Much scientific literature has been devoted to the benefits of rest and recovery for athletes since it’s during this period where the body makes physiological adaptations. These physiological adaptations include increased stroke volume (volume of blood which the heart can pump out each contraction), better glycogen storage, increased fat-burning enzymes, decreased body fat, increased strength of tendons and muscles, decreased resting heart rate, and much more. The problem with most athletes, especially beginner multi-sport athletes, is that they constantly work themselves harder and harder without adequate recovery. They have such strong determination and willpower that they constantly strive to push themselves. Unfortunately, this mentality can cause overtraining and possible injury which may cause an athlete to stop training entirely.
90% of an average athletes time is spent recovering from workouts (I encompass sleep into this time since it is the most crucial for your body to make physiological changes). What you do with this bulk of time can dictate your progression. Optimally, it would be great to sit back and relax all day and only physically exert yourself during your workouts, but that is not the case. We all lead demanding lives which also fatigue the body, therefore one should also decrease their workloads during training to ensure that they do not succumb to the symptoms of overtraining such as fatigue, no progression, decrease in physical performance, inability to sleep, and decreased appetite. Every bit of stress is accountable to the body’s physiology, whether it is mental or physical stress.
Figure 1.0 Periods following workout stress
The above illustration simplifies the stages that the body undergoes after a training stress is applied. Initially, you fatigue the body’s energy reserves and may have produced micro tears throughout the muscle fibers specific to the exercise stress applied. Your overall fitness level decreases since both of these phenomena’s have occurred. The next stage is recovery where the body attempts to restore energy and repair the muscle fibers back to their original state prior to the applied stress. The next stage is known as overcompensation where the body not only returns but elevates past its original fitness level.
I have color coordinated Figure 1.0 to facilitate understanding. Simply put, if you attempt to stress the exact same muscles which stress was originally applied during the RED zone, you risk detrimental fitness effects. If you attempt to stress the muscles in the GREEN zone, you can increase your fitness levels since your body has adequately recovered from the last bout of exertion. Timing is crucial for the most efficient training program, but every athlete recovers at different speeds. What works for elite athletes such as Michael Phelps (Olympic Swimmer) or Mark Allen (6 time Hawaii Ironman winner) may not work for you. Trial and error is the best method to establishing proper resting periods. Maintain your training journal is crucial so you can evaluate increases or potential decreases in fitness. If you see decreases in performance, its best to reevaluate your program and increase rest periods because you may be overtraining.
In addition, here is a list of ways to help you during the recovery period after a workout:
- Active Recovery (IE:walking after workout)
- Massages
- Relax or stretch
- Hot shower or bath
- Lying down
Rest & recovery is the most crucial part of training, without it, you would never see improvements in fitness. By following the simple guidelines I have set out in this article, you can certainly avoid overtraining. The farther you can stay away from overtraining, the more efficient your training will be and you will be able to reach your goals safer and healthier.
It is important to note that it can be beneficial to stress your systems during the RED zone... If this is done correctly, you can see your GREEN zone have a larger area under the curve, which would correspond to an increase in fitness and physiological benefits.
ReplyDeleteEverything in moderation.
Keep up these posts Nick, great work so far.
@rnmcginn - yes I agree it is beneficial to stress the systems in the RED zone, but you also have to keep in mind two things:
ReplyDelete1. You give your body adequate rest to allow recuperation and rebuilding since you have placed a considerable amount of further stress. Therefore falling back to the original theory - Rest and Recovery is required to allow the physiological changes to occur.
2. You do not constantly stress the body in this fashion since it may induce overtraining.
best bet is to do such training with a coach or trainer monitoring you.