The theory of Active Recovery in training and recovery
Active recovery is the act of low intensity exercise after exerting yourself to the max. If you’ve ever been for a particularly long run, or climbed a mountain, or had a really intense session where you end up totally wiped out, you’ll know how bad the next day (or two) can suck. The theory here is that instead of full and complete rest, ie not doing anything physically demanding, you actually engage in light exercise in the following days. There are a few reasons as to why this can be effective;
- Reduction of lactic acid buildup, therefore reducing soreness and aches.
- Promotes blood flow to the joints and muscles, reducing inflammation.
- When carried out instantly after intense exercise it can extend the period of time your heart rate is elevated, giving you endurance training benefits.
Some people claim that it can improve mood following an adrenaline dump etc, but let’s keep it real. There’s too many variables there for me to count that. That being said, I do agree that some form of exercise will almost always improve your mood.
There’s a few different ways that people tend to carry out active recovery;
- In the cool down phase immediately after exercise – you may train hard, then spend 20-30 minutes slowly jogging for example.
- The rest periods in interval training – instead of resting entirely, continue to keep moving lightly to keep your heart rate from dropping.*
- In the day(s) after extreme exertion – walking, jogging or something similarly low intensity on what would normally be rest days following intense exercise.
How do I use it?
I think active recovery is important and I’m fairly sure it’s helped me avoid injury – although proving something hasn’t happened because something else has is tenuous at best.
1. Straight after exercise
Whenever I can I like to swim a few lengths then hit the sauna/steam room afterwards. I find this is a great way to stretch out while keeping my heart rate up. If I have the time, I’ll swim a couple of lengths, jump in the steam room for 10 mins, get straight into a cold shower, then repeat. If I’m too exhausted to swim, I’ll lunge my way through the pool, you can get a great stretch and have the mild resistance of the water, it feels great!
2. During interval training
For me, this reduces the effects of interval training. When doing interval training we’re doing two things. We’re practicing the ability to go from 0 to 100 as quickly and efficiently as possible. We’re also training our ability to relax and bring our heart rate down appropriately – think about having a 1 minute rest between boxing rounds and needing to be as fresh as possible quickly. So, for me personally, keeping your heart rate up during the rest periods takes away some of the power of interval training.
3. Day(s) after exercise
On my rest days, I try to walk, even if it’s just a mile round the block. I find that stretching my legs out can relieve muscle aches, especially in the quads after leg day. 💪 This is happening because when moving, the muscles require an increase in blood flow which is forcing more oxygen rich blood around my body.
The theory of Active Recovery in life
I’ve taken the phrase “active recovery” to have a larger meaning than just being about exercise recovery.
I’ve spent periods of my life active. I’ve also spent periods of my life in recovery. From injury, illness, periods of poor mental health etc
But the very worst times have been when I’ve been neither. I’ve been sedentary, almost like a passenger, just letting life happen to me and around me. I’ve found that when I allow this to happen, I get depressed, I get fat and I gradually become a worse person.
This happened a fair few years ago. Before I knew it I’d gained 100lbs, was on anti-depressants and was completely out of shape, physically and mentally. Eventually, I decided to make a change and started to study. I read and watched everything I could about fitness, nutrition and mindset. Over time, I experimented on my body with different diets and training methods. Eventually I managed to lose the 100lbs and ditched the anti-depressants.
I had decided that it’s ok to be in recovery, life does set you back and dealing with that appropriately is important. But I knew that I needed to be active in my recovery.
This is why I chose the name “Active Recovery“, it embodies everything I’ve been through. Accepting the state of recovery is really hard, it can be unbelievably frustrating. However, if you’re active in your recovery it can be a great period of learning and you can come back stronger.
But the most important thing is not to fall into the void in between. The sedentary state, this is where life swallows you up and spits out a weak, compromised version of you. Stay strong. Stay active. 💪
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