Rest and Recovery are Just as Important as Training
Why is it so hard for some people to incorporate rest and recovery into their training regimen? More is not always better. Training hard every day can result in the body breaking down, which can increase risk of injury and a suppressed immune system. If we add the stressors of life (family responsibilities, work, school), this makes appropriate rest and recovery even more important. Here are several ways to do that.
1. Get adequate sleep. Sleep is known as nature’s best recovery aid. According to the 2015 National Sleep Foundation recommendations, Adults between the ages of 26-64 should aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night. Adults age 65+ should be getting 7-8 hours of sleep per night. Sleep (deep sleep in particular) is when tissue growth and repair occur and energy is restored.
2. Allow for 24 to 48 hours rest in between intense training sessions, especially when exercising the same muscle groups. This allows a chance for muscle repair and recovery so the muscles can get stronger (in the case of resistance training) and reduce the risk of overtraining. Adequate rest would also ensure that you are able to perform at your best on training days.
3. Weave in lighter training days with intense training days, especially if you are exercising on consecutive days. Having lighter training days will allow you to stay active without beating up your body.
4. Be mindful of the amount of physical activity that occurs outside of a structured training session. For example, if your job requires you to be on your feet all day and lifting loads consistently, then your exercise program should be designed to complement your lifestyle and not exhaust you. Whereas, if your job is relatively sedentary, a recommendation would be to find opportunities to incorporate additional physical activity (such as walking) into your workday to complement your training days.
5. Engage in active recovery methods. Active recovery methods can be inserted at the end of your training session. Examples include a post-workout cool down that consists of low-intensity aerobic activity for a few minutes such as walking or light stationary cycling. The idea is to keep the blood circulating and bring down heart rate and blood pressure to near resting levels. It also helps to circulate waste products so they don’t build up in the muscle and affect the performance of your next session.
6. Perform a dynamic warm up. A dynamic warm up consists of flowing movements and activities (such as light jogging or drills) that are designed to increase heart rate and body temperature. It is a way to prepare the body for increased physical work and it is also used to help to alleviate left over muscle soreness by increasing blood flow.
7. Static stretching (when stretches are held for 15-30 seconds), can be a good way to relax. Static stretching is best performed as a part of a post-workout cool down (or on off days) because body is already warmed up making it is safer for your tissues to be stretched.
8. Self-Myofascial Release, a form of self-massage can also be done post-workout or on active recovery days. This technique is usually done using a foam roller or tennis ball to work deep into fascial tissue to help break up on knots or scar tissue. It has been used as a recovery tool to help reduce post-exercise muscular soreness and feelings of fatigue.
References
ACSM Information on A Road Map to Effective Muscle Recovery, 2019.