All Recovery is Active
I've been thinking a lot about recovery lately. Over time I have taken for granted how much time and effort I put into my recovery. I wanted to share with everyone an example of how I recently recovered from a particularly intense workout.
First off, recovery is how we get fitter. We actually tear our body down during the workout so that it can rebuild itself a little stronger each time. What that means is that recovery is where improvement happens and therefore just as important as doing the workouts. I want to tell a story about one of my recent experiences with recovery.
I recently did a long workout with 3 miles of running and 300 double unders (if you did it, you know which one I'm talking about). I did this in barefoot shoes and afterwards I was very stiff in my lower legs to the point where I knew I would be in trouble if I didn't take action.
I started with doing the accessory work. It was 150 banded hamstring curls and 150 toe raises. Whenever the accessory work is 150 of something the purpose is to draw blood flow to a specific area of your body. Drawing blood flow to the area kickstarts the recovery process and begins the healing process. So doing large amounts of reps in accessory work is not a form of punishment, it actually will help you feel better tomorrow by reducing soreness.
Next I decided to make sure I hydrated so I drank plenty of water with LMNT mixed in. Hydration is not only drinking water, it's getting your electrolytes which is sodium as well as getting magnesium and potassium into your system. Hydration allows your body to function properly which in turn aids recovery.
I then used the voodoo band to wrap my feet, ankles and calves. If you don't know what a voodoo band is, ask your coach. It works wonders for aches and pains. Its function is again to encourage blood flow to specific areas of your body.
I also improvised with my nutrition and decided to go over my protein goal for the day. I normally shoot for 180 grams a day but I know that protein is an essential building block to repair my muscles. I ended up eating over 200 grams of protein.
I also made sure to go to bed at a reasonable hour. Sleep is when your body does the rebuilding necessary to repair the damage. Deep sleep is the specific time that your body does most of its repair work. Getting at least 7 hours of sleep a night with a good amount of deep sleep is key to recovery.
Lastly, I took the next day off and went from working out and took a long walk instead. I am happy to report that I had a manageable amount of soreness and was able to move through my day without any significant discomfort.
Recovery is so important in the long process of improving fitness and it can look different from day to day. I want to encourage everyone to listen to your body and explore ways to help your body repair itself. If you want suggestions on how to better recover, ask your professional coach.
We are here to help!
Ben
