HAPPY SAFEY WEEK! We are super excited to share some great tips and content this week in spirit of the celebration. Keep an eye out on our social media platforms throughout the week.

Our plug this week is on the importance of a diligent self care routine. We say this often, so how is this any more influential than before, you ask? 

We frequently write about and compare the competitive athlete to the industrial athlete. However, the competitive athlete has something that the industrial athlete does not. An off season. The industrial athlete has NO off season.

What’s an off season?

It is a break or period of time between competition seasons. It is often a time that athletes will specifically rest from training, work on a lower intensity strength program, or rehabilitate from any chronic aches or pains they have been dealing with throughout the season. The purpose is to give the body a much needed rest break from the repetition of their training or sport.

The industrial athlete does not have one of these. Conversely, an industrial athlete may work an entire career without one of these. This is why it’s even more important to talk about self care. An industrial athlete’s “off season” training needs to happen during their season. 

This is one reason why we dedicated an entire letter of our industrial athlete’s daily checklist to, D: Debrief and Recuperate.

How do you create an off season every day? We won’t pretend this is easy, quick, or low maintenance. The consequence of not doing this though is well worth the consideration to make this a priority. Don’t believe us? Just ask any industrial athlete nearing retirement.

Let’s simplify this into 3 main steps:

The first step is to make sure you have a consistent strength routine. This is vital not only to your performance on a day to day basis, but the ability for your body to consistently tolerate the work that you do day on and day off. Often beginning one can be daunting. Remembering to give yourself grace and starting a progressive program that doesn’t tire you out but allows you to get stronger is key. Want some ideas? Try out our free 30 Day Industrial Athlete’s progressive conditioning program.

Second we talk about self care which might be a nightly stretching routine, a regular epsom salt bath, and practicing the fine art of nutrition and hydration. Check out our Nighty Night Stretching Routine for ideas!

Third, sleep routine. We cannot recuperate without healthy, restful sleep. This is when the brain and body reorganizes and heals. Our shut eye time is an often overlooked necessity of being human. Prioritize sleep. Avoid the lure of watching just ONE more episode, opening that social media app, or neglecting to have a routine of “winding down” at the end of your evening. Adulting can be hard, but your “thrival” (a mesh of thriving + survival) is a priority.