Red Woods Fitness | Blog Week of 6-23-2025

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June 22, 2025

Quote of the Week 6-23-2025

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“If you fail to prepare, you’re prepared to fail.”

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NEWS

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Welcome back friends! Last week we went deep into a specific training concept- minimum effective dose, that has helped me tremendously, especially as of late. This week let’s dive into another absolute game-changer for my personal fitness- sleep.

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For me sleep is the missing link in fitness and feels like a secret weapon. When we think about getting fit, the conversation almost always revolves around workouts, nutrition, and discipline. But there’s a critical piece missing from most fitness plans: sleep. Sleep is not just a pillar of health—it’s the foundation.

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Sleep is MUCH MORE than just rest. Sleep isn’t a passive state of doing nothing. It’s a deeply active process during which your body repairs, regulates, and strengthens itself. Sleep is the single most effective thing we can do to reset our brain and body health each day. For anyone pursuing fitness goals, whether it's fat loss, muscle gain, or athletic performance, this makes sleep indispensable.

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1. Sleep and Muscle Growth

Building muscle isn’t confined to the gym. In fact, most of the muscle repair and growth happen after your workout—while you’re asleep. During deep sleep, the body releases human growth hormone (HGH), which plays a key role in muscle development and repair. Without adequate deep sleep, your recovery slows, your performance plateaus, and your risk of injury increases.

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I usually aim for 7.5 to 9 hours of quality sleep per night. If you’re training hard, err on the higher end of that range.

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2. Sleep and Fat Loss

You might be counting macros and hitting metcons hard, but if you’re skimping on sleep, fat loss will stall. There are numerous studies showing that people on a calorie-controlled diet who got only 5–6 hours of sleep lost more lean muscle mass than fat—while those who slept 8+ hours lost significantly more fat. Did you just read that??? All you need to do is sleep to lose more fat and keep more muscle.

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Even worse, sleep deprivation alters the hormones ghrelin and leptin, which control hunger and satiety. This makes you more likely to crave high-calorie, sugary foods. If I get less than ideal sleep I am a hog the next day.

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For most of us I would recommend not just tracking calories-track your sleep. It could be the key to breaking a fat-loss plateau.

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3. Sleep and Athletic Performance

There is also tons of compelling research on how even one night of poor sleep can reduce physical performance: slower reaction times, decreased endurance, and poor accuracy. Sleep-deprived athletes also suffer greater perceived exertion, meaning workouts feel harder than they should.So not only do I eat like a hog the day after trash sleep, I perform like one too. This is why I try to keep a consistent bedtime and wake time, even on weekends, to optimize my performance. I believe that if you’re going to stay up for something, make it something you really enjoy.

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4. Sleep and Motivation

Sleep deprivation doesn’t just impact the body—it fogs the mind. Lack of rest diminishes the function of the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for decision-making and impulse control. That means you’re more likely to skip a workout or give in to cravings when you’re tired. I really protect my mental edge by winding down an hour before bed: no screens, dim lights, and maybe some light stretching and meditation.

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How to Prioritize Sleep for Better Fitness

Here are a few actionable steps based on the science:

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Establish a wind-down routine: Just like you warm up before a workout, wind-down before bed.

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Keep your room cool and dark: Optimal sleep temperature is around 65°F, I like it at 60.

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Limit caffeine and alcohol: Both disrupt deep sleep, even if you fall asleep quickly. I try to cut off caffeine around 1pm, but keep in mind I am pounding a large amount of it before that.

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Get morning sunlight: This helps regulate your circadian rhythm, improving both sleep quality and energy levels.

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Your fitness goals don’t end with the last rep or the last meal of the day—they continue into the night. Sleep is not a luxury or a sign of laziness. It’s a biological necessity and an untapped superpower for anyone serious about health and performance.

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Train hard. Eat smart. Sleep deeper. Repeat. Sweet dreams!

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PROGRAMMING

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This week we hammer the conditioning home and PR our mile run and 1000m row. We are up against a girl WOD, “Practical Joker”, and a BUNCH of tabata work. Time to shine.

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LET’S GET AFTER IT!

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Monday

Strength

4 Sets Tabata

Air Squats

4 Sets Tabata

Pistols

4 Sets Tabata

Goblet Squat

Metcon