It does not matter, if you are an elite athlete
or if you just practice sport for fan or to keep fit and healthy yourself,
recovery is a key factor. In fact, recovery is as important as training. To be
able to perform, avoid injuries and do not burn out, everyone who practices
sport has to be able to regenerate and recover. Some of the methods or ways
that we use with our players and athletes will be shown in this post:
1) Sleep: Sleep is one of the most important aspects to recover. The science has shown that with a proper sleep tennis players get a 42% boost in hitting acuracy during depth drills, sleep extension provides swimmers a 17% improvement in reaction time off the starting block, sleep improves split-second decision making ability by 4.3%, american football players drop 0.1 seconds off their 40-yard dash times by sleeping more, and a 20-30 minutes power nap improves alertness by 100%.
On the contrary, the scientific studies has also
shown that a chronic sleep loss can lead to a 30-40% reduction in glucose
metabolism and an 11% reduction in time to exhaustion, 2 days of sleep
restriction can lead to a 3x increase in lapses of attention and reactivity,
the maximum bench press drops 20
lbs after 4 days of restricted sleep and perceived
exertion increases 17-19% after 30 hours without sleep.
Therefore, with all the scientific evidence
athletes should schedule proper recovery time and sleep to ensure optimum
performance. Athletes will recover better from injuries if they sleep well and
the choice of mattress is paramount for comfort and support. Not all mattresses
will meet up to the demands as an aid to recovery. But a Falcon Sport Mattress has been
designed with those needs and requirements in mind to help you get a deep sleep
providing recovery and regeneration necessary to perform consistently at a high
level.
2) Nutrition:
Refuelling within an hour after training should be the priority for any
athlete. You should try to take carbohydrate together with proteins. Your aim
should be to a take a shake before even going into the shower. Vitamins and
proteins are very important as well. Therefore, the sooner these are replaced
the better.
3) Stretching:
A stretching protocol as a part of your cool-down routine should be essential. The
science has shown the stretching reduces muscle soreness and thightness. A
stretching protocol as a part of a daily routine has been shown to also have
performance improvements.
4) Foam
rolling: A foam roller should never miss in your
training venue or home. A foam rolling protocol after the stretching protocol
should be performed in all your cool-downs. Foam rolling is a self-myofascial
release tecnique that is used to inhibit overactive muscles. This form of stretching
utilises the concept of autogenic inhibition to improve soft tissue
extensibility, thus relaxing the muscle and allowing the activation of the
antagonist muscle. You should roll the foam roller under each muscle group
until an tender area is found, and maintaining pressure on the tender areas
(known as trigger points) for 30 to 60 seconds.
5) Contrast
water therapy or contrast baths: They are a form of
treatment where a limb is immersed in cold/ice water followed by the immediate
immersion in warm water. The protocol is repetead several times, always
alternating cold and hot. The theory behind this method is that cold water
causes vasoconstriction while the warm water causes vasodilation. Alternating,
hot and cold, lymph vessels dilate and contract to essentially “pump” and move
stagnant fluid and waste out of the area. This positively effetcs the
inflamation process, which is the body’s primary mechanism for healing damaged
tissue. Professional athletes are using the state-of-the-art technology to
improve their recovery. CryoSpas
CET is a device used in professional sport enviroment based in the contrast
water therapy. They recommend to set a temperature of 8-9º and perform the
following protocol: 4 minutes in cold water, then 2 minutes hot water shower,
and finally 4 minutes cold.
6) Compression
clothing: Compression garments are pieces of clothing
such as socks, pantyhose, sleeves, etc., that provide support that is
especially useful for people who have to stand for long periods, or people with
poor circulation. Compression garments worn on the legs can help prevent deep
vein thrombosis and reduce swelling, especially while traveling. Compression
sportswear are also worn by some athletes during exercise and post-exercise to
ease muscle stiffness and quicken recovery time. Duffield & Portus (2007)
found lower 24 hours post-exercise CK values and lower 24 hours post-exercise
ratings of muscle soreness when wearing compression garments in cricket
players. Based in the same principle, a device originally designed for people
with deep vein thrombosis has been shown as an effective method to recover
quicker and reduce delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) within 24 hours. The
device (FireFly Recovery) uses
electrical impulses to improve blood circulation. An increase in blood flow and
velocity in the muscles of the lower legs allows oxygen to reach the muscle to
remove the waste products more efficiently.
7) Massage:
What to say about massage! Everyone knows that a good massage will improve our
muscles recovery, aid in the healing process, decrease muscle reflex activity,
inhibit motor-neuron excitability, and promote relaxation and well-being. If
you are an amateur sportman training every day, I would recommend you to
receive a massage every 6 weeks. If you are struggling financially, although it
is not the same, a good session of foam rolling can be an acceptable
substitute.
