Recovery IS Specific
We have been on a run of recovery related articles and posts lately. This is intentional because without recovery the hard work someone puts into working out, exercising, and training would not turn into the desired results. There are many ways that one can go about recovery work. And we’ve talked about many of these in past articles but something that needs to be addressed is the specificity of recovery. Many speak of recovery as something that is the same no matter what, when in reality, it is specific to goals.
What does specific recovery really mean? That the recovery needed after a particular training session or during a specific training phase is specific to that session or phase. Recovery is more than just a particular list of mobility movements, stretches, or foam-rolling. It is all about addressing the unique aspects of that training phase and the desired results. If you are looking to maximize mobility than recovery work should focus on movements and time that emphasizes improving the how the body moves. However, that athlete is in the middle of a competition season, their time is best spent focusing on things like sleep and making sure the body is prepared for the next competition.
Making sure recovery revolves around the time of the year an athlete is in is essential for them to maximize the anticipated results of the season. For example, in a general preparation phase at the beginning of a training program, the goal is to make the most of those workouts. This means that muscle adaptation is focus (Mujika et al., 2018). If during this time there is fatigue but the training is bringing up the results, than the fatigue is ok as this is their main activity right now unlike during a season. Typically, after this adaption focused phase comes a phase involving more specific movements and goals. Say with a basketball athlete we may be focusing on jumps and vertical or with a baseball player, looking to improve rotational power. In this time recovery work must go right along with those specific goals for that athlete (Mujika et al., 2018). As we progress through a sample season cycle here, the next phase demonstrates a shift in focus. Typically, there is a taper phase the involves a decrease in the volume of training as the competition season looms. During this time, recovery starts to become all about minimizing fatigue (Mujika et al., 2018). This can be done by reducing volume or amount of work but keeping a high intensity to ensure that the athlete is prepared for the intense season to come. Finally, during a competition season, recovery work is all minimizing tiredness and fatigue and maximizing performance (Mujika et al., 2018). This is especially critical with travel and constant competition because these factors continually drain an athlete, so their work needs to be all about remaining strong and making the most of performance opportunities.
Recovery work IS specific not just to the individual but to the season of the year they are in. Recovery tools and techniques can be used throughout the year but the focus is all on what are the desired results. As a performance coach, this is what it is all about. Giving the athletes you work with the best opportunity to succeed and this begins with proper programing and recovery. Programing and recovery are not independent but instead are interdependent on each other and the wanted goals.
-Tyler Grisdale, MS, CSCS, RSCC, FRCms, TPI
References
Mujika, I., Halson, S., Burke, L. M., Balagué, G., & Farrow, D. (2018). An Integrated, Multifactorial Approach to Periodization for Optimal Performance in Individual and Team Sports, International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 13(5), 538-561. Retrieved Feb 11, 2021, https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/ijspp/13/5/article-p538.xml