CategoriesProgram Design Rehab/Prehab

All About Recovery

I always like to say the progress you make in the gym are the direct result of how well you allow yourself to recover.

As counterintuitive as it sounds you break muscle down in the gym, and it’s the time away from deadlifts, squats, and daily WODs that your body recovers and bounces back stronger than before.

Today’s guest post from TG.com regular, Dr. Nicholas Licameli, expounds on some of the best (and simplest) ways you can get a little more recovery in your life.

It’s not as easy as telling someone to “go to bed.”

Enjoy.

Copyright: lzflzf / 123RF Stock Photo

My Top Recovery Tips

As soon as a training session ends, the goal should be to start the recovery process.

In order for us to consistently make improvements in our bodies and our training, we need exercise that overloads our current tolerance AND adequate recovery. In other words, we need to challenge, break down, and fatigue our muscles as well as recover from that challenge, break down, and fatigue.

There are many ways to look at fatigue. One common breakdown is peripheral fatigue and central fatigue. Peripheral fatigue is simply the physical stress, break down, and depletion of glycogen that muscles experience during training. This decreases strength, power, and performance and causes muscle soreness.

Central fatigue is a bit different.

Without going too in depth (that’s for another article), I introduce the autonomic nervous system, made up of the sympathetic (SNS) and parasympathetic (PNS) nervous systems. The SNS controls our stress response, or “fight or flight.”

SNS controls our bodies when we come face to face with a grizzly bear. We’re going to sweat and our heart rate, blood pressure, and respiratory rate will increase. During this state, we are essentially mentally and physically breaking down our bodies.   The PNS controls the recovery response, or “rest, digest, and recover.” During this state, our blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory rates all decrease.

It is in this state that we mentally and physically rebuild and recover.

Interestingly enough, the brain’s mechanism for learning works similarly to the mechanism by which muscles grow and become stronger.

Muscles do not grow in the gym.

Training causes muscles to be broken down. It is during recovery and sleep that muscles make adaptive changes.

Similarly, we do not learn while we attend a lecture.

via GIPHY

The lecture is like a training session because we do not make adaptive and lasting breakthroughs while in class. Our brains make new connections and truly absorb new knowledge during the rest, digest, and recover phase, which occurs after the lecture and usually during sleep.

I Sleep Every Night, Isn’t That Enough?

Not quite.

Imagine this sample day:

Alarm goes off (for the 5th time…thanks a lot snooze button) and you jump out of bed feeling like you’re running late. You go into the bathroom, get washed, get dressed, sprint down the stairs, grab some coffee and a quick to-go bite to eat, and you get into your car.

Some traffic, nasty drivers, and frantic lane changes later, you make it to the office a few minutes late. With no time to prepare, you dive right into your daily work duties.

After a stressful day at work (and getting yelled at by your boss for being late) and four cups of coffee, you rush to get home to pick up the kids from school. The commute home is no better than the morning, but you manage to get there on time. You make it home, give the kids a snack[/efn_note]As if I know anything about childcare. Sorry parents, this article is written by a young man without children…yet.1 and head out to the gym.

After taking a pre workout with enough caffeine to give heart palpitations to a Clydesdale horse, you manage to get psyched up for your workout. After a great workout, you jump in the car newly energized and ready to make dinner for the family and help the kids with homework. After collapsing on your bed and staring blankly at your Instagram feed until you can’t keep your eyes open, you manage to somehow fall asleep.

What’s the point of this example?

This is an entire day spent in a sympathetic state!

Remember, the sympathetic system is the fight, flight, and physical breakdown system. There is no time allotted to the parasympathetic system: rest, digest, and recover.

Things like stress, caffeine, and training are all highly sympathetic.

Here’s the good news!

A day like this can be easily changed for the good. All it takes is a few minutes of actively disconnecting from the grind. My favorite (and in my opinion, the simplest) way to accomplish this is simply breathing.

That’s right. Good ol’ breathing.

Inhale deeply and exhaling slowly. Let your shoulders drop down on the exhale. Redirect your mind away from the day-to-day and focus on your breathing (more on this below).

via GIPHY

In my office, we set an egg timer for one hour. When the timer goes off, everyone stops and takes a deep breath. It takes maybe 6 seconds and has had a significant impact on staff and patients alike. No egg timer? Every time you slip away for a bathroom break, try making it a point to take a deep breath. It may even be a good idea to bring along loved ones. What could be a better way to end the day than a couples breathing session in bed?

