GET YOUR SLEEP, NUTRITION, AND STRESS IN CHECK FIRST
ACTIVE RECOVERY STRATEGIES ARE BETTER THAN PASSIVE
THE RIGHT TIME TO TAKE AN ICE BATH DEPENDS ON YOUR CURRENT GOAL
(PERFORM WELL, BUILD MUSCLE...)
WALKING IS ONE OF THE MOST BENEFICIAL & FREE RECOVERY STRATEGIES
UNDERSTAND THE RISK VS REWARD OF USING RECOVERY TOOLS & DECIDE IF IT'S WORTH IT
ICE BATHS
ICE BATHS CAN BE A GREAT RECOVERY TOOL AS LONG AS YOU KNOW WHEN TO USE THEM
BEST TIMES TO ICE BATH:
IN SEASON TO HELP SPEED UP RECOVERY
THE DAY BEFORE A GAME
RIGHT AFTER A GAME
DURING PRESEASON
IF YOUR GOAL IS TO OPTIMIZE
ANYTIME YOU WANT TO REDUCE INFLAMMATION
WHEN TO AVOID AN ICE BATH:
AFTER A LIFTING SESSION IF YOU ARE TRYING TO BUILD MUSCLE
BEFORE YOU DO ANY EXERCISE
ROLLING OUT, MASSAGE GUN....
REWARD
POSSIBLY HELP NERVOUS SYSTEM GET IN A RELAXED STATE, AIDING IN QUICKER RECOVERY
FEELS GOOD
QUICKLY ALLOWS YOU TO GET INTO CERTAIN RANGES OF MOTION WITHOUT FEELING PAIN
POSSIBLY RELEASES TRIGGER POINTS
RISK
THE BODY GENERALLY GETS TIGHT TO PROTECT YOU FROM GETTING INTO A POSITION THAT YOU MAY BE WEAK IN; OVERRIDING THIS COULD INCREASE RISK FOR INJURY
TEMPORARY FIX
IF YOU HAVE CHRONIC TIGHT AREAS YOU NEED TO FIND THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM (WEAK MUSCLES, INSTABILITY, POOR MECHANICS, POOR POSTURE...
PAIN GENERALLY LETS US KNOW THAT SOMETHING IS WRONG. USING A TOOL TO BYPASS PAIN (WITHOUT ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM) COULD LEAD TO INJURY
COULD CAUSE DAMAGE TO SOMETHING INSIDE THE BODY
(IN EXTREME CASES)
WHEN TO USE THESE (IF AT ALL)
BEFORE DOING AN ACTIVITY IN A CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT
AFTER GAMES/PRACTICES
HONESTLY, GOING FOR A WALK IS ONE OF THE BEST RECOVERY STRATEGIES IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO GET BLOOD FLOWING OR TO HELP WITH SORENESS
SUPPLEMENTS
SUPPLEMENTS CAN AID IN RECOVERY IF USED CORRECTLY
STOP BELIEVING EVERYTHING YOU READ ON THE LABELS
MAKE SURE YOUR NUTRITION & SLEEP ARE LOCKED IN FIRST
CHECK TO SEE IF THE SUPPLEMENT IS "NSF CERTIFIED" OR "TRUSTED BY SPORT"
THIS HELPS REDUCE THE RISK OF FAILING A DRUG TEST
RESEARCH THE POTENTIAL RISKS OF TAKING THAT SUPP & TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR
KEEP IN MIND THAT ACTIVE RECOVERY METHODS (EATING, SLEEPING, WALKING, WORKING ON BREATHING...) GIVE YOU FAR BETTER RESULTS THAN ANY PASSIVE RECOVERY METHOD (ICE, SUPPS, MASSAGE GUN, ROLLING OUT...). I KNOW SITTING AFTER TRAINING WITH RECOVERY BOOTS ON OR TAKING A RECOVERY SUPP IS EASIER, BUT YOU GET BACK WHAT YOU PUT INTO THINGS.