To perform at your best without experiencing conditions such as over-training, overuse or burnout, follow the formula for success:
work hard + recover well = best performance
Many athletes I know work hard in training and racing, but take little notice of the second part of the formula; they do not recover well. They train too hard session after session, or they over-race, or both.
The principle of recovery is simple - the benefits of work done are only realised when proper recovery occurs. I see recovery as that part of the training where fitness improves! Hard work in training tears down; recovery builds back up, perhaps to new levels of fitness.
With good recovery practices, the athlete experiences reduced fatigue, and can cope more effectively with their workload. Recovery training is as important for an athlete’s development as is improving energy systems, strength, flexibility, form and mental skills.
Active and passive rest are significant in recovery. You need to plan for them.
Sleep is the most important form of passive rest. A good night’s sleep of seven to nine hours provides invaluable adaptation time for athletes to adjust to the physical and emotional stress of the day. Passive rest can also involve techniques such as meditation, reading, and relaxation.
Athletes undervalue active rest. The end of the training session is ideal for active recovery activities. These can help recover the athlete’s physiological state, for example, easy walking, cycling or swimming to recover the lactate system; they can focus on musculo-skeletal recovery, for example, massage, stretching and exercises to promote a return to postural efficiency; and they can focus on psychological recovery by using visualisation, breathing and meditation techniques.
Get the most value out of all your hard work! Plan your rest and recovery sessions as carefully as you do your training sessions. Always warm-down, stretch and recover properly after races! And develop a lifestyle where pressure is not just building up, up, up but where there is a proper rhythm of stress, then recovery.
work hard + recover well = best performance
Many athletes I know work hard in training and racing, but take little notice of the second part of the formula; they do not recover well. They train too hard session after session, or they over-race, or both.
The principle of recovery is simple - the benefits of work done are only realised when proper recovery occurs. I see recovery as that part of the training where fitness improves! Hard work in training tears down; recovery builds back up, perhaps to new levels of fitness.
With good recovery practices, the athlete experiences reduced fatigue, and can cope more effectively with their workload. Recovery training is as important for an athlete’s development as is improving energy systems, strength, flexibility, form and mental skills.
Active and passive rest are significant in recovery. You need to plan for them.
Sleep is the most important form of passive rest. A good night’s sleep of seven to nine hours provides invaluable adaptation time for athletes to adjust to the physical and emotional stress of the day. Passive rest can also involve techniques such as meditation, reading, and relaxation.
Athletes undervalue active rest. The end of the training session is ideal for active recovery activities. These can help recover the athlete’s physiological state, for example, easy walking, cycling or swimming to recover the lactate system; they can focus on musculo-skeletal recovery, for example, massage, stretching and exercises to promote a return to postural efficiency; and they can focus on psychological recovery by using visualisation, breathing and meditation techniques.
Get the most value out of all your hard work! Plan your rest and recovery sessions as carefully as you do your training sessions. Always warm-down, stretch and recover properly after races! And develop a lifestyle where pressure is not just building up, up, up but where there is a proper rhythm of stress, then recovery.