Actually, don’t answer that.

Note From TG: BOM, CHICKA BOM BOM

It seems logical that a proper recovery plan would target both types of fatigue. The following is a list of some recovery techniques that research has shown may be effective.

The techniques will target both types of fatigue and keep you on your way to achieving and surpassing your goals. Before we go on, it is important to note that no recovery technique, including the ones below, will be effective without proper sleep and nutrition. Getting your Z’s and eating properly to fuel and refuel our bodies are most important.

That being said, let’s get to it!

In an already packed schedule, it is not feasible to think you will be able to set aside time to do each technique, so I’ve numbered them from 1 (most important) to 4 (least important), in my opinion of course.

My opinion is based on the current research, effectiveness, convenience, and anecdotal experience both personally and professionally. It should be noted that although there is some research supporting the use of these techniques, many of the mechanisms and overall effectiveness still warrant further study.

For more information about specific parameters and references (and if you want to feel really insignificant about yourself and the quality of your own content), be sure to check out Chris Beardsley’s work at strengthandconditioningresearch.com right here.

1. Deep Breathing and Meditation

What Is It?

Using deep, controlled breathing and meditation to induce a state of physical and mental relaxation.

What Does It Do?

Deep breathing and meditation increases parasympathetic nervous system activity (rest, digest, recover) and decreases sympathetic nervous system activity (fight or flight).

How to Do It?

Choose a relaxing environment (an empty room, out in nature, etc.) and position yourself in a comfortable position (I prefer lying on my back with a pillow under my head and a pillow under my knees). Breathe in deeply through your nose and imagine the breath filling up and expanding your abdomen and lower back.

Hold for a few seconds and then exhale through your mouth in a controlled manner (don’t just blow the air out). With each exhale, imagine your body melting into the floor. Keep your mind focused on your breathing. “Is this an ‘in’ breath or an ‘out’ breath?” is the only thinking that should be happening.

If you hear a car horn and your attention goes to the car, redirect your mind back to your breathing. If your mind drifts to that report you have to write at work today, redirect your mind to your breathing. Some types of meditation actually involve allowing those intrusive thoughts in, and accepting their presence. If they are of significance, take moment to write them down.

If they are insignificant (be honest with yourself), push them away and redirect your mind to your breathing. Meditation takes practice, but as you train your brain to control intrusive thoughts and focus on the moment, you’ll see drastic changes in your recovery as well as your life.

2. Active Recovery

What Is It?

Active Recovery involves performing light resistance training or cardio either immediately following a workout or between workouts.

What Does It Do?

May reduce muscle soreness, limit strength losses, and even improve mood.

How to Do It?

Perform active recovery by using a light load (30% of 1 rep max) for about 20-50 reps for less than 60 minutes or using an active cool down such as a stationary bike for roughly 15 minutes.

Note From TG: Check out my Bloop, Bloop, Bloop Workout HERE which touches on the same idea a Nicholas describes and gives you some ideas on what to do.

3. Foam Rolling

(For an in depth look at foam rolling, be sure to check out my previous article here and my podcast here, which are much more comprehensive than what is described in this article.)

What Is It?

Foam rolling involves lying on a roller and using gravity to apply pressure to a muscle. The roller is pressed into the muscle belly and the user rolls up and down the length of the target muscle.

 

What Does It Do?

Like deep breathing and meditation, foam rolling can tap into the parasympathetic nervous system (rest, digest, recover) and reduce sympathetic nervous system activity (fight or flight) by inducing a global short-term decrease in muscle tone.

Muscle tone is the continuous passive contraction of a muscle controlled subconsciously by the brain. In other words, it’s a muscle’s resistance to passive stretch.

Tone is created by a constant subconscious message from the brain telling a muscle to contract. Many times the sensation of muscle “tightness” has more to do with tone and less to do with actual muscle length.

How to Do It?

