Three Approaches to Recovery
For the purposes of recovery from strenuous exercise it is best to consider 3 approaches:
1. Nutrition.
2. Active recovery.
3. Rest.
These 3 factors in combination will allow you to maximize your recovery time and minimize your downtime.
1. Nutrition.
a. Post exercise fluid and food consumption: Within 15-20 minutes of stopping exercise try and ingest about 200-250 cals of light food in a combination of 4 parts carbohydrate to 1 part protein mix.
b. Continue to consume fluids at about the rate of 16oz per hour for 2-3 hours.
c. Ingest about 100-150 cals of carbohydrate/protein mix 20-30 mins before you start your exercise.
2. Active recovery.
a. Try swimming 20 lengths nice and slow and mix up your strokes for an easy day-off recovery workout.
b. Jog/stride stretch: try a 30 minute session that simply incorporates running 6 x 30m back and forth followed by two stretching routines. Repeat this 6 times for a nice little half hour active recovery.
c. 30 mins low intensity on the cycle ergometer after a day of high intensity lifting or sprinting.
d. Perform your lifting routine with 25% of your normal load on the bar and increase the rep numbers by 25%. This will give a nice exaggerated range of motion on all exercises and a little more stretch.
e. For a real easy recovery session, ride the recumbent bike for 30 mins at a low intensity. This is even easier than an upright bike.
3. Rest
a. Rest. Try an ice bath. Water temperature should be about 50-55 degrees and try and do 3 x 4 minute submersions at a time.
b. Try a massage: several different types exist. If you are predominantly a lower body person you can just get a lower body massage.
c. Ice/heat: If you can find a way to alternate between a hot tub and a cold tub this will be one of your best bets for recovery.
