It sounds like somewhat of an oxymoron, but it's something that we don't pay nearly enough attention to. In order to get the best results possible, we actually need to work just as hard at recovering as we do in our actual training.
This is a concept that is often overlooked, and something we don't pay nearly as much attention to as we should.
Remember this Key Phrase: "It's not the exercise itself that makes you better. It's the recovery from that exercise that makes you better."
We've gotten a little off track in the training industry. We tend to look at the body as a computer or a machine more than a living, adaptive organism. We've been told that we need to "exercise", and exercise more because if some is good, more must be better!
We forget that everything that happens in the body is controlled by the brain and it's perception of how much "threat" your system is under...Everything is controlled by the brain!- not just our conscious thoughts and movements, but our metabolism, hormone profile, adaptation to exercise, structural growth, digestion, respiration, sleep, everything.
Here's how exercise and training works from a neurological standpoint: When you train, you are introducing a stress, or threat, to the body. That stress, or threat, uses up resources (glucose, oxygen, neurological signaling, tissue integrity). This causes a response by the brain to send the right hormones, nutrients, etc. to repair the damage from that stress and adapt to it so the next time that stress comes along, it's not so threatening and the body is more prepared to deal with it. This repair and adaptation process takes time!- typically 24-48 hours. It also takes conscious effort on our part to allow that process to happen as quickly and fully as possible.
Recovery Highest Payoffs:
1. Fuel- Giving your body the appropriate kinds and amount of fuel is what enables the adaptation to happen. What are the main fuels we're talking about? Glucose (sugar), Oxygen, and Protein. Fueling yourself well throughout your training session and after are key.
While most people tend to drink water during their sessions and lots after, it may not be as high of a payoff as we would think. There aren't as many nutrients in water as in other drinks that are mostly water, but also full of nutrients that help fuel you and your recovery. 2 of the best are Orange Juice and Coconut Water. OJ with a pinch of salt or a carton of coconut water are 2 of the best "sports drinks" available!
Oxygen is also a key component. Did you know that there are over 30 muscles that take part in respiration? If any of them aren't working at an appropriate capacity, we limit the amount of oxygen we can breathe in, but the body will also take blood flow and nutrition away from the extremities to fuel the underperforming respiratory muscles (called the "Metabolo Reflex!), limiting the amount of work you can do in a session and slowing the recovery process.
Protein is what your muscle tissues are made of and are also fuel the liver to clear out stress hormones and kick off the metabolism. Protein from dairy is ideal- milk, cheese, ice cream are great sources of quality protein and are great recovery foods. Eggs are also great, as well as seafood and beef from ruminant animals (high vitamin and mineral content!)
2. Sleep- Sleep is a major contributor to the adaptation process. Most of the adaptation from the day's events takes place while we're sleeping. If you're having trouble sleeping, there are quite a few things you can do to help. First, make sure your room is completely dark and as many lights and electronics are removed as possible (even the little light on the TV, cell phone, maybe even your alarm clock!). Keep the temperature at night a little cooler than usual. Avoid darkness or even dim light until it's time to actually go to sleep.
3. Move- Mobility drills, vision drills, balance exercises, and light movement can be a huge factor in speeding up the recovery process. Remember you've stressed your muscles and joints, so re-connecting and mapping your "GPS" goes a long way in helping that recovery and adaptation process happen.
4. Manage Inflammation- This is extremely helpful in helping to speed up the recovery. Inflammation can be managed dietarily, but there's another technique that's very effective. It's an old method, but still gets the job done: contrast bath. This is alternating from hot to cold water baths to help your body "pump" the inflammation out. This can be done easily in the shower by just turning your post workout shower to cold for the last 2 minutes before you get out. If you can't handle the full body cold water, putting it on the shins and ankles has been shown to to be effective as well.
Remember that getting better from exercise is an adaptation- it's a physical, chemical, and neurological process that takes the right ingredients and environment to happen well. It's not merely a "download" where you do it and you automatically get results like the fitness community would have you believe. Equal time and effort should be spent on recovering and adapting to get the most out of your training! If you only have so many hours a week to train, split it up so you're spending time training and recovering! It sounds simple, but can have a huge effect on your results!
