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The Importance of the Recovery Process in Repetitive Exercise
Training
The
cool-down process is important in exercise because it allows the processes of
the body to gradually recover to resting levels. Even after consecutive days
of physical activity, one may sometimes feel run down and out of energy if
he/she does not incorporate a proper cool-down into the exercise routine.
Depending on the activity, the cool-down may include any combination of
tapering the intensity at the completion of an aerobic workout, a slow jog or
b risk walk, or stretching. These recovery processes are essential for the
heart, blood, and muscles. There are certain circumstances when recovery
becomes even more crucial for continued performance, such as multi-training
sessions per day, tournament play, prelims/finals in a single day (such as a
swim or track meet where the morning session performance determines if one
competes for the finals), and day-long events with time between performances.
This article serves to highlight information on nutrition, rest, and muscular
training that will aid anyone from the casual to serious athlete in
post-exercise recovery. Nutrition
for optimal recovery Despite
the large volume of literature on the new fad diets like Adkins or South
Beach claiming that reducing carbohydrate intake will help with weight loss,
carbohydrates remain the most recommended nutrient before and after exercise
for muscle fuel and recovery. Ingesting protein and carbohydrates
post-exercise has been shown to improve the net balance of blood protein
levels following resistance exercise1. Energy from dietary fat is also
consumed during the exercise process. However, depending on the type of
workout, fat is used to more (aerobic) or less (anaerobic) of an extent and
are thus not as important in the recovery processes as carbohydrates. Moderate
to intense aerobic exercise can greatly increase the need for water intake.
Quantity of water intake varies between patients and is especially important
in hot climate environments where individuals can lose more than 2% of total
body weight, impeding performance2. Drinks with carbohydrates, such as sports
drinks or real fruit juices, are a simple way to improve recovery over simply
re-fueling with water. Carbohydrates replenish the simple sugars that are
first broken down by cellular metabolism to be used as muscle fuel. Athletes
who replenish with carbohydrates directly post-endurance events have shown
improved endurance capacity during prolonged intermittent exercise3. A
carbohydrate-electrolyte drink enhances exercise capacity by elevating blood
glucose levels, preventing hypoglycemia and fatigue4.
Carbohydrate-electrolyte consumption would be a critical factor for athletes
competing in a single day prelims-finals format or for morning-afternoon
workout recovery. Some
websites and popular fads may suggest that alcohol plays a positive roll in
the recovery process. For example, the Netherlands Organization for applied
Scientific Research demonstrated that beer boosts blood concentration of vitamin
B6, which is important for processing protein and preventing homocystines
from blocking blood vessels5. However, since alcohol acts primarily on the
body as a diuretic and contains no vitamins or minerals (empty calories), it
probably has very little overall value in the exercise recovery process. Rest Competing
at a high level in a multiple session situation or in a prelims-finals
setting requires adequate rest to maximize repeat potential. One study
investigated the effect of increasing the rest period between bouts of
intense physical activity6. Subjects demonstrated increased running velocity
and work output when they actively recovered for a longer period of time to
an asymptotic level of ~120 s. Full
recovery of muscle function not only entails adequate rest, but also must
include an active recovery period. Light exercise has been shown to help the
recovery process of muscles as compared to taking the day off from training
completely. When muscles are tired, 2-3 days of light training helps serum
hormone levels return to normal pre-exercise levels as compared to the
elevated states achieved post-exercise7. Therefore, not only does active
recovery help build endurance, but it also returns the muscles to normal
activity levels more quickly. Sleep is
an essential piece of the recovery puzzle that is overlooked during sporting
events in which the athlete is tapered or resting for a championship
competition. When energy levels are high, it might seem easier to sleep less
and still feel fine. Actually, sleep deprivation has severe inverse effects
on high-level performance when compared to an initial assessment, such as a
tournament play situation5. Muscular
Recovery During
heavy exercise, oxygen cannot be delivered to the muscle tissues quickly
enough to meet the needs of the exerting muscle. This process drives
metabolic acidosis and increased respiratory rate. Therefore, decreasing the
level of lactic acid in muscles is another important aspect of exercise
recovery. Build up of lactic acid causes muscles to ache and feel sore up to
several days after an intense workout. An active recovery process for
anaerobic or sprint training has been show to reduce blood lactate levels
immediately after the recovery as well as 5 minutes post-recovery8. However,
the same study also concluded that short, repetitive sprinting performance
was better during a passive recovery process as opposed to active recovery. Conclusion
This is
merely a glimpse into the importance of recovery post-exercise and why it is
crucial to allow ample time in a daily workout routine for the muscular
recovery. It is important to be mindful of a proper dietary intake and
incorporate plenty of carbohydrates into the diet, especially directly after
exercise, which will help the processes of the body return to normal
functioning levels. Proper rest becomes important for competitions and
situations where the athlete needs maximum recovery in a minimal period of
time. Active recovery versus stationary rest improves performance
post-initial workout or competition. The active recovery process also assists
muscles in eliminating lactic acid build up. Look for a follow-up article
that will discuss the issues of massage, stretching, and dietary antioxidants
in the recovery process. References: 1. Holm L,
Esmarck B, Suetta C, Matsumoto K, Doi T, Mizuno M, Miller BF, Kjaer M.
Postexercise nutrient intake enhances leg protein balance in early
postmenopausal women. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2005 Sep;60(9):1212-8. 2.
Shirreffs SM. The importance of good hydration for work and exercise
performance. Nutr Rev. 2005 Jun; 63(6 Pt 2):S14-21. 3.
Nicholas CW, Williams C, Lakomy HK, Phillips G, Nowitz A. Influence of
ingesting a carbohydrate-electrolyte solution on endurance capacity during
intermittent, high-intensity shuttle running. J Sports Sci. 1995
Aug;13(4):283-90. 4. Byrne
C, Lim CL, Chew SA, Ming ET. Water versus carbohydrate-electrolyte fluid
replacement during loaded marching under heat stress. Mil Med. 2005 Aug;
170(8):715-21. 5.
Racinais S, Hue O, Blonc S, Le Gallais D. Effect of sleep deprivation on
shuttle run score in middle-aged amateur athletes. Influence of initial
score. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2004 Sep;44(3):246-8. 6. Seiler
S, Hetlelid KJ. The Impact of Rest Duration on Work Intensity and RPE during
Interval Training. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2005 Sep;37(9):1601-1607. 7.
Vuorimaa T, Vasankari T, Mattila K, Heinonen O, Hakkinen K, Rusko H. Serum
hormone and myocellular protein recovery after intermittent runs at the
velocity associated with VO(2max). Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol. 1999
Nov-Dec;80(6):575-81. 8.
Toubekis AG, Douda HT, Tokmakidis SP. Influence of different rest intervals
during active or passive recovery on repeated sprint swimming performance.
Eur J Appl Physiol. 2005 Mar;93(5-6):694-700. Epub 2004 Nov 20. |
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