No Rest for the Foolish
AG#2 Recovery 101
Recovery 101
Recovery is arguably the most important component in an athlete’s regiment. Without it, no amount of training will result in any long lasting results and benefits. However, proper recovery is often the most neglected of the three components of the strength pyramid: nutrition, training, and rest. Why is it such a problem? Because we have the belief that more is better, and taking time off is restricting our ability to improve. This is just wrong. Unless you are undertrained, meaning you are not performing to a level challenging your body to improve (think bench pressing 3x5 20 lbs for someone capable of 3x5 @ 185lbs) you need to incorporate recovery. There are a number of factors at play with regard to recovery. They include: sleep, nutrition, stress, rest days, mobility, and vices.
The Strength Pyramid
The strength pyramid simply ties the three components of performance together: nutrition, training, and rest. If you neglect any component in the pyramid, your performance will suffer. BUT, if you implement each into your life, performance will improve over time. Today we are discussing recovery, which encompasses rest and nutrition.
Sleep
Most of you know that your body primarily repairs itself during sleep. Without it, your body would just continually break down.As part of the repair process, the body must be supplied with nutrients and incorporating enough rest to recuperate fully.
General sleep guidance states getting 7-9 hours a night. But as an athlete it is recommended to get 9+ hours of sleep per day. Obviously this is not possible for many of you. But simply by prioritizing the recommended amount of sleep over other activities (Netflix, scrolling Instagram, etc.) you will build the habit of getting more sleep.
Sleep has many phases, starting with the period known as the “threshold of sleep.” This comes just after drifting off after lying down, and can be easily awakened at this point. Net is Stage 1, the first stage of genuine sleep. Then comes Stage 2, the point when body temperature drops and your heart rate slows. Following Stage 2 is 3, at which point you become less responsive and the brain produces slow delta waves. The final stage is Stage 4, also known as Rapid Eye Movement or REM. The brain is active however your muscles are relaxed, and you begin to dream.
A major point of conflict is the concept of sleep deficit. This occurs when you are unable to get 7-9 hours of sleep for a night or period of nights, and your body enters a sleep deficit. Some argue this can be made up on the weekends, and others argue it cannot. General guidance is to maintain consistency in amount of sleep, time to bed, and time to wake each day. This will prevent the “deficit” and maintain optimal levels of recovery. If forced to limit sleep, it is highly recommended to nap for 20-30 minutes during the day if possible. Short power naps can improve alertness and performance.
Stress
Stress is a normal human reaction that can result in physical, emotional, and intellectual responses.
I’m sure many of you have seen this chart, but how many consistently keep ourselves in the Zone of Delusion? It can be too easy to push our physical training over the edge in terms of volume, intensity, and duration. And when we are pushing our physical training AND met with the stressors of life, recovery can take a significant hit. This can result in a number of issues with almost immediate feedback. These include: chronic fatigue, reduced testosterone, increased cortisol levels, decreased metabolism, increased metabolism, insomnia/reduced sleep quality, depression, and irritability. Obviously none of us want to experience any of these issues, but they can arise if training volume and life stressors are not kept in check. Stress management becomes a large part of this, because there is only so much we can control. Methods of stress management include:
Practice mindfulness/meditation
Low effort endurance: go for walks, easy jogs or hikes outdoors, cycling (these activities also result in increased vitamin D uptake from natural sunlight) Vitamin D is highly correlated with mood and stress
Checklists and confrontation of stressors in your life (don’t avoid problems when they arise, immediately look for ways to mediate or set up a plan to handle it moving forward)
Eliminate toxic relationships and people in your life
Nutrition
A basic and necessary facet of life, nutrition occupies the third point of the Strength Pyramid. Take a hard look at the foods entering your body. Anything highly processed, to include vegetable oils and soy oils, chips/candy/snacks, and soda/sugary drinks have a massive impact on recovery. Aim to eliminate all from your daily nutrition. Include whole foods with high protein in daily intake. Examples include white rice, whole oats, potatoes (any kind), steak, ground beef (85/15 or better), chicken breast/thighs, olive oil, any vegetables, and appropriate water intake are excellent to include in daily nutrition.
Vices
Everyone has vices. These can be as simple as a cheat meal/dessert at the end of the week. But it is crucial to keep these in check. Look to eliminate all nicotine/tobacco/vape from your life. It will never improve your training, performance, or recovery. Additionally alcohol must be kept in check. If you choose to drink, limit beer or mixed drinks with high sugar content. Additionally there’s no reason to get blacked out every weekend if your goal is to improve recovery and performance.
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DICLAIMER
This is not Legal, Medical, or Financial advice. Please consult a medical professional before starting any workout program, nutrition plan, or supplement protocol.