Tournament Preparation and Recovery
WPH Instructional, Tucson, AZ, 2/18/24
Dr. Ashley Ruiz is a Doctor of Chiropractic specializing in bringing a happier and healthier lifestyle to all of her patients, several of whom are world-ranked handball professionals. Dr. Ruiz has also been one of the sport’s top women’s pros for the past decade and currently holds the number one ranking amongst U.S. WR48 pros.
On this edition of WPH Tournament Preparation Series, