RECOVERY AND RELAXATION

An essential part of rest and recovery is not only that it assists the body with recovery, but that it allows the body to adapt to the training load that has been applied to it. This, in turn, allows the body to become stronger and more efficient during physical activity.

Most individuals, irrespective of their ability or level of professionalism, aim to excel at their specific activities and they tend to sacrifice their sleep and recovery first. We recommend that you do not do this and learn the importance of recovery and sleep.

In most circumstances, individuals will find improved performance when they include adequate recovery and sleep into their routines.

What most people seem not to understand is that the recovery phase is when the body achieves most of its “gains”. Without this critical part of the process, individuals may become overtrained. This is what can cause injury or loss of performance, and in some cases, both.
It is important to focus on both recovery and sleep during demanding periods of your training program. Be sure that you do not allow other daily activities to affect this critical part of your life. Rest, sleep and recovery should always be prioritised.

NAPS

It is essential that you implement a healthy sleeping routine into your training plan. This needs to be programmed into training days and, if required, you may need to take naps after intense training sessions. These can be beneficial to when looking to make improvements.

This is due to the release of human growth hormone, a hormone that is released by the brain to aid in recovery. The combination of hormones and sleep is a sure way to become fitter, faster and stronger. By trying to avoid these naps and consuming stimulants, such as caffeine, to stay awake we are creating negative effects on physical performance. Even short naps will beneficial to recovery and general improvements mentally and physically and eliminates fatigue.