During the recovery period, a number of practices can be adopted to reduce the effects of fatigue and to return you to a physical and mental state where you are ready for your next performance or training session.

 

Factors influencing recovery

There are two main factors influencing recovery:

Time

Recovery days are essential. At least one day a week should include minimal or no training.

Sleep

Sufficient, quality sleep is also an important part of recovery. Ahtletes should develop a routine that fosters a good night's sleep. Additionally, some of the psychological skills for aiding recovery could involve meditation, progressive muscle relaxation and breathing exercise.

Aids to recovery

Sport skins are garments manafactuared with a gradient compression at specific places to enhance circulation and aid lactic acid removal. The garments are very strong and durable and continue to work on the body after activity has ceased. It is recommended that the s kins be worn as soon as possible after exercise and they are to be kept on for a period of four to twenty four hours to be effective. They are very comfortable and easy to sleep in.

        

Isotonic drinks have the same osmolality as the body's own fluids, and contain comparable amounts of carbohydate and electrolytes. Isotonic drinks are absorbed as fast as, or faster than, ordinary water making them especially useful for replasing fluid loss. Isotonic sport drinks are preferred by athletes for their balance of refuelling and rehydration. Isotonic drinks contain between four and eight grams of carbohydrate per 100 mL.

Glucose is the body's preferred source of energy, so an isotonic drink such as Lucozade Sport, where the carbohydrate source is glucose is an ideal choice for assisting in hydration.

Recovery Strategies

 

Stretching

Stretching immediately after training or compeition is most important. It has been shown to assist in preventing delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS). It is recommended to use PNF and static stretches and to undertake these while your muscles are still warm. Stretching during the day following training and competition is also advisable.

Hydration and Diet

Hydrating and eating suitable foods is also important in recovery. It is important to conusme food and fluids containing carbohydrate within 20 minutes of completing exercise. Snacks containing nutritious and refined carbohydrates are recommended for effective hydration.

To assess fluid requirements weigh yourself before and after exercise. As a general guide One Kilogram of weight loss is equivalent to one Litre of water. Adopting an easy to use fluid-replacement routine such as the one mentioned above, is imperative to optimum recovery.

Massage

Massage is another strategy that can assist both physically and psychologically in recovery. Massage helps to relax the muscles, and by increasing blood flow to the site can assist in speeding up delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the muscle and clearing away waste products.

The following guidelines are recommended for recovery massage:

 

Hydrotherapy

A variety of hydrotherapy sessions could also be included in recovery. Movement in the water encourages stretching while taking stress off the joints. Non-weight bearing activities such as running in the water and swimming using a variety of strokes further assists with removal of wastes. Similarly, bike riding and rowing sessions can increase the heart rate without overly stressing joints.

Many trainers advocate the use of hot/ cold baths to assist the recovery process. While widely used as a practice, at this stage it is a theory supported by anecdotal evidence rather than scientific evidence. The theory, in principal, is to increase blood flow to the working muscles by constricting and dilating blood vessels to the site, hence speeding up the removal of waste products. 

Meditation

Meditation involves relaxing by controlling the central nervous system and reducing the number of cues and noises to the brain. With less stimulation going to the brain, it is possible for an athlete to influence other functions of the body and possibly lower blood pressure and heart rate, slow breathing and relax muscles. Being able to achieve a meditative state requires regular practice of the strategies involved.