RECOVERY. That word athletes and fitness fiends love to hate. We all need it from time to time. We all know it’s necessary. Yet, so often we deny ourselves the necessary recovery our bodies need to perform at its best.
Yes, you are killing it during your long runs and digging deep during those spin classes and feeling the burn during barre to improve your overall health and wellness. However, while we strive to reach various goals and make new friends on group runs, and you know for those elites out there, win some races, we’re also working our muscles, depleting nutrients and exhausting our insides over time. If we don’t properly take care of our bodies, they’re going to start breaking down and will not perform the way we want them to, affecting more than just our next workout. Training hard can compromise our immune systems. World Tour cyclists know this all too well. There’s a reason most professional athletes eat and sleep as much as they do. Those of us who aren’t out to perform like the Amy Cragg’s of the world still need to do as much as we can to let our bodies recover from all we do during the week, even while sitting behind a desk or managing 3 kids or crushing your home business. And if you don’t know who Amy is, she crushed the US Women’s Olympic Marathon trials and then supported her new teammate Desiree Linden, and training partner, Shalane Flanagan as they came into the finish.
Let’s get into this recovery business. When you hear recovery several things probably flash through your mind. If you already have an injury: please actually let it heal. If you almost have one: please don’t let it get worse. If you are exhausted from your workouts and maybe life: please take note.
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Rolling hips & glutes will typically help with ITB issues & help with general mobility.[/caption]
LET'S GET BENDY: How often do you forget to stretch and roll after your workouts?
Me? I don’t forget, I just don’t do it. I don’t always take the time I should. I finish my run or whatever it is and straight up leave because I run out of time. As a coach and long time athlete, I know better than this. And then a sore muscle becomes a strained muscle or even worse, that knot in my tush causes a series of issues that lead to me cutting back on my training till I’m healed. Can you relate? I know that ITB issue of yours could have been prevented. Yes, yours. Taking a deep stretch class every so often {because I don’t actually do that enough myself} is good for you.
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Get on that phone while you stretch & roll.[/caption] Since taking the time is important and you often can't do it right away, try to use the time before you go to bed, while you’re playing on your phone, to foam roll. Let's be real, that’s how stretching and rolling should be. We're on our phone 96% of the time, right? Why not use that time to be a little more active about your recovery and stretch while you binge on some Netflix or scroll through Instagram. Also, I’ve been reading a few things recently, and have had numerous massage therapists tell me the same, don’t roll directly on your ITB, instead work the hips and glutes. That’s usually where problems originate. I also have this amazing thing called the BFF that I use. You can snag one here.
HEY MISTER SANDMAN, WHY DON'T YOU VISIT ME? Who sleeps? It’s a challenge for millennials to not sleep. Well, I say stop that. The whole sleep when you’re dead thing needs to go because if you’re working all day, then training your body, trying to lose weight, and generally going 3,000 MPH well... something is going to catch up with you and it’s NOT going to be pretty when it does. Those bags under your eyes won’t be carry-ons for long. Our bodies and our muscles need rest. Straight up, no excuses. Catch those Zzz’s. Doctors recommend 7-10 hours, right? Do it.
While sitting through my USATF certification course recently the instructor made an analogy that was so perfect I have to share. Say you’re used to getting 8 hours of sleep per night, then you start cutting off 2 hours because of work or study and you're also training on top of that. And say you do that 4 nights in a row. That’s 8 hours of lost sleep that your body now has to make-up. That’s an entire night! How are you supposed to recover from that? Realistically, I know this is hard for so many, but sleep is one of the most important things you can give your body in addition to proper hydration and nutrition. Sleep is when all the amazing hormones are released to help you truly recover from your day and help those muscles and your brain heal so you can own it again the next day.
The other challenge is also finding ways to get good sleep. Restless sleep is prominent. There are apps and devices out there that show you how well you are sleeping, and can even give you tips on better sleep. While some are free and some are more expensive, they’re worth looking into.
DRINK ME! FEED ME! We all hear that you need so much water in a day and blah blah blah…. BUT, it’s true. Our bodies are made up of mostly water. That includes our muscles, blood, all the things inside of us, and all of those parts need to be fueled just like your car needs gas to run. But that gas has other stuff in it, right? Ok. Following? So, in addition to water, it’s really important to make sure you are getting electrolytes into your system before and after workouts. It’s simple: drink up buttercup. We all have our preferred hydration mix of choice. I dig Skratch labs. They're my peeps. I know what goes into their product. And Dr. Allen Lim, a friend of mine, could go on for days about this but I’ll be brief and save that for another day.