1. View video above.

2. Or, if you learn better by reading:

Start off with a slow, steady roll covering the entire muscle group, scanning the area for tender spots. Think of scanning the area as a blind person would scan a new environment. Once you find a tender spot, pause and hold on that spot until a release is felt and the tenderness lessens. Add some deep breathing while holding on the tender spot to further assist in the release. Follow this up with another slow, steady roll over the entire muscle, just like how you started. It is true that foam rolling should be a bit painful, but too much pain will cause an increase in muscle tone, which, as previously mentioned, is exactly the opposite of what we want to do. More pain is not better.

Better quality is better.

4. Water Immersion

What Is It?

Water immersion is the use of ice baths or hot tubs.

What Does It Do?

May reduce muscle soreness and limit losses in performance.

How to Do It?

Use cold-water immersion (8-15°C/46°F-59°F) for 5-15 minutes or alternate 1-4 minute bouts of cold and hot water (38°C-42°C/100°F-108°F). Be sure to be submerged to shoulder height.

Where to Start?

A great place to start is with (1) deep breathing and meditation.

Start small.

Try devoting a few minutes each day to disconnecting and breathing. Work up to longer durations as you start to get the hang of it.

This will help in all aspects of life.

Once you’ve successfully made it a habit to disconnect and breathe for a few minutes each day, try adding in some (2) active recovery days.

After you have a solid daily breathing and meditation routine and you’ve managed to add in some active recovery to your week, consider using a foam roller combined with deep breathing for a few minutes after training and maybe even before bed. Once you have all these in place, feel free to give (4) water immersion a shot if you have the time and resources.

Use these techniques, along with proper sleep and nutrition, and you will soon reap the physical and mental benefits of proper recovery!

About the Author

Nicholas M. Licameli

Doctor of Physical Therapy / Pro Natural Bodybuilder

Youtube: HERE

Instagram: HERE

Facebook: HERE

Every single thing he does, Nick believes in giving himself to others in an attempt to make the world a happier, healthier, and more loving place. He wants to give people the power to change their lives. Bodybuilding and physical therapy serve as ways to carry out that cause. Nick graduated summa cum laude from Ramapo College of New Jersey with his bachelor’s degree in biology, furthered his education by completing his doctoral degree in physical therapy from Rutgers School of Biomedical and Health Sciences (previously the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey) at the age of 24, and has earned professional status in natural bodybuilding. His knowledge of sport and exercise biomechanics, movement quality, and the practical application of research combined with personal experience in bodybuilding and nutrition allows him to help people in truly unique ways. Love. Passion. Respect. Humility.   Never an expert. Always a student. Love your journey.

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff To Read While You’re Pretending To Work: 2/2/18

It’s Friday. You know how I do.

Copyright: wamsler / 123RF Stock Photo

But First…(Speaking Engagements, Stuff I’ve Written, & Other Tidbits Curated To Showcase How Important I Am)

1) Happy Birthday Julian

I was terrified a year ago today.

I remember standing in a coffeeshop across the street from the hospital getting a little teary eyed thinking to myself “holy shit, Lisa and I are parents and in a few hours they’re sending us home. No more cafeteria, no room service, and no more team of nurses on standby to help.

We’ll be alone, with this crying, pooping, and please, for the love god stop crying thing.”

SPOILER ALERT: It’s a year later. Lisa and I survived; as does every other sleep-deprived parent.

Lisa and I are so thankful for Julian and for our family and friends who have helped to fill Julian’s love tank along the way.

2) Mark Fisher Fitness Presents: Motivate & Movement LAB

I’ve had the honor of presenting at two previous iterations of the Motivate & Movement LAB (the brainchild of MFF’s Harold Gibbons) and it’s unequivocally one of the most unique events in the fitness industry.

Think: TED Talk, but with deadlifts and lots of f-bombs.

Anyways, the next LAB is this coming February, and will feature myself, Dan John, Pete Dupuis, my wife (Dr. Lisa Lewis), and several of the MFF coaching staff including Brian Patrick Murphy and Amanda Wheeler.

3) The Fitness Summit

I had to take a break from The Fitness Summit last year for two reasons:

1. Eating way too many cookies.

2. But mostly because I succeeded in making a baby and my wife would have tossed me so much shade if I was all like “Hey Babe, going to KC for three days. Toodles.”

