In an attempt to calm my mind and switch off for a bit, I decided to take the weekend as a rest, not do any training (yes, two whole days off – it took a lot of willpower) and try to find some ‘zen’. I’m a big fan of yoga and love following Adriene Mishler’s practices on YouTube but I have a tendency to opt for cardio or strength training over yoga because I feel like I want more of a workout. However, I’m always reminded of the joy and benefits of yoga when I practise. Yoga is great for strength and flexibility and is such a good way to compliment other training and look after my body. It also allows me to take some time to focus on the present moment and while I’m on the mat, the rest of the world kind of stops for a bit… I don’t know about you but I definitely need more of that in my life! The idea of yoga is not to force your body into positions but to experience how your body feels as you move and breathe. I find yoga helps with relaxation but it also boosts my energy, leaves me feeling good and ready to face the world. I also love the fact that, like Crossfit, it’s ‘scaleable’ – you do what you can at your level and gradually work towards improving positions and flexibility – no pressure.

I’ve always struggled with meditation and mindfulness – partly because I can’t seem to find the time for it but also because I struggle to switch off. I always feel like I could be doing something more productive with my time! That said, I have got a couple of apps on my phone and occasionally use them at night to help me wind down. Listening to a voice guiding me through visualisation and focusing on my breathing is normally enough to distract me from my mental chatter and I’m often asleep before the session ends.

Spending the weekend chilling with my son, doing a bit of yoga and trying some meditation definitely left me feeling more relaxed. My resting heart rate that had crept up by 15bpm over the last few weeks, is heading back down and I feel a bit more in control of my life again. It’s so important to just stop every now and then and I’m terrible for constantly finding another job to do and feeling ‘twitchy’ or guilty if I sit down for more than five minutes. Yoga gives me the opportunity to slow down and find some peace without having to sit on my backside doing nothing. After my restful weekend, I felt energised and ready for another week of training and my mind was certainly calmer so I felt able to think more clearly. Bring it on Monday! Perhaps I should remember to find my zen more often!