Recovery

Probably (definitely) the most important, yet overlooked aspect of your training. Funnily (not really funny) enough, the harder/longer we train, the more we should be prioritising it, but the less we do.. Recover.

We may get away with this cycle for a period of time, however, eventually it will catch up with us. Whether that be via burnout, or worse, injury; Either option will lead to forced time out of the gym/not training.

Before this becomes a reality, we must prioritise our rest and recovery.

Some of the most beneficial ways to go about this include;

SLEEP

The biggest part of your recovery is sleep. This give our body a chance to adapt and grow to our straining stimulus. While you sleep muscles, nervous system, and much more heal and become stronger than before.

Ensure you’re getting adequate QUALITY sleep. aim for between 7–9 hours of sleep per night. This means more time in bed. If you only prioritise one thing in this list, it should be the length and quality of your sleep.

NUTRITION

Nutrition and hydration both play a vital role in recovery.

Make sure you eat plenty of quality (think organic, grass fed, free range, spray free), unprocessed, nutritious foods. Choose foods that come from, have walked on, swam on or flown over the Earth. Eat a wide variety of fruit and vegetables to ensure you get sufficient micronutrients to optimise body functions.

Ensure you’re drinking enough water. 2–3L per day at least. Consider even more if you’re training hard!

If you’re not supplying your body with the food it needs in order to perform well but also to fully recover, you’re missing a critical piece of the puzzle for optimal performance. ⠀⠀⠀

STRESS MANAGEMENT

Being able to shift from sympathetic state (fight or flight) into parasympathetic state (rest and digest) more often & relieving stressors in your life, plays a major role in recovery. Consider including activities such as reading, meditating, walking, spending time outdoors as well as spending time with family and friends to help reduce stress levels in your every day life.

ACTIVE RECOVERY

This means moving, daily. Low intensity, low impact activities such as walking or cycling outdoors, while enjoying the sun are great ways to get in ‘active recovery’. We are looking to promote blood flow, which leads to joint lubrication, increase oxygen to muscles as well as flushing toxins from working muscles with the intention of stimulating recovery.

Ice baths, compression boots, foam rolling, massages etc, are all great ways to help improve your recovery and keep you healthy and progressing in your training. Loosening off muscles, generating blood flow, working out adhesions in the muscles that cause restriction. Want to feel better? Recover properly!

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TRAINING PROGRAM DESIGN
If you’re not following a smart program, then you can’t expect to recover well. Because recovery STARTS within your training (volume, sequencing, intensities, etc.).

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Stress (training) + Recovery = Adaptation (improved fitness, strength, muscle, fat loss)

  • Stay Tuned for CFK Recovery, Coming Soon!!

    -Ben.

Mitch Davis