Is Dancing Ballet, Doing Krav Maga, and Going to the Gym Too Much?

Some people have a tremendous capacity for physical activity. They thrive in such an environment. However, it is crucial to listen to your body and strike a balance between different fitness activities to avoid injuries and achieve overall well-being.

Listening to Your Body

It's essential to recognize when you are accruing over-use issues, injuries, or imbalances. If any of these occur, you may need to change or tone down your routine. Are all these activities impacting any other equally important responsibilities or desires? For example, are you neglecting work, family, or friends? Look at the bigger picture of your life and ask if all this activity is making sense.

Activity in Moderation

If you can handle it all, enjoy it for a season. After that, choose your favorite one or two activities to do for the rest of the year. As with all fitness routines, it depends on your body's capacity and your overall time management skills.

Sample Routine and Its Effects

I used to hit the gym five or six days a week, including four weight sessions, two HIIT sessions, one rest day, and even Krav Maga on Saturday mornings after a gym session. I also took up gymnastics, and while leg day was fine on the same day, the day before gymnastics could be unpleasant. This routine kept me lean, strong, fit, and flexible in my 50s.

It's essential to consider the balance of your routine. I was working from home, so I didn't have two hours of commuting in my day. Now, I travel to work, which reduces my opportunities to engage in this intense routine without losing sleep. It's crucial to have plenty of sleep, especially if you're working your body hard.

Besides, I was doing all these activities for fun rather than because I had to. If I felt tired or had other commitments, I could easily adjust my routine to avoid burnout. Feeling the effects of a gym, Krav, or ballet session can be a good thing. However, being constantly tired because you're overdoing it is not. Therefore, don't try to do all these things and party into the night as well.

Key Considerations:

Listen to your body's signals and respond accordingly. Ensure you have adequate rest and recovery time. Evaluate the impact on other aspects of your life, such as work, family, and social life. Adjust your routine as needed to maintain balance and prevent injuries.

Conclusion

To sum up, it's entirely dependent on your time management skills, fitness level, and overall well-being. Just like with all these things, do what works for you. If you're doing all of this and not getting enough rest/recovery time, or if you're overly fatigued, listen to your body. Cut back on one or more activities until you can adjust and find a healthy balance.