Recovery - The Secret Weapon
Recovery Techniques
Allowing yourself adequate recovery time in your training schedule is vital, regardless of whether you’re a recreational, competitive, or professional athlete. Any training in high volumes or intensity often leads to muscle soreness, fatigue and deficits in strength and power. A busy and monotonous training program can also cause mental fatigue, boredom, and burnout. As a coach, prescribing the right rest to work ratio as well effective and accessible recovery techniques, is just as important as prescribing the right exercises.
Some of the most used and accessible recovery techniques are:
- Active Recovery
The most prominent reported benefit of active recovery as opposed to passive recovery and rest, is the removal of lactate following high intensity training or sport. In a study of moderately trained runners, maximum lactate clearance occurred at intensities close to the athlete’s lactate threshold (Menzies et al., 2010).
- Hydrotherapy
Hydrotherapy can be immersion in either hot or cold water and often a combination of both. The potential benefits arise from changes in blood flow, peripheral resistance, and skin core and muscle temperature which can result in reduced inflammation, perception of fatigue and muscle soreness (Wilcock et al., 2006).
- Massage
There is limited research supporting the idea that massage increases future performance by accelerating recovery, however the most reported benefit is reduced muscle soreness resulting from increased blood flow. Massage can also help with injury prevention and management and often has a positive psychological effect on perceived recovery and relaxation (Monedero & Donne, 2000).
- Stretching
There is limited research around stretching as a recovery technique, however some studies have shown that stretching is best implemented in combination with other methods, yet has still been found to improve subsequent performance, range of motion and reduce muscle soreness (Kokkinidis et al., 1998).
- Compression
Research shows that wearing compression garments during and following exercise can illicit a small effect on reducing DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) as well as perceived soreness (Duffield et al., 2010).
- Nutrition
It’s important to note that nutrition also plays a major role in recovery and continued performance. The importance of post training protein and overall nutrition will be discussed in detail in our next article.
Members are privileged at Premier Conditioning to have access to recovery recourses such as: A RomWod subscription, thera massage guns, and hyperice compression systems.
If you’re still not sure how to manage effective recovery in your training, our Accredited Exercise Scientists are always available to explain the best options for your individual needs.
- Sarah Mantova
B. ExSS (Hons) and Strength and Conditioning Coach
