Most sports people know that taking a break from exercise every once in a while is important. But many don’t fully understand why recovery is so vital and what actually happens in the body when we train and when we rest. So in this month’s blog, we look into why rest and recovery should be always be included in your weekly training plan, as well as some different recovery methods to keep your body operating at it’s Personal Best.
Why do we need to rest?
During exercise we place stress on the muscles. It’s part and parcel of a good training plan, and the reason why we are able to get stronger, fitter or faster over time. By placing stress on the muscles we cause tiny amounts of damage to the fibres, at a microscopic level. The body then kicks in to repair those damaged fibres, but it makes them bigger and stronger than the last time, so that they are better able to cope with the same stress. This process is called progressive overload. Each time you train your body can cope better so you lift a slightly bigger weight, or you run slightly further or faster. Each time the body adapts to the new stress factor, your muscles grow, and you get better.
There are several things the body needs in order for this process to happen. Firstly it need nutrients, provided by what you eat. Protein is the main fuel for muscle building, but it also needs carbohydrates for energy. Secondly, it needs oxygen, an important component for all of the body’s processes. And thirdly, it needs blood flow to the muscles in order to carry the oxygen and nutrients to the places they are needed. The heart is also a muscle, and as you continue to train, your heart will grow stronger and work harder, so it can provide the rest of your body with everything it needs.
Finally, in order to adapt to new levels of stress, the body needs rest. Have you ever been stressed at work, or at home, and thought to yourself “if one more thing goes wrong I’m going to have a breakdown”? Your body works in the same way. It can only cope with a certain amount of stress at any one time, before it begins to malfunction. This could be in the form or extreme fatigue, illness or injury. So it’s important not to overload the body. This is where rest and recovery become so important.
Imagine leg day at the gym. You go in feeling fresh, warm up well and then lift increasingly heavy weights until you feel your legs burning. The next day you wake up with that familiar ache or heavy leg sensation, known as doms or delayed onset muscle soreness. You feel good, knowing that ache signifies a good workout. But what happens if you train legs again today, without giving your body time to repair? They won’t work as well, you’ll feel tired, and you could even be setting yourself up for an injury. Instead, you typically move to a different part of the body, or you take a day off. This gives the muscles time to do the repair work they need, so in three or four days time, you can train legs again with no ill effects.
Is just resting enough?
For most people, a couple of days with no exercise each week can be enough for the muscles to recover and continue to function well. But for some people, who want to train harder than the average, or who have specific requirements, just resting is not good enough. Elite athletes will incorporate periods of rest into their training programs, but will also utilise active recovery methods to allow them to train harder or longer without risking their health.
Active recovery is any activity which speeds up the body’s ability to recover whilst continuing to work towards progressive improvement. Active recovery typically increases blood flow around the body, so speeds up the recovery process, without placing any additional stress on the already fatigued muscles. It might include stretching, a non impact exercise like yoga or pilates, or it might be a more passive activity such as getting a massage or using a foam roller.
Active recovery generally means you can train harder across a particular time period without as much requirement for complete rest. It doesn’t negate the need for rest entirely though. It’s simply a way to balance the body’s requirements whilst still remaining active.
How can Personal Best Therapy help with active recovery?
We offer a number of services which can help with active recovery. If you would like further information on any of them please give us a call. Or if you would like one of our qualified therapists to look over your training plan and see where you could add in improved recovery sections we would be happy to do so.
- Book a sports massage in our clinic – Sports massage has been proven to be one of the best methods for active recovery. Our therapists are experts in the working muscles of the body, so we know just where to target to get the most out of your treatment. Massage increases blood flow, supplying the muscles with all the nutrients and other things they need, as well as stimulating the nervous system towards recovery.
- Book a pilates session – Pilates is all about core strengthening, but also includes elements of mobility and stretching. It is designed to be gentle exercise so the body isn’t stressed by it, and you can take each class as easily as you like. Like any non-impact exercise, it increases blood flow and stimulates the nervous system, but can be easier on the body than more aggressive training such as running or weight lifting.
- Visit The Recovery Zone at Winners 2000 – The Recovery Zone is a weekly session held at each of the Winners 2000 gyms, where you can have access to elite level active recovery technology for a very affordable price. In fact, your first session is free! You can try out any of our patented Hyperice technology, including the Vyper vibrating foam roller, hypersphere trigger point ball, and the amazing Normatec 2.0 compression therapy system. Hyperice are the leading manufacturers of recovery technology and are sponsors of the NFL and NBA to name just two. Many professional athletes use their kit, and get better results as a direct consequence. The Recovery Zone is your chance to use the same equipment as the professionals to boost your training to the next level. Give us a call or message for more information on sessions.
