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 wrestler125
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Gender : Male Posts : 4818
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One of the most important aspects in any athletes training can often be what he or she is doing while they are NOT training. The rest you get in between sessions is the real time that you get bigger, faster, and stronger. That is why I decided to start this thread. I know there are threads out there that mention it, but I figured I should start a new one entirely dedicated to recovery tips. Everything I am recommending, I have researched, as well as experimented with...
Rest: Often overlooked, but very important. Athletes in training should aim to get between 8-10 hours of sleep per night. Waking up at the same time every morning is a good way to get into a good sleep cycle. Aim to get out of bed and get moving at the same time everyday, even if you don't have to. Resist the urge to snooze late, and try to set a reasonable bedtime goal.
Post workout nutrition: Within one hour of working out, try to get something in your stomach. If your going to cheat, this is the time to do it.
Along with that, you want to get protein into you body immediately after lifting. This will end the catabolism of your muscle tissue, and aid in the rebuilding of your muscles. After practice, or if your an athlete, you want to also get some carbohydrates into your system. This will replenish you body's glycogen stores, which is one of your muscle's main sources of energy.
Many sports performance scientists recommend a 2-1 ratio of carbs to protein. I disagree. Depending on your goals, you may need more or less protein or carbs. If you were an endurance athlete I might go as high as 3 or 4-1, and for a bodybuilder I might go as low as 1-1 or even 1-2 during cutting. Me, I just get a protein shake with some high fructose source, such as fruit(yes, fructose isnt all bad... In fact it can be very effective at controlling anabolics through the release of insulin, but that is a different post) and then try to eat a meal within half an hour. It has also been shown to be very effective to absorb some slow absorbing micellar cassein protein after the one hour window. This will help stabilize insulin levels, and keep protein in your system longer. Some cassien sources: cottage cheese, milk.
Rest revisited: Take time away from the weights. Enough said.
Cryo-massage: An ice massage is amazing on your legs after ME squat day, or on your traps after snatch or ME DL day. An easier, and less expensive way to do this, is to fill a stryrofoam cup with water, freeze it. When you are ready to use it, just peel the styrofoam away from the ice. Use long strokes, and do it for 3-5 minutes per side alternating until the cup is melted. You will feel much better.
Contrast Bath: going from hot to cold water, usually about 40 seconds warm, 20 seconds cold, is an excellent way to get blood flowing through your muscles. If you ever get into grip training heavily, many guys swear by this technique for the hands and wrists. For joint soreness, use hot water and cold water. For muscle soreness, use warm to hot water and very cold water. Along with this, contrast showers might be an easier alternative.
Massage: I forget the term for it, but there is a specific type of deep tissue massage that is very helpful in recovery. Try it as soon as DOMS sets in. Not only will it help, it will feel really good to. 
Stretching: A common recovery technique. You should emphasize short, static stretches, with holds of about 5-10 seconds. Your goal here is recovery, not flexibility. Stretching for recovery and for flexibility are different. Yes, dynamic stretching may help with recovery, and it will build more strength, but short static stretches are great for recovery.
GPP: General Physical Preparedness training isn't just for strongmen anymore. Not only can it help to bring up your lifts, but it can also be used for recovery. Dave Tate has touched on this many times in the earlier elite fitness systems articles. Just use a lighter weight, focus on the muscle group your looking to recover, and go for time or distance, not weight or time.
Liniment: Tiger Balm, EMU oil, ICY-HOT, etc. Even menthol and cayenne pepper. It may not be the final word, but it does feel good. I have never been fortunate enough to experience it, but I am told the Olympic training halls reek of liniment. I love the stuff, and use EMU oil on my hands and wrists after rock climbing or grip work, and Tiger Balm everywhere else.
100 rep sets. Fist popularized by the westside crew as a way to bring up lagging body parts, doing light weight for one set of 100 reps on days off to get blood and nutrients into the muscle is an effective way to reduce DOMS and build new muscle. Not recommended with compound movements.
Epsom Salt Baths: They feel really great, they can help joint aches, and its an excellent way to increase stores of magnesium in the body, something many athletes are low on. Magnesium can actually be absorbed through the skin.
Now I know there is something I am forgetting, so when I remember it, I will post it. Any one here is welcome to bring up other methods or discuss any of the points. I hope some one finds this helpful.
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Your two most important minerals: Iron and Chalk.
If you smoke or don?t wear your seatbelt, please don?t tell me the deadlift is dangerous.
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wrestler125
.. ft Elite Status
Gender : Male Posts : 4818
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I do agree with you on the subject of post workout stretching. It should be static, as dynamic is best for warming up...
Also, I have heard different things on the on post workout nutrition. I always try to get something immediately after working out. I have heard 30 minutes, but I have also heard 45, 1 hour, and 1.5 hours. I will take you word though gator...
As for contrast baths, I have heard both ways as well. I know when I did them, it was for almost a half hour, 4 minutes hot, 4 cold. In my post, I meant to say 80 seconds hot, 40 seconds cold. That is what I have always read. However, other than contrast baths for my hands and contrast showers for my back on deadlift day, I have only tried full ocntrast baths with a 4-4 minute rotation, and it worked great. Just throwing this out there.
Thanks gator. It's always great to hear from you, and even better to discuss things with you.
My main point of this thread was just that so many people neglect post workout recovery, and there is so much that can be done.
I still can't help but think I have left a few things out...
What do you do with your athletes Matt?
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Your two most important minerals: Iron and Chalk.
If you smoke or don?t wear your seatbelt, please don?t tell me the deadlift is dangerous.
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arondaballer
.. ft Elite Status
 
Gender : Male Posts : 1138
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Thanks Wrestler. I did a lot of reading the night that I posted that question. I've read a lot of different opinions on replacing glycogen stores, and I found it funny that none of them mentioned insulin. They all talked about that you should eat carbs all day long so you can replace your glycogen stores and that the best ones to replace glycogen are highly glycemic carbs such as white bread/bagels, etc. I believe I will just keep doing what I've been doing: Drinking a post workout MRP that has sugars, whey protein mix, and some creatine monohydrate followed by eating whole foods at the windows within the next couple hours. I will drink some Micellar Casein before bed (Biotest GROW!), and follow the Protein Plus meal plan (Dr. Berardi) to get leaner until the season. Wrestler, I will try the fruit one day as well. I haven't really checked on what kind of sugars/carbs are in my MRP, but this may need to be changed.
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I firmly believe that any man's finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is the moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle-victorious.
--Vince Lombardi
"Decide what you want, decide what you are willing to exchange for it. Establish your priorities and go to work." H. L. Hunt
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wrestler125
.. ft Elite Status
Gender : Male Posts : 4818
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Grow would be an excellent choice. Most of the Biotest products are very high quality, and very well designed. As for the fruit, ill be honest, I just mix it into my MRP along with the protein. I haven't tried it, but I looked into the protein plus plan, and Dr. Berardi knows what he is talking about when it comes to nutrition for performance enhancement.
Insulin manipulation isn't easy. I'm not going to say its something I am completely in understanding with, as it is very complicated stuff, but what I do know is important stuff.
The good thing about Dr. Berardi, is he is more than a sports nutritionist. He actually weightlifts and competes. He knows how the body responds to lifting, as well as nutrition.
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Your two most important minerals: Iron and Chalk.
If you smoke or don?t wear your seatbelt, please don?t tell me the deadlift is dangerous.
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