Recovery is an important part of a training program as it allows the body to repair and rebuild muscle fibers, regenerate tissues and also rebalance hormones associated with fatigue. There are times where training can become obsessive and addictive leading up to reduced or no recovery or rest days. This can increase the risk of injuries causing poor athletic performance. Once a training session is complete, the body’s natural process is to rest and relax by stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system. This helps to lower the heart rate and pushes your body towards recovery. Remember that recovery is as important as training and adequate rest is necessary to stay healthy, prevent injuries and also develop training adaptations.
Our body has the ability to recover naturally through sufficient sleep. With several researches and evidence, athletes have become aware of how important sleep is and it’s impact on performance. Studies show that 8 to 10 hours of sleep helps to repair tissues, muscles and joints and also allows cellular growth through production of growth hormone. It also refreshes the mind and brain thereby improving cognitive functioning. However, it is important to know that good sleep is built during the day. Below are some techniques to be followed during the day to improve the quality of night sleep.
- Maintain a similar sleep and wake up time to regulate circadian rhythm
- Spend a minimum of 10 minutes in the sun after waking up
- Avoid caffeine consumption after 2 pm (As it hinders sleep cycle and melatonin production in the night)
- Avoid intensive workouts in the latter half of the day as it stimulates cortisol production and increases stress levels.
Studies have found that active recovery (light movements) has positive benefits compared to passive recovery (no movements). Active recovery improves blood circulation which helps to remove accumulated toxins especially lactic acid that was built up during exercise. This works to reduce fatigue, muscle soreness and also reduce muscle pH which directly hinders performance. It is required to keep the heart rate above resting levels but not as high as per a training session. This provides an ideal time to incorporate light stretches or some flexibility and mobility exercises or even quick massages.
Active recovery can be carried out during an interval training which includes a light jog or walk in between circuits, post a training session as part of cooling down or during rest days. Below are some examples of active recovery.
Foam Rolling
Foam rolling is observed to be an effective approach to optimize recovery as it helps to break up lactic acid build up out of the muscle and decrease recovery time of muscle. It reduces muscle knots due to the pressure applied on a particular muscle. Use the roller for not more than 60 seconds on a specific muscle group to relieve tension and knots.
Stretching
Stretching has been used as the most common form of active recovery, however, more research and evidence is required. With available evidence it is found that dynamic stretching reduces muscle soreness compared to static stretching. It increases the blood flow to the muscles and also maintains muscle flexibility. Begin with 30 seconds of dynamically stretching a particular muscle and gradually build it up.
Massage
Massage is another commonly used technique for recovery. It has shown to increase muscle blood flow and reduces delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS). It also reduced high levels of creatine kinase and interleukin 6 which are associated with inflammation during exercise. A quick 20 to 30 minute massage immediately or 2 hours after a session has been effective.
Contrast Water or Cold Water Therapy
Contrast water therapy involves exposure to both cold water and hot water one after the other. It works by alternating peripheral vasoconstriction and vasodilation which reduces muscle spasm and inflammation. Positive performance benefits were observed with 7 rotations of 1 minute hot and 1 minute cold water exposures.
On the other hand, a 2 minute cold water immersion or an eight minute cold shower has shown to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system thereby enhancing recovery.
Infrared Saunas
Infrared saunas contain infrared lamps which induce sweating with lower temperatures compared to dry or steam saunas, which use relatively higher temperatures. The heat exposure dilates the blood vessels and eliminates toxins through detoxification and also reduces muscle fatigue and inflammation. For adequate recovery, begin with 10 to 15 minutes of infrared exposure 3 to 4 times a week after training or on rest days and gradually progress to 20 to 25 mins.
References:
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/24253864_Effects_of_caffeine_on_daytime_recovery_sleep_A_double_challenge_to_the_sleep-wake_cycle_in_aging
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/sms.14060?af=R
- https://blog.nasm.org/the-science-of-recovery
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/257298429_Sleep_Recovery_and_Athletic_Performance_A_Brief_Review_and_Recommendations
- https://www.aspetar.com/journal/viewarticle.aspx?id=182#.YriIJHZBy5c
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/sms.14060
- https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/apr/21/the-secrets-of-sports-recovery
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8072992/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5932411/
- https://www.gssiweb.org/sports-science-exchange/article/sse-120-recovery-techniques-for-athletes
- https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2019.00376/full
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3633882/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4493260/
- Bishop P. A., Jones E., Woods A. K. (2008). Recovery from training: a brief review: brief review. J. Strength Cond. Res. 22, 1015–1024. 10.1519/JSC.0b013e31816eb51815
