PEAK PERFORMANCEWeeks to result

Desire to Train Framework

Listen to your body

Problem it solves

People whose fear or anxiety responses in peak performance contexts prevent them from taking the courageous actions required for meaningful progress.

Best for

Athletes and individuals seeking to optimize their training

Not ideal for

Those who ignore their body's signals

Overview

Why this framework exists

This framework emphasizes the importance of listening to one's body and honoring the desire to train. It suggests that when the desire to train is absent, it may be a sign of underlying issues such as stress, fatigue, or poor recovery. By paying attention to this desire, individuals can optimize their training and avoid burnout.

Core principles

3 total
  1. Listen to your body and honor its desire to train
  2. Pay attention to signs of stress, fatigue, and poor recovery
  3. Optimize training and recovery to avoid burnout

Steps

3 steps
  1. Tune into your desire to train
    Pay attention to your body's signals and honor its desire to train. If you don't feel like training, it may be a sign of underlying issues.
    Pro tipKeep a training journal to track your progress and identify patterns
    WarningIgnoring your body's signals can lead to burnout and injury
  2. Assess your readiness state
    Evaluate your physical and mental state to determine your readiness to train. Consider factors such as sleep, nutrition, and stress levels.
    Pro tipUse tools like heart rate variability or CO2 tolerance to assess your readiness state
    WarningTraining when you're not ready can lead to poor performance and increased risk of injury
  3. Optimize your training and recovery
    Adjust your training and recovery strategies based on your desire to train and readiness state. Prioritize rest and recovery when needed, and focus on progressive overload when you're feeling strong.
    Pro tipIncorporate variety in your training to avoid plateaus and prevent overuse injuries
    WarningNeglecting recovery can lead to burnout and decreased performance

Checklist

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Examples

2 cases
Dr. Kelly Starrett's personal experience

Dr. Kelly Starrett has found that when he doesn't feel like training, it's often a sign of underlying issues such as stress or fatigue. By listening to his body and honoring its desire to train, he's able to optimize his training and recovery.

OutcomeImproved performance and reduced risk of injury
Juliet's experience with heat tolerance

Juliet has found that her heat tolerance is closely tied to her desire to train. When she's feeling stressed or fatigued, her heat tolerance decreases, and she's more likely to feel overwhelmed by heat stress.

OutcomeImproved self-awareness and ability to optimize training and recovery

Common mistakes

3 traps
Ignoring your body's signals
Failing to listen to your body's desire to train can lead to burnout, injury, and poor performance.
Not assessing readiness state
Neglecting to evaluate your physical and mental state can result in poor training and increased risk of injury.
Not optimizing training and recovery
Failing to adjust your training and recovery strategies based on your desire to train and readiness state can lead to stagnation and decreased performance.

Origin story

How this framework came to be

Dr. Kelly Starrett and his wife, Juliet, have developed this framework through their own experiences with training and recovery. They believe that by tuning into one's desire to train, individuals can cultivate a more sustainable and effective approach to fitness.

Source

Traced to primary
Source · PODCAST
How to Improve Your Mobility, Posture & Flexibility | Dr. Kelly Starrett
Andrew Huberman · 2024
Open source →