Well this year I’m back and excited to take part in a Fitness Summit first. Dean Somerset and I will be putting on a Pre-Conference day where we’ll spend a few hours test driving some new material as a follow-up to our Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint.

Tentatively titled The More Completer Hip & Shoulder Blueprint.

We’ll be taking deep dive into squat and deadlift technique: discussing ankle, foot, hip and upper extremity considerations in conjunction with regressions/progressions and programming. Whether you’re a coach or just someone who likes to lift heavy things you’ll undoubtedly learn something. And if not, cool, you still get to hang out with us for a few hours.

Registration is now open for returning and new attendees. Come experience one of the best fitness events of the year.

4) 5 Tiny Tweaks That Will Help You Bench Press More Weight

^^^ My latest article written for Men’s Health.

Stuff To Read While You’re Pretending To Work

12 Little Changes For Big Gains – T-Nation.com

12 coaches – including me – speak their mind on small things that make a big difference in helping you to get bigger, faster, and/or stronger.

12 Most Effective Ways to Spark the Recovery Process – JohnRusin.com

Yet another article I was fortunate enough to be asked to contribute to. 12 more coaches chime in, this time on their “go to” recovery strategies.

How I Use Kettlebells – David Dellanave

An older article, but it’s new to me.

Always like David’s perspective on things and this no different.

Social Media Shenanigans

Twitter

Instagram

My butt’s always trying to eat my pants. Nom nom nom.

A post shared by Tony Gentilcore (@tonygentilcore) on

Categoriespsychology rant

Overcomplicating the Uncomplicated

The message conveyed in the following post is meant to come across as a little tongue-in-cheek and sarcastic.

But here it goes anyways:

We like to overcomplicate things.

To say this, of course, comes with a degree of subjectivity.

Given the current climate we live in with regards to politics, gun control, terrorism, climate change, Black Lives Matter, LGBT rights, not to mention the impending zombie apocalypse, it stands to reason some topics, indeed, are very complicated.

However, taking those things out of the discussion1 …for me, things like Mandarin, Tort Law, rocket science, beating Mike Tyson in Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out, and how to make an omelet without breaking it, is complicated.

For others those things are a walk in the park.

FML – I hate you random internet nerd because I am not you

That said, I’d make the case there’s no arena where we tend to overcomplicate things more so than in the health and fitness realm.

To quote Nia Shanks:

“If there’s an industry plagued with profuse amounts of bullshit, it’s health and fitness. Know what it is so you can avoid it and spend your time doing what actually works.”

Don’t get me wrong: there are, without question, certain aspects that require more analysis, deeper thought, and expertise.

Someone coming off a major injury and trying to return to a high-level of competition or fitness will require a more thorough, detailed approach compared to someone who’s just looking to “lose ten lbs.”

Working around a legitimate food allergy – and not some self-diagnosed gluten intolerance you learned about via your best friend’s, uncle’s, next door neighbor’s, milkman’s blog – requires more diligent planning and attention to detail.

Likewise, what it takes from a programming standpoint to take someone from a 500 lb deadlift to a 700 lb deadlift is more complicated than what’s required to coach a beginner on how to perform a basic hip hinge.

 

Extenuating circumstances aside, man-o-man do we like to overcomplicate things.

Take for example a conversation I had the other day with an athlete I work with. After his training session he asked my opinion on what the best recovery strategies were?

To his credit: he isn’t the type of guy looking for quick-fix answers, and we had a nice chuckle over my answer.

But I was serious.

I’ve had the same conversation with athletes/clients in the past and have been met with my fair share of quizzical looks.

As if the answer they were expecting to hear was:

“Okay, here’s what you need to do. Go home and perform contrast showers paired with Paleo x AMRAP.”

When in the reality the “best” approach is:

  • Go to bed.2
  • Do your best to stay hydrated.
  • Ensure ample calories between training sessions to promote and aid recovery.
  • Respect General Adaptation Syndrome, the concept of supercompensation, and how those correlate with managing training stress/recovery.

I’m sure if I perused all my behavioral economics books (or asked my wife who’s a psychologist) I’d find the technical term best used to describe why people tend to dismiss the simple answers and gravitate more towards the complicated, arduous ones.

It seems we’re like moths being drawn to the flame.

