Recover Faster, Grow Stronger: 10 Proven Recovery Techniques

When we train we are causing minor tears in our muscle fibres, building up tension, creating acidity in our bodies, which all require time to repair. Fortunately these factors can also can be influenced by specific recovery techniques. Each one interacts with our physiology in a different way and utilising each can help you perform better than ever before. Recovery and training are a yin yang balance, you cannot have one without the other. The harder you train the more important it is to have a solid recovery routine stack. A routine stack is simply a combination of multiple exercises / techniques, each having their unique benefit but ‘stack’ to promote an strong overall result. When you are designing your own recovery stack, you should first pay attention to the signals your body is sending you, and figure out which technique would be the most valuable for you.

 

1. Stretching or Yoga

• Releases tension / tightness in muscles
• Improve mind-muscle connection and muscular balance
• Releases tension in joints from muscular tightness
• Postural correction from loosening of tight muscle groups
• Injury Prevention
• Reduced muscular soreness
• Increase energy and ease of mobility

2. Hormonal regulation

• Hormones control the signals for recovery / rebuild or degrade / destroy
• Sleep properly for 8 hours, avoid electronics at night; circadian rhythms (natural energy cycles in your body) have been shown to be effected by light exposure – try to get bright light expose in the early mornings to improve focus and wakefulness. Avoid bright light exposure at night time to assist sleep cycle
• Avoid too many carbs before bed, this will help with your growth hormone release during sleep
• Avoid stress or stressful environments to reduce cortisol production
• Eat a complete diet, with whole foods, good quality fat sources and plenty of greens
• Many of the items on this list will have positive hormonal effects

3. Massage or SMR (self myofascial release, eg. foam rolling)

• Releases tension / tightness in muscles
• Releases tension in joints from muscular tightness
• Improve circulation, immune function and ease of mobility
• Can help you identify areas of tightness that were not giving you signals of discomfort
• Can cause tiredness / lethargic feeling
• Buy a FOAM ROLLER for less than $50, it will become your best friend

4. Nutrition

• The body requires the appropriate fuel to recover and rebuild
• Every individual has specific requirements depending age, gender, lean body mass and training intensity / frequency
• Can improve recovery speed to maximum of biological potential

5. Cold Showers (cold therapy)

• Recent research shows ‘cold shock proteins’ only activated during times of low temperatures
• Increase recover speed
• Improved brain function and memory formation
• Increased Nor-epinephrine (a important neurotransmitter and hormone), this is related to reduced inflammation and also linked to reduction in chronic pain, increased mood and links to depression
• Improved immune function
• Increased brown fat cell production (good fat cells). Brown fats decrease with ageing but can be increased by cold therapy, they are very beneficial metabolically active fat cells.

6. Sauna (heat therapy)

• Assists removal of toxins
• Can promote physiological adaptations that result in increased endurance, easier acquisition of muscle mass, and a general increased capacity for stress tolerance
• Assist growth of new brain cells, improvement in focus, learning and memory
• Improves release of growth hormone and insulin sensitivity
• Higher sweat rate and sweat sensitivity as a function of increased thermoregulatory control
• The list goes on!

7. Epsom salts

• Can relax muscular tension
• Is applicable in specific locations
• Cheap; Epsom salts can be found at Woolworth / Coles for less than $10

8. Swimming/water exercise

• Provides muscles slight massage effect from water
• Increased metabolism while in the water due to increased blood flow to the organs (the water pressure pushes blood away from the extremities)
• Good for joint health
• Promotes circulation

9. Drinking Enough Water

• Proper water balance is required for many physiological functions, especially when recovering
• Transports nutrients, helps removes toxins, keeps the metabolism up and running
• 2% decrease in body water (dehydration) can have negative effects on metabolism and cognitive ability

10. Meditation and Mindfulness

• Stress causes ‘fight or flight’ response in the body and in turn breaks down tissue from the release of cortisol
• Reducing stress can help sleep quality, which in turn assists in improving body composition
• Stress can cause muscles to tighten up which can impact physical performance

Have a few reads over this list and try to figure out which of these techniques you can implement to assist you with your health and fitness. Make your own weekly stack! Some people may not have time for visits to a sauna, but we all have the ability to take 5 minute cold showers from time to time. Give each technique a trial run and let us know about the unique difference they make for you.

Happy recovery!

Stay frosty!

Trainer Simon