What is the rest and recovery principle?

Written by – Connor Murphy, undergraduate sports science student.

We all know that if improvements are to be made to performance, commitment to training in any domain, is vital. However, one area that can easily be overlooked and therefore hinder performance is rest and recovery.

The opportunity for muscle growth begins when exercise finishes, muscles do not grow in the gym or during activity. When we exercise our muscles are broken down and microtears occur, by a process labelled as catabolism. When exercise stops the recovery process begins, however, without a prioritised post work out recovery regime, recovery will not occur efficiently and “gains” will not be gained.

In order to understand how to recover properly, the definition must be recognized and the difference between rest and recovery established. Rest can be defined as a combination of sleep and time spent not training, whereas recovery can be defined as actions and techniques implemented to maximize your body’s repair.

Below are the main components of rest and recovery which aim to enhance the process and improve performance.

Getting enough quality sleep may be the most important aspect of recovery. Adequate sleep helps to provide hormonal balance and muscular recovery. Aiming for 7 – 10 hours sleep per night is ideal. Some individuals may have to make sacrifices and changes in daily routines in order to achieve this, by perhaps cutting time watching TV for example. However, optimum sleep varies between individuals. If this target is not achieved recovery will be affected, mental strength may also be affected, thus having an impact on training. Research has shown that;

• Hours slept before 12 are more effective than those slept after.
• Sleeping in a more natural setting will create sleep of a higher quality.
• Fresh air and cool temperatures improves the quality of sleep.

There are many ways to understand hydration levels such as studying osmolality (measure of solutes) of urine, or using dip sticks, however, the simplest way is to look at the colour of the urine. If it is a clear, yellowy colour you are hydrated, but if it becomes a darker yellow, brown, or black, dehydration has set in and water must be consumed. Some tips;

• Try to consume at least 2 litres of water per day.
• Drinking sports drinks can aid recovery and performance both pre and post workout, as they contain various ingredients such as electrolytes which aid muscular function, however these only need to be consumed in or around any session.
• Keep an eye on urine colour to determine your own hydration levels easily.

In this day and age everyone knows that what you eat can affect your body, food has the ability to either help or hinder your body. There is vast arrays of diets which have been suggested by various authors, and are able to be tailored to the specific exercise being completed, but the most important factor to be acknowledged is the consumption of a clean balanced diet is key.

Food is fuel, when we exercise we burn fuel, this therefore means that once we have finished exercising, re-fuelling must take place in order to allow muscles to recover. Research has shown that the correct fuelling both pre and post working can reap benefits. Ensuring that energy levels are optimised and restored by consuming complex carbohydrates, such as oats, potatoes, and rice, whilst also ensuring that muscles have a adequate supply of protein for repair can make the difference between taking a week to recover or two days.

Recent academic literature suggests the use of various supplements to aid recovery alongside a balanced diet. Some examples include; Omega 3, found to reduce muscle soreness after exercise, green tea promotes weight loss, antioxidants, such as black currents, reduce inflammation and fatigue and whey protein shakes can help to ingest protein quantities rapidly after exercise.

It can be difficult to make the correct nutritional choices with a busy lifestyle, but what is key is that you are enjoying the food you are eating, it is important to not let nutrition over rule your life. Here are some tips to help achieve a clean diet;

• Plan and cook meals in advance, for example, shop for and cook all meals during one day of the week.
• Eat clean foods that aren’t processed and consume a balanced diet.
• Consume complex carbohydrates (rice, potatoes, pasta) and lean proteins (chicken, turkey) at a ratio of 2:1 both pre and post workouts.
• Use some nutritional supplements alongside a balanced diet and enjoy food!

Stretching is important as it allows our

• Stretch before and after exercise.
• Plan the routine to ensure it doesn’t get skipped.

1. Massage & Self Myofascial Release (SMR)

Massage can be a good way to improve recovery times after exercise, although it may not be an option used regularly as it can be costly, however, after especially hard sessions it can be wise. Various research suggests that receiving a post workout massage can have many benefits, some of the main benefits include;

• Increased blood flow, therefore increased nutrient delivery and toxin removal.
• Decreased inflammation of the muscles.
• Increased mitochondria (powerhouse of the cell) activity.
• Reduced muscle tightness.

SMR also has many benefits and can be more popular as it is much less costly. You may have heard it as trigger point release or active release techniques, however they all mean the same thing. It involves using a foam roller (or tennis, golf, cricket balls etc.) to remove adhesions (may be known as knots) within the fascia (connective tissue) of the muscle, which are caused by stress within the muscles. The adhesions prevent muscles from working properly so must be removed. Use of a foam roller or similar, can remove them and allow the muscle to work more freely, other benefits include; prevention of injury, removing knots and tightness, and increased flexibility.

To conclude this article, recovery is key, both to ensure training can effectively resume day after day, and to allow full benefits of training to be gained. Using various recovery techniques such as the ones mentioned in this article, and others not mentioned such as the use of compression garments or ice baths can enhance the recovery process and ensure that performance goals can be achieved. One final tip, making small individual changes to routines by gradually adding in new techniques, keeping the process realistic and easy to follow will eventually create the perfect recovery routine.

Follow Connor on Twitter @CompletePerform

Rest and recovery are critical components of any successful training program. They are also the least planned and underutilized ways to enhance performance. You may not be aware there is a difference between rest and recovery or how to properly implement them both. If you train for ten hours per week, you have 158 non-training hours or 95% of your time left for rest and recovery. Where is all of this “extra” time going and why do you walk into your workout dragging?

Most easily defined as a combination of sleep and time spent not training, rest is the easiest to understand and implement. How you sleep and spend this time is very critical.

