Last week that weight felt easy.
Today it feels like somebody secretly added another 10kg.
Your normal run feels horrible. Your legs feel heavy. Your warm-up feels harder than the workout usually does.
So what happened?
In this episode of The Fundamentals of Fitness, Alison explores why your fitness and today's performance aren't necessarily the same thing.
We look at the things you bring into every workout—sleep, accumulated fatigue, stress, fuelling, hydration, temperature, previous training and menstrual symptoms—and why they can change how exercise feels.
You'll also learn a simple Green–Amber–Red system for deciding whether to train normally, modify your session or stop and pay attention.
Because one bad workout doesn't mean you've suddenly lost your fitness.
Your fitness is what you're capable of. Today's performance is how much of that capacity you can access right now.
CONNECT WITH ALISON
For no-nonsense fitness, training, and mindset support, you can find me here:
Instagram: @abperformancetraining
TikTok: @abperformancetraining
Facebook: AB Performance Training & Coaching
Website: abperformance.training
DISCLAIMER
The information shared on The Fundamentals of Fitness podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your training, nutrition, or health routines.
References
Craven, J., McCartney, D., Desbrow, B., Sabapathy, S., Bellinger, P., Roberts, L. and Irwin, C. (2022) ‘Effects of acute sleep loss on physical performance: A systematic and meta-analytical review’, Sports Medicine, 52(11), pp. 2669–2690. doi:10.1007/s40279-022-01706-y. PubMed
Fullagar, H.H.K., Skorski, S., Duffield, R., Hammes, D., Coutts, A.J. and Meyer, T. (2015) ‘Sleep and athletic performance: The effects of sleep loss on exercise performance, and physiological and cognitive responses to exercise’, Sports Medicine, 45(2), pp. 161–186. doi:10.1007/s40279-014-0260-0. PubMed
Morton, R.H., Fitz-Clarke, J.R. and Banister, E.W. (1990) ‘Modeling human performance in running’, Journal of Applied Physiology, 69(3), pp. 1171–1177. doi:10.1152/jappl.1990.69.3.1171. PubMed
Thomas, D.T., Erdman, K.A. and Burke, L.M. (2016) ‘Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and athletic performance’, Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 116(3), pp. 501–528. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2015.12.006. PubMed
