Recovery – the unsung hero of training
Recovery is one of the basic principles of training. It’s during the recovery period or rest period from training that you adapt to the load placed on you during training. It’s easy to make the mistake of believing that the harder you work, the better you will get. And yes, hard work is important. But recovery is an essential balance.
The benefits
Recovery:
- Aids the removal of waste products
- Returns the body to near resting levels
- Sets the body up for the next bout of exercise
- Allows the athlete to continue to perform at high levels
- May help reduce the injury rate
- May help reduce muscle soreness.
Steps to recovery
Recovery is a process that starts as soon as training/game finishes.Research findings on which methods of recovery are most effective remain controversial. But the current practice of the techniques recommended below have merit and are still inherently used by all New Zealand Netball teams. They are particularly vital in a tournament situation.
1. Cool down
- Cool down is compulsory! It should never be left out, no matter what age group.
- Start with a five minute active cool down – a light jog slowing to a walk. If there isn’t much time on the court for a cool-down, try walking on the spot or along the footpath, keeping moving for five minutes.
- Follow-up with static stretching – hold stretch for 30 seconds each side. Include stretches for calves, quads, hamstrings, hip flexors, butt, arms etc.
2. Hydration
- While doing the aerobic cool-down and static stretching you need to be hydrating and eating your post-exercise food (see suggestions below).
- Hydration is important before, during and after any exercising:
- Ensure you start well hydrated – you should have clear or pale urine.
- Two hours before exercise you should consume 500–600 ml (two cups) of fluid (water).
- 15-30 minutes before exercise you should consume 250–500 ml (1/2 to one cup) of fluid (water, sport drink).
- During exercise you need to consume 750-1,000 ml of fluid (water or sports drink) for every hour of exercise (every player is different however).
- After exercise continue consuming fluids.
3. Nutrition
- It’s vital to eat within 30 minutes of finishing exercise, especially if you’re competing again that day. This will restore the muscle energy stores to allow them to compete well the next game.
- The post-game snack should include carbohydrates and protein.
- Examples:
- 500ml sports drink and filled roll/creamed rice
- Two slices of white bread, a banana and 250ml flavoured milk
- Flavoured milk and white bread bun
- White bread filled roll and 250-500ml flavoured milk.
4. Treat injuries immediately
- Rest the injured area to help prevent further injury.
- Ice the effected area. Apply an ice pack/ice wrapped in a damp towel, for 20 minutes. Repeat every two hours for 48-72 hours, depending on severity.
- Compression of the injured area will help to prevent swelling.
- Elevation of the injured area will help prevent increasing swelling.
- Diagnosis. Correct diagnosis is important. Get professional medical help if the pain or swelling or the injury is not improving.
- Avoid HARM for the first two days (Heat, Alcohol, Running, Massage).
5. Other means to help with recovery
- Rest: Sleep is probably the most important recovery strategy. An adult player will need between seven and nine hours’ sleep. A training adolescent experiencing a growth spurt may need up to 10 hours’ sleep. However ‘over sleeping’ is detrimental as it slows the central nervous system.
- Rest days are vital. You should have at least one day a week without training.
- Doing an aerobic session in the pool rather than on the courts or on the hard ground could be classified as active rest.
- Hot/colds: helpful especially for players within a tournament environment, they seem to recover better and have less muscle soreness.
- Try lying on your back with your legs up a wall. This helps lymphatic drainage and the removal of waste products.
