Recovery from training

In the development of training plans, it is important that recovery is a planned activity. The recovery process should not only allow the muscles and connective tissues to repair but actually improve your level of fitness. To achieve this you need to understand what recovery is, how long it takes and how you can positively affect the process.

What is recovery?

In simple terms, it is the time required for the repair of damage to the body caused by training or competition. This includes the restoration of the:

energy producing enzymes inside muscle fibres
carbohydrate stores in muscle cells
endocrine and immune systems

During recover, muscles should increase the proteins in their overall structure to improve strength, replenish and increase energy stores and increase the quantities of enzymes to improve the lactate threshold.

Speeding up recovery

Muscle cells are most receptive to carbohydrate during the first two hours following a training session. To accelerate recovery, consume 300-400 calories of carbohydrate shortly after the training session and another 300-400 Calories of carbohydrate within two hours. This intake of carbohydrates as well as replenishing the fuel stores also has a positive effect on protein restoration in muscles.

Optimal Recovery Ratio (OR2)

The ratio of ingested carbohydrate to protein is critical in optimising glycogen restoration in the muscles after a work out. The Pacific Health Laboratories, Inc recommends four grams of carbohydrate per gram of protein. A strategy suggested by Jim Bledsoe (1999)^[1] following a 45 minute workout is as follows: two thirds of a gram of carbohydrate per pound body weight and about 15 grams of high quality protein, repeated again within 2 hours.

Key Points

The key points to remember are:

Plan recovery into your training program
Listen to your body - if you feel tired then adjust the training to allow full recovery
Allow 36 hours recovery between quality sessions
To assist the recovery process consume 300 to 400 calories of carbohydrate shortly after the training session and another 300 to 400 Calories of carbohydrate within two hours
Use the Orthostatic Heart Rate Test to monitor your recovery

Referenced Material

BLEDSOE, J. (1999) Okay, so what an earth is the "Optmal recovery ratio"? Peak Performance, 123, p.10-11

Page Reference

The reference for this page is:

MACKENZIE, B. (1999) Recovery from Training [WWW] Available from: http://www.brianmac.co.uk/recovery.htm [Accessed

Associated Pages

The following Sports Coach pages should be read in conjunction with this page: