Joanna Zieiger on the 20 mnute rule

posted by Fast at Forty
Wednesday, May 11, 2011 at 5:38pm EDT

Fast at Forty was born while I was in the emergency room after crashing defending my title at the 70.3 World Championships in Clearwater, FL. In the midst of my anger over not being able to finish the race and being somewhat delirious from the pain, I decided that in 2010 I would start a campaign to be the first 40 year old woman to win a triathlon World Championship and it would be called “Fast at Forty”. During my recuperation from my injuries, which included shoulder surgery, I realized that this was a fantastic opportunity to inspire women in their 40’s to work through their challenges, overcome obstacles and attain new goals.

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Do you ever wake up in the morning questioning whether to train? Can’t even get out of bed? How about standing on the pool deck debating whether to dive in? Your body is tired and your brain is frazzled. What to do? On these days, I ask myself, am I really too tired (or sore) to train. If the answer is a resounding yes, then I skip the workout.

Usually, however, I prod myself to start the workout with this caveat: if I still don’t feel right after 20 minutes, then it is time to pull the pin. I have dubbed this “The 20 minute rule”. It is a highly valuable motivator on days when motivation is lacking.

No workout can be judged before it begins or even during the first five minutes. I have found that twenty minutes is the optimal amount of time to give the mind and body a proper warm up. After the initial few minutes, the blood starts flowing loosening up the muscles. The legs start feeling better and the body awakens from its slumber. It is not enough time, though, to do damage if you are ailing in some manner.

The 20 minute rule is an extremely useful tool and has a number of applications. It is equally effective for swimming, biking and running.

Suppose you have an important bike workout with some tough intervals. You are dragging and no amount of caffeine is helping. My suggestion is to ride easy for 20 minutes and then assess your situation. If you feel better, do a few pickups and start your intervals. If after 20 minutes, you still feel shabby, go home and take a nap.

Right now, I am applying the 20 minute rule on a regular basis at the pool. My rib pain has flared up again, and swimming seemingly makes it worse. If my ribs hurt at the 20 minute mark, I hop out of the pool and sulk in the shower. If at 20 minutes I am pain-free, I complete the workout and smile in the shower.

I have used the 20 minute rule when recovering from illness and injury. It has proved useful when determining if my asthma will be an issue. The 20 minute rule has let me know whether my legs are ready for bike or run intervals. I have never had a successful workout if I don't feel good within the first 20 minutes.

And then there are the days that the 20 minutes of warm up offer up a pleasant surprise: an outstanding workout.

How do you decide whether to work out on days you feel tired?

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Joanna Zieiger on the 20 mnute rule

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