Our athlete, Kimhan Van der Merwe, has recently revealed that his top training tip puts emphasis on recovery. But what exactly does this mean?
Intense exercise creates a production of metabolic waste products which need to be removed via rest and active recovery.
This article will reveal our favourite recovery methods to get you repaired and strengthened for your next training session or race day.
Basic techniques for recovery:
Not all techniques mentioned in this article require you to go and spend exorbitant amounts of money on recovery products. Some of the most simple recovery techniques include rest and replenishment. When we carry out vigorous exercise, we are not only working our muscles but our mental capacity. A good nights rest is essential to maintain our motivation to exercise, as well as our intensity and effort during exercise. We lose about a litre of water from our bodies a day by simply carrying out our physiological activities like breathing and sweating, This measurement is increased drastically for athletes (Lewis, 2022). It therefore makes perfect sense that en route to recovery we are required to replenish our water stores.
While there are plenty of other free and easy recovery methods, we want to get into the nitty and gritty of recovery methods for athletes wanting to take their performance to the next level.
Recovery Supplements:
The supplement aisle at Dischem can sometimes seem like an endless void with hundreds upon hundreds of different nutrition options. We're here to make it a little bit easier for you. Our riders' go to supplements include L-glutamine, L-Carnitine, Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAA's) and protein. All of which can be added together into a post-training shake. There are a number of brands and flavours out there to Suit your budget and your taste buds.
Don't feel like purchasing a bunch of different recovery supplements? These days there are many sports nutrition companies who provide your recovery shake in one easy to use tub. Our managers provide our riders with the Science in Sport Recovery, which contains carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals that are all required in aiding the muscle recovery of our athletes. And now it's time with one of our secret tips. A golden rule for recovery states that it should be consumed immediately after an intense training session or race and no later than 20 minutes after. So be sure to have all your recovery supplements on hand to be ingested as early as possible.
Recovery Equipment:
Sometimes there is simply no time to book an in contact sports massage with your physiotherapist, chiropractors or sports masseuse. Fear not, the sports treatment industry has grown in leaps and bounds over the years and athletes are now able to purchase portable recovery equipment which can be used in the comfort of their own home or away at races. While some may feel that massage equipment will never truly beat the feel of hands on massage, for those of you looking to explore you can find a comprehensive list of recovery equipment below.
Foam Roller/ massage balls/ massage sticks
For the beginner of at home recovery techniques, one can never go wrong with a foam roller or deep tissue massage instrument to aid in stretching and to self-administer deep tissue massage. This piece of equipment is perfect for the cyclist with tired legs. It is lightweight and easy to transport and store. Best used in connection with massage gel or cream which help stimulate the blood flow and create a surface in which the massage instrument can glide over.
2. Massage gun
A step up from the foam rollers are your massage guns. With a range of models and price ranges these products allow for different intensity, depth, heat and size options which can be customised to suite your preference. While these products may be tricky to understand at first, users will eventually get the hang of it and turn to their trusty massage gun for every session of recovery. These products can even be used as a form of treatments for some small niggles that an athlete may develop during training.
3. Compression devices
Probably one of the top of the range recovery products out there at the moment are the Rapid Recover compression boots. Available in either a 4-chamber or 6-chamber option. The compression boots provide a continuous flow of massage without any interruptions, speeding up the recovery process via the removal of lactic acid and metabolic waste products produced during vigorous exercise.
Take your athletic skills to the next level by taking out the time to focus on your recovery. We hope that this article has given you some valuable insight into one of our top training tips.
Bibiliography
Lewis, J., 2022. About Body Water - Hormonal and Metabolic Disorders - MSD Manual Consumer Version. [online] MSD Manual Consumer Version. Available at: <https://www.msdmanuals.com/home/hormonal-and-metabolic-disorders/water-balance/about-body-water>
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