10 Ways to Speed Recovery

Spring is the time of year when many athletes ramp up their training in order to prepare for races and events. However, as workouts get longer and harder, many of us forget the role that recovery can play in achieving our goals. Everyone needs rest, but for athletes, it’s a crucial element of a sensible, balanced training program—while overreaching is required to stimulate your body to adapt to training, full recovery is also required to allow that adaptation to take place. As you gear up for this season, remember to strive for progressive gains through a sensible training program that includes good nutrition, adequate sleep, stretching and well-deserved time for recovery.

Training + recovery = Super-compensation
Training + inadequate recovery = Performance reduction, illness, injury, and burnout

The quicker and more complete your recovery after a workout, the faster you can move on to your next quality training session. The more total sessions you have the energy for, the faster you will ultimately be.

Top secret ergogenic = Full recovery

No matter what you do, when you extend yourself, your body requires a specific amount of time to refuel and repair. Full recovery takes time. USA Triathlon Level II coach Steve Seide comments, “Quality training time is extremely valuable. By quality, I mean when you are fully recovered to put in complete effort and focus. These sessions should be spent wisely.”

Be sure to plan adequate rest into your weekly routine and schedule a rest week every third or fourth week. Manipulate volume and intensity during rest weeks to unload accumulated fatigue, maintain fitness and sharpen performance. When in doubt, follow these simple guidelines.

Daily Nutrition Habits

Daily nutrition dictates your body’s overall health, as well as the amount of training you can adapt to and withstand. What you eat and drink every day determines your athletic potential. If you eat poorly on a daily basis, your athletic potential ceiling will be low. According to Ultrafit coach Tom Rodgers, “You can wear yourself out with bad nutrition even faster than by exercise without discipline." Maintaining daily optimal health through a nutritious diet will do more to speed your recovery from workouts than any other factor.

Sleep Habits

Sleep is vital for recovery. Sleep is when your body does its best repairing and rebuilding. If you skimp on sleep, you will delay recovery. Through the course of a night’s sleep, you cycle through several phases, and during the slow-wave stage, growth hormone is released by the pituitary gland, stimulating tissue repair.

Mid-Exercise Habits

Fueling and hydrating properly during exercise will put you in the best possible shape at the end of a session so you need the less total recovery time. For easy workouts that last less than an hour, water will suffice. For workouts lasting longer than one hour, you should consume a sports drink that contains carbohydrates, electrolytes and possibly protein (if your GI system is receptive to this).

Hydration and Electrolyte Replacement

Your body’s thirst depends on two things, an increase in blood salt concentration and a decrease in blood volume. Both of these occur when you sweat. Research has shown your body will absorb and retain more fluid when electrolytes, like sodium, are added to whatever you are drinking. Drinking plain water dilutes the sodium in your blood and shuts off your thirst mechanism, so you drink less and tend not to hydrate fully.

Refueling

An athlete can burn more than 900 calories per hour during exercise. However, research contends the maximum rate at which carbohydrate can be absorbed from the stomach and processed by the liver is 1 gram per minute. This equates to only 240 calories per hour, so replacing every calorie burned is a nearly impossible task. Focus on replenishing as many carbohydrates as your body can process. But consuming more than your body burns will leave you bloated.

Food Choices

Selecting the right solid, semi-solid (gels) and liquid food to consume during exercise is highly subjective. One athlete may thrive on bananas and Gatorade. For others, this combination might spell disaster. Only you can determine what works well for your body—use trial and error to figure out what works best. Above all, practice eating and drinking race-day fuel during your training sessions. After all, the last thing you want to experiment with on race day is a new food or sports drink that you’re not accustomed to. Be sure to plan adequate rest into your weekly routine and schedule a rest week every third or fourth week.

Post-Exercise Nutrition Habits

Post-exercise nutrition is vital to help your body re-hydrate, replenish electrolytes, replace carbohydrate and provide protein for muscle repair and antioxidants to reduce cellular damage. During exercise, your muscle cells absorb glycogen at a higher rate than at rest. At the end of an exercise session, this effect lasts up to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, Glut-4 molecules are super-activated by high intracellular calcium and insulin levels produced during exercise. These molecules remain on the muscle cell membrane and take glucose from the blood. By refueling within 30 minutes of the end of exercise, you can take advantage of the Glut-4s to quickly replenish muscle glycogen. If you miss this window, it can take up to 48 hours to fully replenish your muscle glycogen fuel stores. Also, consuming protein immediately after a workout may reduce post-exercise muscle breakdown.

