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One Simple Strategy to Ensure You Are Training at the Right Intensity
Our exercise capacity fluctuates daily — it’s common to underestimate or overestimate your capacity.
I just feel off.
This is a common feeling in the gym, on the soccer field, on the pickleball court, or anywhere else you like to perform physical activity.
Why?
Our exercise capacity fluctuates daily. Sleep, stress, diet, motivation, recent training load, and attention all influence our capacity to perform vigorous exercise. It is unlikely you are able to remain stable in all aspects of your health and daily routine. Therefore, predicting your future training capacity will always have some degree of uncertainty.
As a physical therapist, I have to account for all of these variables plus pain and healing tissue, which change tolerance to exercise. Even if you are pain-free, these variabilities in your daily routine and perception of fatigue make simple linear progression far from optimal.
If you expect to improve each session or even maintain the same level of performance, you have likely experienced disappointment. We have good days and bad days.
