What actually works for recovery?
Recovery - ‘A return to a normal state of health, mind or strength’
In professional sport we put a huge emphasis on recovery, as this is where improvements are made. Both physically and mentally. You aren’t aware of it but your ability to perform a task is improved whilst you aren’t doing it not whilst you are.
Different stimuli require varying amounts of recovery time. For example a well written low impact HIIT workout would take less than 24hrs to recover from and a well written speed session would take 72hrs to recover from even though the HIIT workout could be longer and feel tougher.
This is due to the amount of stress on the nervous system and your body’s ability to adapt to it.
In this blog I will talk about the main protocols used for recovery and the benefits of each.
Sleep
This is the most important recovery tool. If you are recovering from an activity that has any level of skill this is where you will master it, as long as you are disciplined in your practice. It used to be ‘practice makes perfect’ now it’s ‘practice makes permanent’. It is really important that any technical aspects of what you are doing are performed as well as you can as often as you can. This is because when you sleep your brain reinforces these pathways so if you are performing a skill poorly then that will become your new norm, whereas if you are practicing with a high quality then that will become the norm and you will improve drastically. Sleep is also important for any body changes you are trying to make. Whether you want to lose fat or build muscle, sleep is the most important component due to growth hormone being at its highest during sleep. Having a bedtime routine that is consistent, will maximise your ability to produce this hormone.
Nutrition
The big thing to look at is your protein intake. Ideally you will be consuming 1.6 - 2.2g of protein per KG of bodyweight (depending on your training age and current fitness goals).
We find this is the biggest thing missing from most peoples diet, so if you make this your number 1 focus and stick to it then chances are you are already doing better than most.
Ideally this will be from good sources (meat, fish, dairy and vegetable), but it is difficult to consume enough protein a lot of the time and that is where supplementing with a whey protein might help.
Stick to these rules…
Eat a source of protein with every meal (30-40g)
Have a protein shake as soon as you finish training. (30-40g)
If you manage these 2 then the chances are you won’t be far off.
Active recovery
Low impact activity to improve blood flow and help regulate circadian rhythm which is an internal process that runs on a 24hr circle. Getting out and going for a walk will make you more alert, prepare you for the day and allow you to sleep better which will ultimately speed up recovery..
Self Myofascial Release
The benefits of self myofascial release are relatively short term. But they do allow you to restore movement and function to stiff areas created by exercise. So if you find you are a bit tight before your next session then it might be worth trying the foam roller or a massage gun.
Light stretching/yoga
A combination of the 2 above but with the added extra of mindfulness and controlled breathing. Both of which can help you destress. Remember, happy people recover faster.
Cold water immersion
Ice baths have been shown to reduce the inflammatory response and therefore can show a perceived level of recovery. The issue is that the inflammatory response is part of your body’s process of recovering, adapting and ultimately improving. So unless you have back to back really tough sessions I would stay away from these and allow your body to do what it needs. A quick cold plunge to help cool you down on a hot day though is beneficial to get you back to homeostasis and speed up recovery.
As you can see all of the last 4 have a recurring theme which is ultimately prepare your body ready to have another good nights sleep.
Recovery is a huge part of your journey to making the change you want, it is part of a process you need to go through along with nutrition and lifestyle to highlight, create and adjust patterns in your every day life. A lot of this you do without noticing it, it’s making adjustments and reflecting on your practices that is the issue.
If you are serious about making a change then invest in a coach, you don’t need a fancy gym, latest supplements, stupid gimmick fitness classes or moronic endorsements from celebrities out to boost their public profile and make money.
If you can find an experienced coach you trust, then that is the single most important investment you can make, everything else can be tailored to your budget.
So what is stopping you?