CategoriesCorrective Exercise Rehab/Prehab

Recovery Revisited: The March Madness Edition

Today’s guest post comes from certified personal trainer and massage therapist, Geoff Pritchard. Geoff actually wrote a fantastic guest post for me last year around this time (link below), and when he extended the offer to write a follow-up I accepted without any hesitation.

I know for some, the topic of recovery is about as exciting as watching NASCAR or an episode of Downton Abbey.

Ironically, it’s a topic that most people could benefit from reading more on, as it’s generally the one thing that people tend to gloss over on day-to-day basis.

That said, READ IT!!!!!!

A year ago I posted on Tony’s blog about some ideas and people who were shaping the fitness industry in terms of recovery and regeneration. I wrote that article to inspire you to spend more time working on tight muscle tissue. But I realized in my massage business that my athletes were still coming in broken from lack of focused recovery work. So, what advice did I give them? Let’s take a step back in time, revisit what I said before and continue the dialogue with some new action steps to save your soft tissue from harm!

My objectives (as stated in my previous post):

  • Review the foundational items you should do to achieve better performance
  • Evaluate the research and evidence based practice of fitness and bodywork professionals, and
  • Incorporate simple changes into your schedule

These objectives are the key components of what I tell my clients to do for maximum results.

The foundational items are still nutrition and sleep.  The body can only recover from the daily demands of stress from appropriate nutrient intake and adequate amounts of rest. If this foundation isn’t solid, then no matter how hard you try, your recovery steps will be severely compromised … and crumble quicker than the #1 ranked teams in men’s college basketball!

Research and Evidence Based Strategies

Last year I mentioned the names of Nick Grantham and Sue Hitzmann for their recovery strategies and products. Nick is continuing to mentor athletes and fitness professionals in England, while in recent weeks, Sue has published her book, The MELT Method (currently #3 on the New York Times bestseller list) and appeared on Dr Oz to describe the structure of fascia and how it relates to mobility and optimal movement.

Sue was even able to convince NBC to show Gil Hedley’s video of dissection on national TV. If you want a true “inside look” at our muscle and fascia – and have a few hours to be amazed – Gil has made these videos absolutely FREE on his YouTube channel. In my opinion, you need to check it out – it’s pretty freakin’ remarkable!

My 2013 Recommendations

So, which experts are making a huge impact on resolving soft tissue dysfunction and therefore helping to eliminate the long-term consequences of poor movement – chronic pain and muscle damage? My list comes from two sources:

Kelly Starrett

Ok, so this won’t be a new name to most people, but his recent two-day seminar hosted by creativeLive was probably the best all-encompassing workshop I’ve attended.

He spoke for over 12 hours on the mobility paradigm and methods he uses with all clients – and how it all relates to athletes and the general population.  In addition, he enlisted the help of his friends … Carl Paoli (GymnasticsWOD), Brian Mackenzie (CrossFit Endurance), Jim Kean (WellnessFX) and Jill Miller (Yoga TuneUp). This workshop should go right alongside your collection of Assess and Correct, Muscle Imbalances Revealed – Upper and Lower Body, and Training = Rehab, Rehab = Training.

While full access to the videos at creativeLive will cost you $99, most of the content can be filtered out through his blog and videos at MobilityWOD (which contains over 400 posts). Just search and go!

My Peers –Bringin’ It in Baltimore.

Fifteen months ago I moved away from one of the major hubs of fitness – Boston, MA – and home of Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning, Cressey Performance, and the kids of Harvard (where the Ancestral Health Symposium was held) to be living near family in Baltimore. It was a big transition for my family and my uprooted business – as well as my physical health – would be dependent on meeting great trainers and great bodyworkers.

[On a side note… it eases the transition when your Super Bowl success in New England (2002, 2004, 2005) follows you south and you watch the Ravens bring the trophy to Charm City … which I credit my son for doing, since only days before a Wild Card game with Indianapolis he got his first sports jersey J]

Fortunately for me, the local Baltimore community is outstanding. I have access to a wonderful network of people:

Not too shabby!! (And we even get to enjoy the local clothing scene from Under Armour, who just opened their first storefront)

So, how does this relate to recovery and restoration? What changes should you incorporate into your program? My suggestion is anything you HAVEN’T been doing. We get stuck in our ways pretty frequently – think Groundhog Day with Bill Murray – and forget to challenge our soft tissue in areas that need assistance.

