Recovery Strategies: Be your best

Carrying out an intense and heavy training load will inevitably provoke muscle damage that gives way to exercise induced muscle soreness, having a detrimental effect on exercise performance. In between training sessions the primary goal is to bring the athlete into the supercompensation zone (see figure below), once this is achieved the previous regime may be completed with ease. Alternatively, training intensity and volume can be increased to ensure a steady progression of positive adaptation. In order to reach this desired state within the supercompensation theory optimal recovery is key and strategies to obtain this may come in a variety of ways, ranging from supplementation, active recovery, hydrotherapy, cryotherapy and massage. The present article aims to discuss each of these strategies in turn, highlighting their possible benefits to performance and any evident flaws they possess.

 

Firstly, it is integral to discuss how exercise induced muscle damage (EIMD) occurs and the symptoms it can generate. EIMD is typically characterised as muscular soreness 24-48 hours following a bout of exercise, resulting in reduced muscle functioning and swelling. This damage occurs due to carrying out an unaccustomed amount of exercise with a particularly high eccentric contraction component. As there is little myofilament overlap (see top picture in figure below), muscle sarcomeres become overstretched and damaged. It is this process that causes the membrane damage that allows an intracellular influx of calcium ions and t-tubule disruption. Ca²⁺ entry results in an inflammatory response and so swelling in major muscle groups results, whereas t-tubule disruption leads to a loss of muscular strength as a result of excitation-coupling dysfunction.

 

Arguably the most common strategy employed by coaches and athletes is the completion of an active recovery. The theory behind this low intensity exercise following training is that it will allow a gradual decrease in core body temperature, whilst also clearing metabolic waste products such as the hydrogen ions associated with lactic acid. One particular study carried out wrist flexion until an intramuscular pH of 6.4 was reached, there after the active recovery group continued flexion at a 5% decrease every minute. Compared with those in the resting control protocol, the intracellular pH of subjects taking part in an active recovery decreased far more rapidly. It can therefore be concluded that an active recovery is an effective strategy to promote recovery from metabolic acidosis and enhances the body’s natural ability to return to a pre exercise state. It is also fundamental that each week to ten days the athlete dedicates one day solely to an active recovery, this can be achieved through a light jog or cross training in a low impact activity such as swimming or cycling. Not only will this prevent overtraining but also break up to monotony of a religious training schedule, therefore sustaining interest and motivation.

With regards to supplementation cherry juice consumption has produced promising results for endurance athletes. Due to its antioxidant properties it can help negate the cellular damaging free radicals that are produced during exercise. Marathon runners consumed either a cherry juice or placebo drink five days before and for 48 hours following a marathon race. Those that ingested cherry juice displayed reduced inflammation/muscular swelling and recovered isometric strength significantly faster than those in the placebo group (Connolly et al. 2006). Branched chain amino acid (BCAA) consumption has also proved to elicit beneficial results, such as no increase in blood markers of muscle damage that can cause inflammatory responses and a lower perceived soreness level (Jackman et al 2010).

The resultant effects of massages are equivocal and their full benefits are not yet fully understood. However, it is through that sports massages can promote circulation, release muscular tension and reduce inflammatory responses. In a group of healthy untrained participants a ten minute massage followed 10X6 bout of maximal isokinetic eccentric actions at the elbow joint. The employment of this massage led to a decrease in the severity of the soreness experienced by subjects compared with no post exercise massage (Zainaddin et al 2005). If you don’t have the time or money for a professional massage self-administered techniques such as foam rolling may also prove effective in alleviating pain and reducing inflammation induced by exercise.

The use of hydrotherapy and cryotherapy has seen substantial increases in recent years, particularly with reference to ice baths. Everyone from tennis players, weight lifters and marathon runners include ice baths within their recovery programme following a heavy training session or competition. The theory behind cold water immersion is that it will promote vasoconstriction in those blood vessels that are beneath the icy water. Blood rich in metabolic waste products is then drained from the legs, allowing fresh oxygenated blood to flush through the limbs once the athlete is removed from the bath. Studies have confirmed that cold water immersion (CWI) and contrast water therapy (CWT) prove effective in reducing the detrimental physiological effects brought about by exercise induced muscle damage. It was found that squat jump performance recovered more rapidly to baseline measures and increases in mid-thigh circumference were reduced following CWI and CWT (Vaile et al. 2008). It is unclear as to the practical recommendations of hot water immersion. Although no significant scientific evidence can confirm its benefits anecdotal reports suggest that added warmth can treat muscular soreness and prepare the muscle for masses/physical activity. However it is important to note that heat should not be added to inflamed muscles as this will only promote further unwanted swelling.

Lastly, sleep is an essential component for optimal recovery. Those athletes who fail to have an adequate amount of sleep will compromise their reaction time, neuromuscular patterns and ability to store muscle and liver glycogen.

Recovery itself is extremely individualistic, no two athletes will recover optimally in identical ways due to training differentiation and personal preferences. The key is finding a recovery tool that works for you as an athlete, whether this reduces the effect of muscular swelling or simply refreshes the major muscle groups in time for the subsequent training bout. However, adequate nutrition, hydration and sleep are vital, regardless of your athletic discipline. The correct recovery strategies can require the same amount of effort and discipline as training itself but by getting its key principles correct injury and illness risks are significantly decreased.

“Recovery is where the gains in your training actually occur, and valuing your recovery is the key to both short-term and long-term success” – Sage Rountree, Team USA Triathlon World Championship team member and ultrarunning coach.