by Dana Cavalea March 13, 2018

 Hey Team... 

The winter weather continues here in the NYC Area.. 

So, more time to write, train, recover, and just relax.

By now you may think I do a lot of relaxing since the blog often talks about recovery..

But after training one of my clients today, Brandon Steiner, we had a great discussion about achievement and the importance of rest.

Whether you are an athlete, a coach, or an entrepreneur... we all know the importance of working hard.

Achievement = Hard Work

But.. what also have to realize is...

Achievement = Rest & Recovery

Brandon and I were discussing approaching life much like a sports season..

Your year is made up of:

  • 4-Quarters.
  • You have X-Number of Time-Outs.
  • You get a Bye Week Every 8-10 Weeks.
  • You get an Off-Season Every Year to Heal and Build Yourself...
  • During the Season, you will go on some long, hard stretches of work and grind
  • Those long stretches are always followed by an off-day or All-Star Break..

This may sound far fetched, but is it?

Honestly, how effective are you really "grinding it out" everyday... 

Probably not very.

The Grind It Out saying is bullshit and completely unsustainable.. 

Don't let experts lie to you.. 

They are balancing the grind with trips to Cabo or hunting in the woods to recharge... 

If you have set times of the year to grind, set times of the year to chill, and set times of the year focused on building yourself mentally and physically... how would you feel?

Pretty amazing I bet.

You see, we all put too much pressure on ourselves... pushing PACE.. when the reality is, it is hard to push through the wall.. and not very smart.

Optimizing performance, reducing stress, and driving down your risk for injury comes from playing smart...

I always say, Arod, Jeter, Mariano... didn't last as long as they did because of grinding and talent...

They lasted because they had an awesome balance to complement the work..

The question is, DO YOU?

_____________________________________________________

Click the image below to listen to my podcast on PACE.

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#TRAINLIKE APRO
         THIS WEEKS CARDIO... TO OPTIMIZE YOUR CONDITIONING

                                                             30/ 30's

*On treadmill, track, or football field, Run hard for 30 seconds (just below a sprint), then walk for 30 seconds.

Repeat 10-20 times depending on your conditioning level.

If you are on a treadmill, each time you do this, work to increase speed during "work", which will allow your total distance to elevate each time you train. And, speed elevations can be 1-2 mph each time, nothing drastic.

I recommend doing this 3-4 times per week.. Easy. Fun. It works. = WIN.

Dana Cavalea
Dana Cavalea

Dana Cavalea is the World Champion Director of Strength and Conditioning & Performance of the New York Yankees. Currently, he is a High Performance Speaker & Consultant to Pro Athletes, Entrepreneurs, Business Executives, and Workforces on lifestyle strategies to reduce stress, improve work/life integration, and most importantly improve daily performance /outcomes. Book Dana to Speak at your Company Event or Conference Today!


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