One way to do this is to get an outside opinion. Here’s your A-ha moment … Contact someone from your network of local experts (who’s not your regular gym buddy) and ask them to assess and find your weak links! By fixing these areas of dysfunction and stagnant tissue, we restore better resting muscle length, alleviate unwanted fascial restrictions and improve our chances for optimum performance.

You can even utilize online coaching – it’s easy to access the best movement specialists around the world with an Internet connection and webcam. If you have the funds to pay for a couple sessions, then utilize those experts to get you moving, literally and figuratively, in the right direction.

After you know what to do (trigger point, soft-tissue work, and/or active stretching – AIS or PNF), then these restorative changes should be incorporated into your schedule for 15 minutes a day, every day until the change is permanent and integrated (this could mean between two and five trouble areas). And, don’t forget to move! If we don’t integrate the new patterns with movement, then we haven’t fully reset our neuromuscular motor control.

Be vigilant to complete those 15 minutes EVERY DAY! And be aggressive and focused – constantly remind yourself of the agonist / antagonist relationships and go deeper as long as you can control your breathing.

Need Any Help? Free Skype Consultation?

If you want suggestions on movements, leave a comment about what’s hampering your performance or recovery and I’ll reply with a couple ideas to get you started.  Whether it’s “gliding surfaces”, “hydration”, “breathing patterns”, “joint centration”, or “wow… how do Bikram Yoga teachers have such crazy mobility?”, search your favorite blogs and YouTube channels for ways to achieve better movement patterns.

I also want you to comment about local experts in YOUR city that are making a difference – and pushing the envelope against the barrage of magazine and TV mis-information – to educate and influence our understanding of recovery and regeneration.

BONUS… to show my love for Tony and his loyal audience – I’m offering a FREE Skype consultation to one person – chosen randomly – who posts a comment and/or question over the next two weeks.

Now, I’m off to practice my recovery and mobility routine: trunk rotation and extension using active isolated stretching and a couple internal hip rotation mobility exercises from Evan Osar.

Author’s Bio

 

Geoff Pritchard is an NSCA certified personal trainer and a licensed massage therapist. He has eight years of training experience at gyms, health clubs, and corporate wellness centers. He is passionate about using bodywork and exercise to help people move better. He recently relocated to Maryland and opened up Charm City Massage – Therapeutic Bodywork for Optimum Performance – in Lutherville-Timonium. If you want to contact him, please connect with Geoff on Facebook.

 

CategoriesUncategorized

Recovery Strategies for Better Performance

Today, because I’m currently on a blogcation (in Florida) and most likely lying poolside in a state of food coma rocking the world’s greatest farmer’s tan, we have a guest post from Geoff Pritchard.  Geoff is a personal trainer and massage therapist located in Maryland I had the pleasure of meeting a few months ago when he stopped by Cressey Performance to check us out.

He’s a very bright guy and obviously has a passion for what he does, so I hope you enjoy his contribution!

 

As readers of Tony’s blog, I know that you’re familiar with the best exercises and programs to use when you get to the gym. You may internally debate about whether today’s routine should include goblet squats or Pallof press squats (Tony’s invention?!), but you’re anxious to get there and put in your best effort. But, once you leave the gym sweaty and exhausted, what effort do you put into your recovery and regeneration strategy?

Regener-WHAT?

There have always been ways to handle your post-battle aches and pains. The ancient gladiators of Greece and Rome soaked in salt baths and received “rubbing” (massage) as forms of healing. The warriors and women may not have looked as glamorous as on STARZ Spartacus, but the concept of intense fighting/strength training followed by recovery is not new.