Recovery, however, refers to techniques and actions taken to maximize your body’s repair. These include hydration, nutrition, posture, heat, ice, stretching, self-myofascial release, stress management, compression, and time spent standing versus sitting versus lying down. Recovery is multifaceted and encompasses more than just muscle repair. Recovery involves chemical and hormonal balance, nervous system repair, mental state, and more.

We have different systems that need to recover. These include hormonal, neurological, and structural. Our structural system includes muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones. Muscles recover the quickest because they receive direct blood flow. Tendons, ligaments, and bones receive indirect blood flow and therefore can take longer to recover and be more susceptible to overtraining stress.

For most, the goal should not be set for perfection or include exactly correct levels of each factor – leave that for professional athletes to strive after. Our goal is to prioritize life and maximize performance without personal sacrifice. Kick back, relax, and enjoy an evening out with friends. Order your favorite beer and get the ribs as this may mentally benefit you more, allow you to unwind, and put you in a better place to perform as opposed to another solitary night of broccoli and chicken. Life for an athlete who sacrifices everything for the sake of performance can very lonely and tiresome.

A balanced combination of rest and recovery along with proper diet and exercise should be a part of any fitness regimen. Unless you are competing at an elite level, you should follow the follow the 80/20 rule. Eighty percent of your time can be spent focusing on diet and exercise, while twenty percent should be left for enjoying life. In other words, don’t let yourself get too wrapped up in perfection.

Below we will break down the subcomponents of rest and recovery to provide you with better insight on how to improve performance and overall quality of life. A healthy and happy athlete not only performs better, but has the ability to give time and energy to others also.

Elements of Rest and Recovery: 1. Sleep

Sleep is the most important time to recover. Adequate levels of sleep help to provide mental health, hormonal balance, and muscular recovery. You need to get enough sleep, which is between seven to ten hours for most athletes. Everyone has individual needs based on their lifestyle, workouts, and genetic makeup.

• Hours slept before twelve at night are proven to be more effective than those slept after.
• Sleep in the most natural setting possible, with minimal to no artificial lights.
• Wakeup with the sun if possible.
• Fresh air and cooler temperatures help to improve the quality of sleep.

Elements of Rest and Recovery: 2. Hydration

Drinking adequate amounts of water is critical to health, energy, recovery, and performance. Athletes tend to be very attentive to hydration levels close to and during competitions, but keeping that awareness during training and recovery times can make just as large an impact. Water helps all of our functions. A few examples are more efficient nutrient uptake, lower levels of stress on the heart, improved skin tone, and better hair quality.

The simplest way to check hydration is to look at your pee. If it is clear to pale yellow you are hydrated. The darker and more color in your pee the less hydrated you are and more water you need to drink.

• Water is the best way to hydrate.
• Sports drinks are only needed for before, during, and after strenuous training or completion, don’t drink them simply because they taste good.
• Flavorings, Crystal Lite, and other additives simply give you system more to process and cause it further strain. Stick to adding a lemon or lime.

Elements of Rest and Recovery: 3. Nutrition

Everything you eat has the ability to help heal your body, or to poison it. This may sound strong, but alcohol and processed foods contain toxins and are harmful to the body. I do not like to recommend a specific diet, but eating clean and balanced meals in moderation is proven to be effective to remain healthy and increase performance. Dairy and wheat are processed differently by everyone and you need to educate yourself on these topics and how they personally affect you. Some people process these food items very well and have no side effects, while other people have slight to severe autoimmune reactions. Start with a paleo diet as your base template and add to it based on your experiences, not what you read by others.

Food in our society goes far beyond fueling the body, so it is not always such a simple choice. We go out to dinner, and most social events have food. The key is achieving balance so you get the results you want, but can also function as a normal person and enjoy life.

• Create a meal plan and shop ahead for the week.
• Have healthy snacks readily available that you enjoy.
• Plan ahead for dinner out by helping to pick the place you’re eating and looking at the menu ahead of time.

Elements of Rest and Recovery: 4. Posture

This is one of the least focused on areas in the American culture. We on average spend more time sitting than any other country in the world, and as a general trend have bad posture. This is not a restful position; sitting or standing with bad posture is harmful. It can lead to back or neck pain, specifically for those with desk jobs.

• Find a chair that is ergonomically correct.
• If you struggle to sit upright use a foam roller or ball in your back to give you a tactile cue and help force good posture.
• Don’t lean to one side or on an object for support while standing.

Elements of Rest and Recovery: 5. Stretching

You need enough flexibility to move well and remain pain free. Include dynamic stretching in your warm-ups while saving static stretching for after your workouts. Go through my previous articles that included screens on the squat, hip hinge, and ankle movement. Attempt to self-identify tight areas and work on them. Don’t get caught doing the exact same stretches you’ve always done. If you don’t know any new variations look through the previous articles, attend a yoga class, or check out Kelly Starett’s Mobility WOD.

Elements of Rest and Recovery: 6. Self-Myofascial Release

Tight muscles and trigger points sometimes need assistance to return to healthy normal tissue. Read my article on foam rolling for more information.

Elements of Rest and Recovery: 7. Heat, Ice, and Compression

Use these techniques for recovering from injuries or a very stressful training or racing experience such as a road marathon or the CrossFit Games.

Spending some additional time focusing on rest and recovery can pay dividends beyond additional training time. It’s essentially legal performance enhancement, yet people don’t take advantage of it because it takes time. Dedicating additional time primarily to the three categories of sleep, hydration, and nutrition will increase your output ability, decrease recovery time, and lower your risk of injury. It’s the trifecta that all coaches and athletes aim for, yet most people miss the mark because they don’t want to dedicate time to the little things that matter most. Don’t ignore your body until it becomes too late and you’re forced to take unnecessary time off due to injury, burnout, or worse.

Photos courtesy of Shutterstock.