I filed this one under diet and hydration, but if two categories were allowed, I'd choose exercise too. 

Yes, this morning when I woke up - and indeed until half an hour or so later, my calves were buckling in a strange sort of manner - as if "they had no strength left". 

This happens to me sometimes, especially after I wake up in the night with intense cramps (which did not happen last night) .. 

I've written about that before here - https://0excusesfitness.com/2018/04/16/i-could-barely-walk-last-night - and here - Thigh cramps in the middle of the night (rahulmookerjee.com) ... 

That didnt quite happen last night, it's my calves that cramp sometimes these days, and the reason for what happened today? 

Well, it was manifold, part of the reason was I was a bit dehydrated. 

The 4 or so liters of water I drank down "while sleeping" last night didnt do the trick, another 2liters in the morning (which I do every morning) seems to have helped, but it was a diet (for me, yesterday) which I don't generally do - a lot of bread for one (I rarely, if ever eat bread of any nature, even brown bread and such) - and a few other things I rarely eat which seem to have dehydrated me. 

But more than that, it's the intense squatting I've been doing, I believe, ever since Jan 10 or so this year, with NO let up. 

Not when I'm tired, not when I'm drunk or afterwards, not if I'm not feeling well (I've done them with fever too, leading to a lot of ridicule from friends when I said "my workouts banished the virus from my system") - and so forth. 

Every single day. 

True, I didnt hit 500 ALL days. 

True, I didnt do 600 in a row ALL days - or 750. 

True, EVERY squatting session to me feels different. Bodyweight exercises, you never master them, my friend - period - and the masters will be the first to tell you that there is always something new you keep learning. 

Or, back when I climbed hills after a break - I'd wake up in the night with intense calf cramps. 

But this morning was different. 

Normally, I'd just walk it off. 

This morning, I could barely walk when I woke up - and this persisted for a good half an hour or so, leading to the "I'm tired, I DEFINITELY need a break today" feeling (a lot of you will know what I mean here!). 

It would have been easy to sink down into a chair and do nothing at all. 

Hell, I've got plenty of books on the back burner for one ... (for both businesses). 

Plenty of work to take care of ... 

But what did I do? 

Well, I slapped my legs for one - and did a special workout for the calves and shin straight out of Isometric and Flexibility Training, which took like less than a minute. 

Thats the great thing about isometrics. 

You use them to build strength, to recover between sets, to recover post workouts, to stretch, to strengthen, to do just about anything!! (fitness wise). 

They're so VERSATILE. 

You can do them for a few seconds. Or a minute. Or, more than an hour if you so choose, and all of these benefit you - differently. But benefit they do!

Then, I did the unthinkable. 

I got down, and hammered out 25 squats which felt far tougher than they should. 

Deep breathing. 

Sitting here NOW?

My legs, calves, all of it feel on TOP of the world. 

I'm sure I'll have another great workout today!

Moral of the story is this, your body is capable of far more than you think it is (consciously). 

Moral also is, when you're feeling like it's time to take a day off - chances are excellent and second to none you need to do SOMETHING. 

Mark my words, if you REALLY need a day off, you'll know it. 

In most cases, doing a bit of something will lead to feeling much better, and you do a lot more ... 

And, get another workout in in the books!

So thats the lesson for this one. 

Back soon.

Best

Rahul Mookerjee

PS - Lots of you have expressed interest in the 0 Excuses Fitness System; easily the best and most comprehensive of bodyweight fitness programs out there. As people have said "the best book ever, there is nothing that comes even close". And the videos too. 

HERE is where you can grab it NOW. 

And, Google loves THIS review from Murli in India the best - 

This is an amazing book on fitness that has the right combination of intensity and intelligence. These aren’t soul crushing workouts or weight training, but they certainly aren’t a walk in the park either. The word that could best describe these workouts is SMART. It helps you play with your bodyweight and get yourself super fit.

Amen, my friend. Amen.