Fortunately, your strategy doesn’t need anything expensive or time consuming to be effective. It really comes down to a few key things:

  • Review the foundational things you should do to achieve better performance
  • Evaluate the research and methods of other fitness and bodywork professionals, and
  • Incorporate simple changes into your schedule

Build a Solid Foundation

I have spent the last seven years engaged in personal training and massage therapy and recently operated my own massage business in Boston. As a certified bodyworker, I am constantly listening to complaints of muscular pain… followed by crickets chirping when I ask about what the client does to rest and refuel each day. Too often I end up being the 1-hour of downtime per week that the person gives himself or herself to heal. Without the therapeutic massage I provide, the client has nothing to report that they intentionally do to balance the scales. Missing from their response are ways to actively take a break and recharge. The two easiest things to conquer are:

1 – Eating Well (Enough) – For the majority of people, the goal is to maintain a balanced diet and avoid the nasty ingredients (high fructose corn syrup, excessive sugar, etc) and increase protein, water and vegetable consumption. If you haven’t tackled your diet, make some immediate changes to get your food and caloric intake under control. Remember, food = fuel. You can even refer to the inside of Tony’s fridge for some assistance.

2 – Get 8-Hours of Sleep – We can argue the amount of sleep necessary for each person to “function” during the day. But, the level of your performance – physical and mental – is directly proportional to the amount of sleep you get at night. I’m certain I could give Tiger a run for his money on the golf course if we kept him without sleeping the night before!

Determine Your Recovery Path

Advice from Fitness Professional Nick Grantham

One of the best models for improved performance comes from the research of Nick Grantham of England. I first heard Nick speak on the Strength Coach Podcast in April of 2011 (episode 78). He and his team have spent a lot of time formulating a Recovery and Regeneration pyramid to help us achieve better results. The Level 1 and 2 strategies are where most of us should concentrate our work.

The Level 1 ideas we just covered, but the Level 2 strategies should also be analyzed. Their pyramid shows that ongoing monitoring is essential for performance. Therefore, they have their athletes report back to them about their sleep, nutrition, and daily habits away from the field. What trends do you see in performance as it relates to everyday habits? Monitor yourself and see the impact that proper recovery and regeneration can have in practice or competition.

If you’re a member at StrengthCoach.com, you can reference the remainder of Nick’s research in a 22-page PDF. Log in and search ‘Grantham’.

Advice from Bodywork Professional Sue Hitzmann

If you want something more specific, you should consider progressing your self-myofascial techniques by following the work of Sue Hitzmann. I recently had the opportunity to attend her M.E.L.T. method workshop and appreciated how she took a tedious activity (foam rolling) and re-invented it as a routine with more specificity. And, after class, I asked her how it relates to the general weight lifting audience. Here’s her response:

“As for weight lifting, MELT isn’t myofascial release. I know I use a roller and balls but the technique is what’s compelling. It’s a very specific treatment and the ball sizes and the roller density is specific to the treatment. For weight lifting, MELT offers a reduction in stress injuries and improves grip, muscle timing and sustainability through their high movement demands.”

If you live in New York City, you can have direct access to Sue herself, but otherwise you can search her website for one of the over 300 therapists she has trained in the M.E.L.T. Method.

However, if you really can’t decide on the recovery option that’s best for you, find some bolsters and/or blankets and use this yoga pose – appropriately called Restorative Bridge.

Follow the directions for proper setup here. If this doesn’t put you immediately into a state of relaxation and meditation, nothing will!

Schedule Your Daily, Weekly, and Yearly R&R

I’ve had the privilege of sharing this information because Tony is on vacation. My theory is that he’s actually doing a photo shoot on South Beach for the website…complete with sun hat, Speedo, and SPF-90.

Note from TG:  ^^^^ Busted! The man speaks truth!

I know however that Tony is an uber-trainer and realizes the importance of spending time outside the gym and recharging, so he can achieve his training goals and personal goals for 2012. Find what ideas work for you and schedule it into your routine.

For me, every moment I can spend enjoying time with my wife and 2-year-old son is awesome. I enjoy the gym –always have and always will – but the recovery and regeneration is for my family. If I get injured, then I lose the quality time I love spending with them.

So…

Go hydrate… Get some sleep… And give your recovery strategy more attention!

Author Bio

Geoff Pritchard is an NSCA certified personal trainer and a licensed massage therapist. He has seven years of training experience at gyms, health clubs, and corporate wellness centers. His passion to help people build their lives around healthy habits led him to create Move Free Massage and Fitness in 2008. He recently moved with his family to Baltimore, MD and is excited about the dynamic fitness community in the Timonium and Towson areas. If you want to contact him, please connect with Geoff on Facebook.