Heat Stress Management

In hot climates or immediately after a race or workout, do what you can to remove heat stress from your body. Sometimes it’s easy to forget about the simplest things, so whenever possible, drink water and fluids to cool your core temperature, wear moisture-wicking fabrics that don’t trap heat, and apply cool compresses to your skin to release heat.

Time Management

Running all over town or doing a month’s worth of errands in a day does not constitute a recovery day. Manage your time well so you’re better able to plan nutritious meals, get a full night’s sleep and recover for your next workout.

Stress Management

Do what you can to reduce ongoing stress in your life. Not only has chronic stress been shown to cause illness, injury and burnout—it’s also not good for recovery and overall athletic performance.

Pre-Exercise Nutrition

Ensure you begin a workout with your carbohydrate tanks full and that you’re fully hydrated. If you work out first thing in the morning, consume some low glycemic index carbohydrates with water to replenish stores after your overnight fast.

Yoga

Stretching, relaxation and meditation have been shown to speed recovery.

Massage

Massage increases circulation, flushes away waste products and brings in fresh nutrients while promoting relaxation.

The Magic Combination: Resistance and Pedal Stroke

There are two magic ingredients to riding a Spinner® bike that can transform a person’s experience: resistance and a proficient pedal stroke. When resistance is coupled with a refined pedal stroke, riders will notice physical benefits and a greater ability to focus mentally.

People tend to think that riding a Spinner bike is simple, but to ride one well takes practice. Riding a stationary bike well means pedaling economically and reserving energy for more challenging levels of resistance. Once a rider has the appropriate bike setup, including knee flexion at a 25 to 35 degree angle at the bottom of the pedal stroke and the ball of the foot placed in the center of the pedal, he or she can then focus on developing a proficient pedal stroke. Understanding the application of force throughout the rotation of the pedal stroke and applying that during class can assist riders with isolating their leg muscles and taking pressure off their feet.

The pedal stroke has two phases: the power phase and the recovery phase, which can be broken up into four quadrants. Quadrant one of the power phase is where the foot is parallel to the floor and the rider pushes the toes forward toward the wall in front. Quadrant two of the power phase is where the rider pushes the heel downward. What may be misunderstood about the power phase is that it is not a constant vertical push because the foot is traveling in a circle. The power phase is traveling forward at the same time it is traveling downward, and the most powerful point of that is at 90 degrees.

Quadrant three of the recovery phase is where the foot is parallel to the floor again and the rider is drawing the heel straight back. Quadrant four of the recovery phase is when the heel lifts slightly. This fourth segment is the least understood as many instructors cue the hamstrings to draw the leg up, but it is actually done via the hip flexors and tibialis, so the hamstrings are the antagonist. At the back of the pedal stroke the foot should feel “unweighted”. A lot of people make the mistake of focusing on pulling up on the back side of the pedal stroke all the time, but the only time the recovery phase has any pulling up is during climbing and sprinting due to the amount of resistance on the flywheel.

Now that we’ve learned how to perform a proper pedal stroke, let’s see how resistance comes into play. Since Spinner bikeshave a weighted flywheel, it is crucial to maintain enough resistance on the flywheel in order to be in control of the pedal stroke. Too little resistance greatly reduces the rider’s fitness potential. This is evident when riders bounce in the saddle with too little weight on the flywheel and too high of cadence. Resistance on the Spinner bike is created by a spring-loaded pad, which compresses against the flywheel when the resistance knob is turned to the right. There is no universal way to calibrate the resistance on the bikes as each brake pad will wear differently over time due to usage variations. Therefore, the best way to communicate resistance is to use the words light, moderate and heavy as explained in the Spinning Instructor Manual. Orienting riders with how much to rotate the resistance knob may be done during the warm-up by encouraging them to turn it in small increments and allowing them to judge for themselves how much a single gear change is on that bike. Perception of how easy or difficult the resistance is will be based according to their fitness level and riding experience. We do not cue our students to turn the knob a half or full turn as all the bikes can be different. Only riders may apply and change the resistance on their bikes.

