R & R

Rest and recovery is just as important as training itself. Other than not overtraining, here are a few ideas to help you to adapt to training.

Sleep is one of our bodies’ best methods of recovering. When you get inadequate rest, your body releases a chemical called cortisol which can interfere with growth and repair which reduces the effectiveness of training and increases the likelihood of injury. Eight hours is generally recommended for adults.

Some athletes find an afternoon nap also helps them get through their afternoon session. Personally, I feel a little lethargic if I nap prior to training.

Psychological and emotional stress may also influence recovery and performance so make sure you take the time to relax.

Resting with your legs elevated reverses hydrostatic pressure which can improve recovery. Some people also recommend putting your legs up prior to training / competing. Compression tights may also provide a similar effect.

Contrast (hot/cold) immersion is commonly used as it is believed to increase blood flow (eg alternate one minute in ice bath / one minute warm bath).

Massage is often used to expedite recovery.

It is important you don’t exert yourself outside of training with strenuous employment or other recreation sports but nor should you spend all your time on the couch.

Nutrition plays an important role. Adequate protein and carbohydrate intake is important not to slow recovery. Many nutritionists recommend intake of small portions of protein and carbohydrate within 30 minutes of training to aid recovery. A nutritionist can assist you in this area.

This is not an exhaustive list of ways to improve recovery but hopefully will help you to focus a little more on this important component of training. Research doesn’t support all of these strategies but it’s good to experiment to find out what works best for you.