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Refuel & hydrate. Perfect time to catch up on your social media... or get your stretch on![/caption]
The other thing your body needs after workouts is a bit of protein. The jury is out on the time frame, but generally it is suggested getting sugars and protein back into your system within a 30-45 minute window following a workout at a 3:1 or 4:1 ratio. Now does this mean you need to be loading up on whey protein? Maybe depending on your bodybuilding goals. Or will a peanut butter sandwich do, too? Totally. What about chocolate milk? Absolutely. Steak and fries? Why not. Vegan delights? Go for it. I’m not a nutritionist. I’ve been around the block, I’ve learned from the best. I consult my nutritionist friends, doctors, meal plans, and I know what works best for me as a coach and long-time athlete. I can help with guidelines and tell you that processed sugars are terrible for you but they are absolutely delicious and totally ok sometimes. Balance. But in terms of helping your body recover after workouts, that carb to protein ratio helps restore the glycogen in your system, build muscle, and reduce muscle fatigue later on.
Personally: I use ETB Cinnamon Bun protein and their Naturally Whey to supplement when I need to. It doesn’t hurt to have a good protein on hand when you can’t snag real food.
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Massage therapy & body work is something that is so often taken for granted. Find someone you are comfortable with & trust.[/caption]
RUB ME DOWN Ha. Ok. Seriously one of my favorite parts of recovery: massage therapy, chiropractic care, and body work. There are so many different modalities out there, finding the one that works for you is key. Also, if you’ve gotten yourself to the point of injury: this is absolutely for you. Take care of your body. Jump on it. If you think something is maybe wrong in your foot, knee, hip: stop ignoring it. Take time to stretch, roll, etc. And also, maybe get a massage, but get the right kind. Find someone who is not just good but great. Don’t always go to the big massage places, find the place your local elites go to. Geta good physio. I personally see a structural body worker, Tom, here in Charlotte, NC.
Massage therapy is used for relaxation, injury prevention, but also can help treat injuries. For the longest time, I didn’t see a body worker and relied solely on chiropractic care and my foam roller. Both did a great job but I also did not have it in my budget to get body work like I needed for the high level of training I was doing. I have since learned. Sometimes finding the right therapist can be weird, and finding someone who doesn't just barely graze your skin and knows what they are doing — it’s not the happy ending signs you want people — is often difficult. Did you know that you keep your clothes on for Thai work? The stretching and movement requires that. So if you are uncomfortable undressing, that is a wonderful option for you and it is great for mobility. I highly recommend it. Don’t be afraid to ask around. You go to a gym. You have friends. When I visited New York a year ago, fellow contributor, Leigh Gerson sent me to her person to get taken care of and he was fantastic. I would have never found this person had I not asked. I love all the different modalities and I’m not afraid of Eastern Medicine either. There’s something cool about combining Eastern and Western medicine to treat injuries. Ga Sha is rad and seriously helped with a foot issue I was dealing with last year.
Lastly a few little other things that go with recovery are the importance of rest days: take them. Use that Netflix binge day properly and hydrate, eat delicious GOOD foods {with a starburst or two and a bowl of homemade popcorn -- it's full of fiber} and recover. It’s good for you to take a day off during your fitness journey, marathon training, and life {mental wellness is important} to just chill out. Do nothing for a day. If you don’t binge on Netflix, read a book. Get a tan by the pool. Let your body recover. I learned the hard way and my body crashed a year ago when my lifestyle caught up with how poorly I was letting myself recover. Rock those compression socks under your clothes — I totally did under my red pants the other night. Made my unexpected dancing feet happy after a double workout day. Take your vitamins. Did you know magnesium is amazing for recovery? Zinc can boost your immune system. Taking your daily dose of Vitamin D and even adding some B12 will do wonders for you too. And did you know Tart Cherry is a strong antioxidant and natural anti-inflammatory? Oh. And get your snuggle game on boo. That’s good for recovery too.
But the last and most important part of recovery in fitness is making sure to have fun, laugh a lot, and love the crazy mess of a journey you are on. It’s anything but ordinary, and that’s the best part.
Until next time, get your roll on.
-Smash!
Extra Gratitude: Track & Field Store Charlotte Charlotte Athletic Club Charlotte Running Co. Photographer: Duncan Littlefield