If you review your instructor manual, you’ll see that each movement in the Spinning® program has a recommended amount of resistance. For example, on a Seated Flat, we recommend light resistance. But even within those guidelines, there is room for two or three resistance changes. We can simulate a very smooth road, one with bumps, or even one with a strong wind pushing against us according to where on the scale of “light” we decide to ride. To create a Seated Climb we need moderate resistance, which feels like the difference between walking on a sidewalk and walking in hip deep water or loose sand. The crank arms are definitely more difficult to rotate and the workload would be described as hard but doable for one or more songs in a row.

Outside, standing is used when the grade of the hill begins to overcome the rider. We can simulate that indoors as well. Heavy resistance is needed for Standing Climbs because it should feel difficult to pedal while seated, so the rider feels the need to stand up to overcome the resistance and has stability when he or she does so. Standing is not as economical and should be used more sparingly.

When a rider is able to apply moderate to heavy resistance and work all four segments of the pedal stroke, the rider is able to increase mental focus because one must really think about each section and remain observant about the foot positions. In my experience, participants have reported a huge reduction of foot numbness by improving their pedal stroke, so the whole ride is more enjoyable. Riders have also expressed truly feeling their muscles work in the legs when they put effort into the four segments of the pedal stroke. Combining resistance with proficient pedal stroke is useful for all levels and gives people more of what they come to class for: results!

Nutrient Timing: A Tool in the Toolbox

"It's best to eat three square meals a day."
No, six smaller, more frequent meals are the way to go."
"Don't bother working out if you don't have a pre-workout snack." "Have your protein powder-shaker cup packed in your gym bag so precious muscle is not lost after a workout."

Is there any truth to these statements regarding nutrient timing for performance, health and body composition? Does it matter when we eat specific nutrients throughout the day and around our exercise or training? “Nutrient timing” refers to eating specific nutrients (whether in a full meal or individual proteins, carbohydrates or fats) throughout the day or peri-workout (before, during or after exercise). Despite what the proponents of one camp or another may say, and contrary to the “hard facts” and “set-in-stone” recommendations some may make, there is still much to learn about nutrient timing in regards to specifically what, how much to have and also when to have it. Recent literature, as well as experience in the field, provides us with some current practical guidance.

Daily Meal Timing

Some research suggests that it is better (from a body composition, performance and/or overall health standpoint) to eat smaller meals more frequently. Others suggested that instead fewer, bigger meals are just as good, if not better. Likewise, some research points to bigger morning meals as more beneficial than more substantial evening meals and vice versa. Breakfast seems to be important for some people but maybe others don’t necessarily need to eat breakfast to obtain desired results. There really is no definitive evidence showing a certain benefit over one or the other. The take away? Look at the bigger picture first! There is no one-size-fits-all best approach! The answer is rather simple, we are all unique! Moreover, there are some other considerations to be made before worrying too much about the specific timing of meals.

• Consider “why” (hunger vs. emotions, social reasons and pressure) and “how” (mindfully and present vs. distracted and rushed) eating is occurring. Pay attention to how much is being eaten; be aware of portions, listening to hunger and fullness cues.
• Pay attention to what is being consumed; focus on nutrient-dense, minimally processed foods such as lean proteins, vegetables, fruits, healthy fats and starches.
• Strive for consistency with this more well-rounded approach and then consider when to eat.

