

MORE HOURS IN THE GYM = Better results

So, moderation and rest is key.

~Wheatfreedude~

[vbecton]

Glad that you're seeing the benefits of rest and sleep... and switching up your routine.

Since we are on the agricultural analogies, I'll add yet one more thought regarding your above comment.

We learned in grade school that plants need water, sun, and fertile soil. Does that mean that you DOUSE the plant several times a day? Does that meant that you keep it in the DIRECT sun from dusk to dawn? If one tablespoon of Miracle Grow is good for the plant, a cup must be better!?!?

The answers to all of the above is "of course not".

You're right... below is a silly equation:

MORE HOURS IN THE GYM = Better results

So, moderation and rest is key.

~Wheatfreedude~

Always so insightful! Great input! And how did you know I drowned my plants out back?! ha

[Wheatfreedude]

Always so insightful! Great input! And how did you know I drowned my plants out back?! ha

Wheatfreedude knows when kids have been naughty and nice!

LOL