All athletes that have the desire and motivation to be the best they can be have one thing in common, they train as hard as they can. Whether it is cardiovascular training from running or muscular training from lifting weights, the body is having a lot of strain put on it. One thing that all athletes do not do is get the proper amount of rest. “It is rest that makes you stronger, because it is the rest that allows the muscles that you have broken down to heal and recover. It is the rest that allows you to recover so you can be strong, and thereby handle the increased weight, and increased number of sets and reps needed to gain further.”1. Without the proper rest the muscles in the body can be overtrained. Overtraining is when the body has been stressed so much that rest is no longer enough for the body to recover quickly.
.7 Essential elements of rest and recovery include:
- Sleep-Sleep is the most important time to recover. Adequate levels of sleep help to provide mental health, hormonal balance, and muscular recovery.
- Hydration- Water helps all of our functions. A few examples are more efficient nutrient uptake, lower levels of stress on the heart, improved skin tone, and better hair quality.
- Nutrition- eating clean and balanced meals in moderation is proven to be effective to remain healthy and increase performance.
- Posture- sitting or standing with bad posture is harmful. It can lead to back or neck pain, specifically for those with desk jobs.
- Stretching- You need enough flexibility to move well and remain pain free. Include dynamic stretching in your warm-ups while saving static stretching for after your workouts.
- Self-Myofascial Release- Tight muscles and trigger points sometimes need assistance to return to healthy normal tissue.
- Heat, Ice, and Compression- Use these techniques for recovering from injuries or a very stressful training.2.
References:
Rest & Overtraining: What Does This Mean To Bodybuilders?
Published on the website http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/behar2.htm by Jeff Behar in 2015
7 Essential Elements of Rest and Recovery
Published on the website http://breakingmuscle.com/mobility-recovery/7-essential-elements-of-rest-and-recovery by Jeff Kuhland
I love this post because it ties in with my blog about how to recovery from DOMS. How could I forget sleep? It's so important for muscle recovery! I agree with all your key points they tremendously affect our recovery. I think myofascial release is not talked about enough! We need to spread the word about how great it is!
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