Nutrient Timing Meals Around Training

In simpler terms, nutrient timing is meal timing. Essentially, peri-workout nutrient timing needs to be considered in the context of the bigger picture as well. Nutrient timing may be beneficial, or it may add unnecessary stress, complexity and distraction. How much emphasis that should be given to nutrient timing depends on one’s individual goals and training habits. For the general population, someone just looking to improve or maintain health and fitness, specific attention to nutrient timing around training may not be necessary. Working on the considerations and suggestions in the section above will likely be enough. If doing this, a balanced meal is likely being consumed within a few hours before and after exercise, and that should be sufficient. In fact, intentionally timing exercise around a meal is a wise strategy. Some individuals that may benefit from specific meals and nutrient timing are elite athletes and exercisers, those with training sessions and/or competitions that may be especially intense or those whose physical activity exceeds two hours or have multiple activity bouts in a day. For these individuals, increasing meal frequency and paying attention to pre-, during-, and post-workout nutrition may help with performance, body composition and overall health. In this case, nutrient timing can help ensure that the adequate amount of calories and nutrients are being provided to meet demands while also giving specific nutrients at times when they will be utilized best for optimal body composition, performance and recovery. The types of food and when they are eaten can positively impact performance and recovery by helping to hydrate, maintain energy, preserve muscle mass and speed recovery. Whatever the case may be, having a plan is better than nothing, which can result in haphazard eating. Most importantly, eating adequate calories, as well as macronutrients (i.e., proteins, carbohydrates and fats) and micronutrients (i.e., vitamins, minerals and other functional food constituents) with a unique, individualized approach should be the focus.

Putting It into Practice

After digesting and absorbing all of this (pun intended), if nutrient timing is something that interests you and you feel like trying it out, here are some guidelines to start with:

• Keep in mind that specific recommendations for nutrient intake, especially carbohydrates and protein around training, depend on various factors that include timing of the last meal, one’s own individual genetics as well as fitness level and the goals one wishes to obtain from their training type, intensity and exercise duration.
• Eating protein and carbohydrates before exercise can help fuel training, maintain fuel stores and muscle mass and promote recovery.
• Healthy fats are important in a daily eating plan and will likely be included in the protein and carbohydrate foods consumed. Paying particular attention to how much fat you are eating before and after exercise is not necessarily at the top of the priority list. The exception is during activity, where minimizing intake (and thus, how hard the body has to work to digest) is likely the way to go.

If it’s at least a few hours prior to activity, try for 1-2 palms (of the hand) of protein (~20-40g) and 1-2 fists of carbohydrate (~30-60g) depending on body size and the specific activity. With less time (an hour or less), it is recommended to stick with less (about half the amount) and foods that are easier to digest; think liquids and/or semi-solids. In all cases, try different options on non-critical days to see what works best for you. Nutrition “during” activity is really only important in certain situations (see below), although maintaining hydration (with water and/or electrolyte-replacement drinks) should be the main focus in all situations. Carbohydrates and proteins during training are especially helpful for overall performance, training adaptations and recovery if:

• It has been less than three hours since the last meal.
• The training is long (more than two hours) or intense and/or multiple daily training sessions are planned.
• If gaining muscle mass is a goal.

About 30-60g carbohydrate/hour and 15g protein/hour is recommended (in liquid and/or solid form, depending on individual tolerance). The goal of post-workout nutrition is to refuel, rehydrate, and recover in order to maintain/build muscle mass and improve subsequent performance. While getting in carbohydrates, protein and fluid sooner than later is a good idea (especially if training was done in a fasted state, or with minimal pre-exercise nutrition), it has been shown that there is a 1-2 hour window of time to allow for optimal refueling. Either a protein shake/smoothie or a balanced meal will do, again, based on personal preference and available time. Aim for at least 1-2 palms of protein, 1-2 fists of carbohydrates and 1-2 thumbs of fat.

Wrapping It Up

So in the end, for most individuals, as long as the right foods are eaten in the right amounts for the right reasons (based on training and overall needs and listening to hunger and fullness cues), how often and exactly when one should eat is likely based on personal preference. Nutrient timing should be considered around training/exercise in appropriate instances, and monitoring whether or not a particular nutrition plan is helping one reach overall goals for health, performance and/or body composition is a must. Trust the evidence of each unique body. Take evidence based guidance: experiment, monitor, adjust and adapt and ultimately an individualized, effective nutrition plan can be achieved. Use nutrient timing as one tool in the toolbox, in the correct way, for the appropriate situation. Jenna has an undergraduate degree in Foods & Nutrition and a Master’s degree in Human Movement. She is a Registered/Licensed Dietitian and Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics. She has experience working with a variety of individuals from children to professional athletes.