Believe it or not, we can learn a little something from the NFL in 2018… in November 2018 many NFL players came out saying that Thursday night football should be illegal. Why? They made claims that players just don’t have enough time to recover… 4 days (from Sunday night football) just isn’t enough time for the beating their bodies take during that 4 hour game. A good handful of players suffers injuries this year; strained or torn muscles, back and shoulder injuries, ankle and foot injuries… Thus, we have all forgotten the power of recovery.
The lesson here? It’s all about the power of recovery. Many of us don’t think about it much, or we think that the “low impact” workout we did yesterday counts as recovery. While this may be partly true, our bodies need actual REST, as in times when they are not working out or doing anything strenuous at all. There is something to be said about the days we DON’T workout; they are just as important as the days we do. Sometimes people assume that more is always better, as in the more exercise you do, the more lean and fit you get. Well this is not only wrong, but downright dangerous.
Your fit-ness, as in the level of “fit” your body is, actually improves and accrues AFTER your workouts and during recovery. Getting stronger, fitter and faster happens when recovering from the workout, not the workout itself. Ask any professional athlete or Olympian; sure their workouts are important, but they put more effort and emphasis into what happens AFTER: the food, the post workout drinks, the recovery remedy, the amount of time before the next workout, the sleep, the hours/days off from training. And remember this rule, the harder the workout, the longer the recovery period required.
There IS such a thing as over-training…any many times when you aren’t seeing results, or even worse, you feel yourself holding on to body fat instead of shedding it: this can be the culprit. Not enough recovery between workouts can mean that your body is fueling itself from your muscle instead of the nutrients you should be feeding it. Make it a goal for yourself, to place more emphasis on recovery. Take a day off. Fuel your body right. Get a massage or give yourself a day with the foam roller. Your body, your longevity, your muscles and your fitness goals will all thank you.
So what are some keys to proper recovery? This is my recommended recovery checklist:
- Proper hydration (you should be drinking at least 3 liters a day, drink more for high intensity workouts and add electrolytes (naturally!) if needed
- Proper nutrition (recovering with real, whole foods, lots of fruits an veggies for antioxidants which will help you recover faster)
- Stretch (at least 30 minutes of static stretching and flexibility work)
- Foam rolling (20-30 minutes on the foam roller, hitting all the major areas)
- Regular massages (if you can’t get to a massage therapist, get you a massage gun like this one I have... BEST… INVESTMENT…EVER…)