The need for consistent recovery days in a training regime has been widely debated, however here at STAR we believe there’s no question about it – regular recovery is a necessity in anyone’s exercise routine. Research suggests under-recovering can actually negatively affect an athlete’s performance. Continue reading to find out how recovery can boost your performance, and the best ways to utilise recovery in your training.
Effects of Recovery on Your Body
Recovery allows for your body to return to the state it was in pre-exercise. Nutritionally, it allows for glycogen and electrolytes to replenish, and lets the body rehydrate. From a physiological perspective, taking time to recover allows for tissue to repair itself – i.e. sore muscles becoming less sore. Continuing to exercise without allowing your body this time to repair itself can quickly result in fatigue, and in turn frustration as you cannot perform at the level you usually can.
Under Recovery & It’s Effect on Performance
A lack of recovery has been shown to have a number of negative effects on sporting performance – namely, there is a clear correlation between under-recovering and increased injury rates. A key element of recovery that is often overlooked is sleep – athletes should aim for 8-10 hours of sleep per night, however this is commonly not the case. Studies show that accuracy and performance both increase with a sufficient amount of sleep.
How to Use Recovery to Boost Your Performance
We’ve outlined some key tips to help you boost your performance with recovery:
Consume a protein/carbohydrate mix post-exercise to assist with nutritional replenishment
Aim for 8-10 hours of sleep every night – not just nights after training.
As we mentioned in our previous blog, active recovery may work better for you than complete rest – consider taking a yoga or stretch class, or going for a walk on your day off from training.
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