Why Recovery is so Important in Athletic Training

Once upon a time, it was leg day in the gym, and I was ready to work hard. Unfortunately, prep for my workout had been terrible. I hadn’t done any self-massage and had only slept six hours the night before. I was poorly hydrated, and on top of that, I ate fast food for both lunch and dinner. So when it was time to go for a PR on deadlift, my body felt terrible. It was, in fact, not PR day. Even worse, it was an injury-prone day. When I went to deadlift, I felt a twinge in my lower back. Oh Crap. Time to stop before I get hurt. That day turned into self-massage day, the thing I should’ve done the day before. So I didn’t get stronger, and got mildly hurt. Bummer. Personally, I prefer getting stronger while avoiding injuries—and I’m sure you do too. That’s why this blog is all about recovery and the four best ways to do it. Let’s dive in.

The first thing we need to cover is the role of recovery. What is it? And why is it important? Recovery is essential for athletes because it directly affects how well your body performs in future workouts. When you recover, it makes sure you can show up and perform at your best without your body being compromised. Without recovery, you are compounding stress on the body. This compounded stress makes you more vulnerable and leads to an increased risk of non-contact injuries. Not good. Here’s what is good. You can drastically decrease your risk of injury by doing it. But what does that entail? Let’s cover the 4 Most Impactful Recovery Strategies.

Number 1: Sleep. The better you sleep, the better you’re going to feel, the better you’re going to think, and the better you’re going to perform. Furthermore, you’re going to avoid getting injured so you can continue to do the things you love. The NIH posted a study that showed students who slept less than 8.1 hours were 1.7 times more likely to get injured compared to their peers who slept more than 8.1 hours (Jones, Griffiths, Towers, Claxton & Mellalieu, 2018; Milewski & al., 2014). So how do you get better sleep? There are 3 things you can do that will improve your sleep drastically.

1. Nighttime Routine

Having a simple nighttime routine will tell your body that it’s time to wind down. For some, this could be reading a book. For others, this could be doing a puzzle. It doesn’t matter what you do, you could throw eggs off your roof every night before bed for all I care. What this does though is build a habit that allows your body to expect what is next.

2. Consistent Bedtime

Second, having a consistent bedtime lets your circadian rhythm do its thing. Going to bed at the same time every night and waking up at the same time every morning will allow you to have better quality sleep. Bonus, your body will be expecting a certain time to go to bed, thus, easier to fall asleep. Win Win.

3. Get the Right Amount

Lastly, everyone needs a different amount of sleep, so get whats right for you. Most people typically need 7-12 hours. If you’re not an adult yet, you probably need more. Personally, I thrive on 8-9 hours of sleep. I notice a substantial difference when I get 7. And don’t even talk to me when I get less than 5. I turn into a different person.

Number 2: Hydration. Without water, you won’t survive. Shocker. Without the correct amount of water, you won’t perform at your best. Your muscles live off oxygen, and if you can remember back to 6th grade science class, water is H2O. So, water is oxygen to the body. You drink enough of it, your muscles can breathe enough to have you performing at the top of your game. So what are the 3 things you should know about hydration?

1. Drink Half your Weight in Oz.

If you have ever wondered how much water you should be drinking, especially as an athlete, here it is. Drink half your body weight in ounces. Plus, if you drink soda or caffeine, replace those drinks with the same amount of water. Oh yeah also, drinking water during your workouts doesn’t count towards your daily goal :)

2. Hydrate Way Before your Workouts

If you want to outperform everyone else, hydrating doesn’t start a few minutes before your workout. That water won’t even hit your muscles to full effect until about an hour later. So start drinking more water at least an hour before your workout, if not sooner. Bonus: this shouldn’t be an issue if you’re just constantly drinking water.

3. Pro-tip: Flavor your Water

If you have trouble drinking water like I do, I get it. Soda tastes WAY better. That’s ok, just flavor your water, preferably one without sugar. Try adding a lemon, that may be all you need to enjoy it. If you need more flavor, there are countless geniuses on Amazon who can help you out.

Number 3: Nutrition. What you put into your body is what you use as fuel during your workout and daily life. Choose wisely. I personally like the 80/20 rule, because sometimes I still like eating crap. The 80/20 rule is 80% good food and 20% bad food. So let’s talk about the good food you should be eating. Here are 3 things that you should be eating on a daily basis.

1. Protein

Protein is essential for muscle recovery, as it is literally the thing that heals your body. When you workout, you’re tearing your body apart, and when you eat protein, you’re building those muscles back up. So eat protein—specifically, about one gram per pound of body weight.

2. Carbohydrates

Imagine you have an energy tank in your body. The more energy you have, the better you’re able to perform. Now imagine that energy tank goes down throughout the day. Thankfully, there’s one essential way to restore your energy levels. Eating carbohydrates during meals will help you have the energy to perform throughout the day.

3. Healthy Fats

Lastly, fats can sometimes get a bad wrap. I mean, they’re literally called the thing most athletes are trying to avoid becoming. Ironic enough though, healthy fats are very important for your athletic performance. Eating them will allow your joints and body to move efficiently during workouts. They’ll move like butter (pun intended).

Number 4: Self-massage. Last but definitely not least, self-massage keeps your muscles feeling good and is essential for recovery. When you exercise, your muscles get tight (not good). When you do self-massage, your muscles become less tight (good). I do self-massage before, during, and after workouts. Anytime I feel like a muscle is not at its best, I massage it. Self-massage is also a part of my warm-up to help prevent injuries during workouts. Here are 3 self-massage tools you can use that don’t cost a lot of money (or you can just use ours at LS&C).

1. Foam Roller

Use a foam roller to target your quads, hamstrings, calves, back, and more. I use this before almost every workout to loosen up my body. If you need more pressure, at Lovely Strength and Conditioning, we also have a weighted roller. You can stack a bunch of weight in it, and then have a buddy roll it across your calves and hamstrings.

2. Lacrosse Ball

The lacrosse ball is great for getting into those smaller areas. I like using it on my back right next to my spine, and also on my shoulders. It’s also just helpful when you have a knot somewhere on your body, or you find one specific area that is extremely tight. You can use the lacrosse ball against the wall or the ground, depending on the area you’re trying to massage.

3. Floss Band

We use the floss band pretty regularly with athletes at Lovely Strength and Conditioning. I especially like using it when I have tight quads (pro-tip: If you’re lower back hurts, a lot of times it’s a cause of tight quads). To use the floss band, you just wrap it tightly around the area, walk around, and then do some exercises/stretches specific to the muscle group. Then, when you take it off, blood rushes to the area, allowing your body to recover.

In conclusion, focusing on dialing-in your sleep, hydration, nutrition and self-massage will allow you to have great recovery and prepare you to perform at your best. It will also allow you to avoid non-contact injuries to a higher degree and allow you to train harder. As always, thanks for being a part of the Lovely Strength Fam—peace out!

P.S. Want to take your recovery to the next level? Sign up for a Free Consultation through our Contact Page—we’ll get you dialed in.

BONUS P.S. If you train with us, your First Week is FREE. Again, sign up on our Contact Page :)