I have a black tea in hand. My cervical vertebre feel loose because my head feels like its filled with helium. Couldn’t sleep last night. Sore throat. Is it strep throat? Fever? Just a cold? That’s besides the point, really. On Sunday, when I trained, I tackled the world. I felt fresher than I had [...]
I have a black tea in hand. My cervical vertebre feel loose because my head feels like its filled with helium. Couldn’t sleep last night. Sore throat. Is it strep throat? Fever? Just a cold? That’s besides the point, really.
On Sunday, when I trained, I tackled the world. I felt fresher than I had in a long time. And now, two days later, every joint in my body aches.
What gives?
I’m reminded of a story my old mentor, James Smith, used to tell me: the first time he benched 405 pounds he came down with a wretched illness in the days following. Pretty similar story to mine. Why does it happen?
My memory is shady, but I think James used to say that in the initial stages of illness (before you really feel anything), the body’s immune system and such are ramping up to super saiyan levels under the hood. If you train during this time, you’ll get a nice little performance boost.
So if you notice a great training session that’s followed by some kind of illness, there’s your explanation. Perhaps the noteworthy thing about this is that you shouldn’t expect to hit that pre-illness high on a regular basis afterwards. The stars were aligned for greatness, almost as if it were a “natural” performance enhancer. When it’s all said and done, you’re left with your normal, boring self.