Introducing Work IN
How does a type A, results driven, workout obsessed athlete buy into meditation and restorative yoga as crucial parts of training and success? Well I can tell you first hand — because it works. In more than a decade of teaching yoga to athletes, chronic stress and underperforming due to under-recovering has been the norm. As an athlete who used to be there myself, and a coach whose mission is to help these individuals and teams achieve their goals, I get it. I understand the widespread and prevelent resistance to real—practical, effective—recovery.
When I set out to teach yoga to athletes years ago, the first thing I noticed is that when athletes come to the mat, they are tired. Real tired. What they need most from yoga isn't another workout—they already know how to do that, and they do it all the time. Instead, the most powerful way for athletes to use yoga is to optimize their recovery so that they can fully absorb the benefits from all their hard work. And the more I studied the science of recovery, and gained experienced working with athletes of all kinds, I realized that recovery isn't a passive state that happens by default when you're not actively training, or on a "rest day." Turns out resting is hard! Optimized recovery requires an intentional approach to transitioning from work to rest and spending time in a more consciously relaxed state—it requires you to work IN.
This project has been in my mind and heart for a long time, and I'm thrilled to introduce you to Work IN. It starts shipping in December, and if you preorder now I’ll email you an exclusive guided audio meditation from the book + mail you sweet Work IN swag to help you start working in right now. More on that at the bottom of this blog. But first come behind the scenes!
MEET WORK IN
Work IN is your plan to navigate the most uncharted yet most accessible territory available to help make you a better athlete right now: recovery.
Athletes are familiar with going hard—after all, working out gets results. What few are familiar with is resting easy—working in also gets results. When you go hard you have to rest hard, too. Not only that, when used together in an integrated way, working out and working in will help you become more balanced and resilient and close the gap between where you are now and where you want to be.
I designed this book to help you accomplish this by activating powerful restorative skills anytime, anywhere to make recovery happen for real in as little as five minutes a day.
WHAT'S INSIDE
The first section unpacks myths around rest and recovery, why real recovery is so elusive for most athletes, and how working in can change your game — and your life.
The tools in the book include mental focus training (Get your head right) and physical relaxation practices (Recharge your body). You'll learn why meditation and restorative yoga will make you a better athlete, common challenges and how to overcome them and, most important, how to use these tools to work in.
Sure, reading a book is great, but how do you really apply it to your real life? Use the monthlong plan! Work IN includes a 28-day guide that maps out how to put what you've learned into practice to make an impact and, ultimately, make your own plan to continue and get results.
ATHLETES OF WORK IN
It has been an honor to work with athletes Alysia and Louis Montaño to bring Work IN to life. We shot on location in their hometown of Berkeley in spring 2017. Dream team!
Alysia is an Olympian, six-time USA Outdoors Champion in the 800m, and an advocate for clean sport. She's also a mother, currently expecting her second baby. She ran the USA Outdoors 800m while pregnant in both 2014 and 2017 to challenge stigmas around exercise and pregnancy, and is known for uplifting and inspiring athletes of all kinds.
Her husband, Louis, is a fitness instructor, film maker, and proud dad. Check out his YouTube channel for a behind the scenes video of our shoot in Berkeley!
WORK IN TEAM
I had the privilege of working with VeloPress on my first book, HIT RESET, and have been thrilled to continue our collaboration on Work IN. From my editor to the creatives, this team is ace and I'm honored to have them bring this book to market.
The incomparable Claire Pepper photographed Work IN, infusing her creativity, grace, and magic into every page. Claire has been Athletes for Yoga's official photographer since 2015 and I'm super thankful to have her on my team — and that she traveled all the way from London with me to work on this project.
WORK IN LAUNCH DATE
Work IN will start shipping in December 2017.
PREORDER WORK IN
When you preorder Work IN, we'll email you an exclusive guided audio meditation from the book, and mail you limited edition Work IN swag. Find out more and preorder now! Just click the button below.
Ready, set, recover!
