It is a little known fact that it is not the hard work you put into training, but rather it is the subsequent recovery that causes your muscles and circulatory system to adapt. Skimp on recovery and you might as well skimp on your results. Have you ever heard the saying "Train smarter not harder?" Hello, recovery.
Photo: Tri L2 athletes engage in a "contrast bath:" alternating heat and ice to stimulate recovery. It makes your legs feel all nice and tingly.
It's about cycling, and not the kind with two wheels. There are three kinds of cycles when we talk about recovery. Miss one and you miss the point.
MICROCYCLE: This cycle takes place every 2-5 days. The first iteration of the microcycle was the discovery of the hard day / easy day concept. Much more sophisticated versions exist however, incorporating two-a-days, bricks, and "clustering" of your training.
The problem solved by microcycle strategy is, How do you incorporate MORE into your training program without injury or burnout. The INCORRECT strategy is to do about the same amount each day. Many Type A endurance athletes like to have a nice, orderly training plan where they do two hours per day. I would much rather see an athlete train for 3-3.5 hours one day, and then do .5-1 hour on the recovery day. One of my favorite training planning tasks is to get an athlete onto CORRECT microcycles that really challenge them and then allow adequate recovery.
MESOCYCLE: The mesocycle occurs approximately on a monthly cycle. Even if you get your microcycle recoveries in correctly, you will still develop cumulative fatigue after a few weeks. At that point it is time for a recovery week, where you reduce your volume by 30-50% and do NO anerobic workouts. I usually program 3 weeks on / 1 week recovery, or 2 weeks plus weekend on / 5 weekdays easy. Again, the TYPE A set will be climbing the walls during the extended recoveyr, but most people enjoy the lighter week.
MACROCYCLE: Seasonal peaks and valleys in your training are what we call a macrocycle. The macrocycle BEGINS with an off-season. If you skip this step then you are missing a crucial phase to your season. I observe many triathletes spending their winter doing spin classes, masters swims, and marathon training. Any skilled instructor or coach will require you to take a recovery macrocycle, either modifying your workouts or telling you to take some off.
Photo: Mind Body Strength and Stretch: Stretching.
Besides the cyclical training planning component of recovery, there are a plethora of daily and weekly activities that you can do to recover more quickly. Here is a quick list:
Warm-up and cool down correctly
Stretch
Good post-workout nutrition: you should begin refueling within 30 minutes
Recovery nutrition products
Sleep, naps
Hydration
Good eating habits regarding food choices and meals
Taking your vitamins or drink Ageless Xtra
Massage, chiropractic
Foam Roller
Managing Stress
Again, skimping on these crucial ingredients means that you are getting less than 100% from the hard work that you are already doing.
Thank you - I needed this so much. I am training for several 'different' races right now (5K for speed, 80 mile relay for speed/endurance, 1/2 marathon) and each time I run I think I have to do better than the time before and I am quickly approaching burnout. I didn't realize 'recovery' workouts were so important. I thought 'rest days' were good enough!
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