How can I recover faster from my exercise sessions?

Personal Trainers Sydney CBD are always looking for methods to improve the recovery time for their clients. A number of methods are commonly used to hasten the recovery process including:

• Warm-down
• Cold water immersion (ice baths)
• Massage
• Compression garments (Skins etc)
• Lifestyle factors
• Nutrition
• Psychology

Let's discuss what the evidence says.

A warm down of 5 - 15 min is common practice but the evidence is conflicting with studies showing improvement, no change and one showing negative effect.

The majority of evidence shows an improvement in restoration of physical performance after cold water immersion. Contrasting hot and cold water immersion for 1 minute at a time has also shown a benefit and may be more practical for the personal training client who can have a shower after an exercise session alternating between hot and cold water.

Massage is another interesting technique long believed to help recovery. A review of the scientific evidence showed that massage is unlikely to improve physical performance however it is likely to reduce the incidence of post exercise soreness provided the massage technique is not high pressure.

Lifestyle factors such as high alcohol intake, low levels of restorative sleep and inadequate rest all lead to a reduction in performance and delay the recovery time.

Nutrition is often a controversial topic amongst Personal trainers in the Sydney CBD. Strenuous exercise suppresses the immune system in the short term. Adequate carbohydrate intake post exercise has been shown to mitigate the stress post exercise and may reduce the chance of infection however it must be stressed that consuming carbohydrates post exercise will blunt fat oxidation and may not be optimal for clients focused on a weight loss goal. Exercise causes a breakdown in muscle and adequate protein intake post exercise is important for muscle recovery. Finally, fluid replacement is a key factor for improving recovery and any post exercise liquid should have an appropriate electrolyte composition to maximise the effectiveness. 

As the nervous system controls cardiovascular function, respiration, and metabolism during and after exercise, psychological factors play an important role in recovery. Techniques that can lower arousal post exercise are most important. These include music, relaxation tapes, visualisations and spas.

It should also be noted that there is a degree of inter-individual variance amongst recovery techniques. Our personal training clients in the Sydney CBD are encouraged to try a myriad of techniques to identify which is most effective for their individual circumstances.

If you would like more information please get in touch.