The relationship between how you recover and how well you can perform has been well established. Training can be described as applying stress to your body. Recovery is then the process of handling that stress, and allowing your body to adapt to the stress. If this balance swings too far to the stress side, then injury can occur. In a world where there are countless recovery ‘strategies’ it is important not to get lost in the 1%’s and ensure the most important aspects of recovery are done right.

1. A Well Structured Training Program

No amount of recovery will undo a poor training program. Maxing out and going 100% in every workout may be possible for a short period of time, but eventually you will burn out. You can’t foam roll away tearing your muscles or bombarding your joints with 50% more volume tahn they can handle. Your training program should be gradually progressive in relation to volume and weights, and should incorporate rest and deload days. The best programs also incorporate longer periods such as deload weeks, which allow your body to reset, so it is ready to attack your new goals. Consistent gradual increases in training load reduce injury risk and over time can allow someone to reach high training volumes, which in themselves are protective against injury. A well structured training program includes the right balance of high versus low intensity training, cross training, rest days, recovery weeks and consistent gradual loading.

2. Sleep

Sleep is an important part of recovery for any and every athlete. Increased sleep duration and improved sleep quality in athletes are associated with improved performance and competitive success. In addition, better sleep may reduce the risk of both injury and illness in athletes, not only optimising health but also potentially enhancing performance through increased participation in training.

3. Nutrition

What and when you fuel is important for recovery. Nutrition is far from my speciality and to do this area justice is well beyond the scope of the post. Although many athletes will reduce calories to drop bodyweight or achieve their body composition goals, your body needs carbohydrates to fuel your workouts, and protein and fats top help recovery. An important aspect of nutrition is hydration and monitoring fluid loss and rehydrating appropriately particularly for exercise in the heat or longer durations.

4. Mental and Emotional Stress

Stress is stress. When trying to recover from the physical stressors of training, it is important to reduce and or manage other stress. Athletes who possess higher psychological distress are more likely to get injured. Stress can cause attentional changes, distraction and increased self-consciousness that all can interfere with performance and predispose an athlete to injury. Mobile apps that help people practice mindfulness skills, for instance, might prove to be effective in enhancing mental recovery.

5. Physiotherapy, Massage, and other ‘Bodywork’

As we move further along the hierarchy we reach Physiotherapy and massage. These can be valuable tools to manage recovery. Firstly it is important to distinguish between what is pain, injury, soreness, signs of increasing fatigue or overtraining. Physiotherapy can be used to help identify when an athlete is experiencing these and help modify training and other aspects of recovery accordingly. Physiotherapy and massage can help to ensure strength, power, range of motion, tone, balance and neuromuscular control are staying consistent. Massage is believed to benefit athletes through its biomechanical, physiological, neurological and psychological mechanisms.

6. Ice Cold/Cryotherapy

Muscle soreness commonly results after sports and exercise activity. A priority for clinicians and athletes is to encourage full recovery between exercise bouts using an effective intervention programme. There is some evidence that cold-water immersion reduces delayed onset muscle soreness after exercise when compared with passive interventions involving rest or no intervention.

7. Everything Else

Everything else is summed in together not to belittle the various evidence that exists for other recovery modalities, but rather to draw ones focus to those with the most bang for your buck. Individual needs and preferences play a role, so If you get a great reduction in soreness from foam rolling, yoga or mobility routines great please keep it up. Other recovery tools may include compression garments, float tanks, stretching and mobility routines, active recovery or walking.

If you have any questions on whether physio is the best option for you, or you have any questions about MVMNT in general, feel free to contact via email.

- Jay Towolawi, Specialist Sports Physiotherapist and MVMNT Founder.