Recovery, or regeneration, is sometimes a forgotten part of training. To make continual improvements, adequate recovery is required for your body to adjust to the increases in work load, and to help avoid fatigue, and chronic injuries.

Recovery is a topic that has received quite a bit of focus in the last decade, and is a component of training, that could provide the largest area of performance improvement in the future.

Understanding work-to-rest ratios, hormonal changes, endocrine function, blood chemistry, and circadian rhythms can influence the individual differences in how we recover from exercise.

Some Recovery techniques include: massage, a hot and cold shower, ice bath, slow bike ride, or a slow level tempo run, stretching, and meditation, to name a few.  One of my favorite recovery methods is a quick soak in the Gulf, when the water temp is in the mid to low 70″s. It has a very synergistic effect on my body.

Remember to live, to train another day.  Progressions on every level take time. So learning how to progress your workout in a safe manner, and taking time to recover, will aid you in your goals, and keep the fatigue, and nagging injuries away.

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Rick Lademann

Sports Performance Coach

http://www.go2beyondmotion.com