The 7 Apostles of Recovery
Everyone needs to exercise in some way, shape or form.
This isn’t a debate as the benefits are deeply researched.
From the elderly working in their garden, weekend warriors, casual lifters to the elite athletes pushing their bodies past their limits, everyone should exercise.
Similar to how the 12 Apostle rock formations of Victoria took time to form, over time, consistent exercise combined with poor technique, sub-optimal ergonomics or pushing your body to the extreme will eventually wear away at cartilage, tendons and muscles until an injury or persistent pain forms.
This blog isn’t all doom and gloom. There are various forms of recovery to optimise performance, prevent injuries, and promote overall well-being.
Here are seven main forms of recovery commonly used:
Active Recovery: Active recovery involves engaging in low-intensity physical activities such as walking, swimming, or cycling following intense workouts or competitions. These activities help with blood circulation, facilitate the removal of metabolic waste products from muscles, and reduce muscle stiffness.
Total rest: Complete rest or minimal physical activity. This form of recovery allows the body to conserve energy and focus on repairing muscle tissues, replenishing glycogen stores and rehydrating. Some additional methods may include rest, gentle stretching, and light massage.
Nutrition: Proper nutrition is essential for supporting muscle repair, glycogen replenishment, and overall recovery. A balanced diet includes carbohydrates, proteins, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. Nutritional recovery also involves timing when and what you eat to optimise muscle recovery and adaptation.
Sleep and Rest: These components of daily life are under-rated by many, to their detriment. Deep sleep is crucial for recovery and your mental health. Sleep allows the body to repair and regenerate damaged tissues, reduce fatigue and consolidate learning and memory from the prior day. Improve your sleep by having a consistent sleep schedule, having a dark room and keeping the temperature low.
Hydrotherapy: Hydrotherapy involves the use of water immersion techniques such as ice baths or contrast water therapy (alternating between hot and cold water) to help recovery. Hydrotherapy helps to reduce inflammation, muscle soreness, and keep the joints from becoming stiff and sore.
Compression pumps: Compression pumps involve the application of pressure to specific body parts using pneumatic compression sleeves. Compression pumps compress distally to proximally to help reduce swelling, improve blood flow, and accelerate the removal of metabolic waste products. It can also enhance recovery by promoting muscle oxygenation.
Exercise is a cornerstone to living well and enjoying life. Look after your body and employ these recovery techniques to further manage yourself and live pain free.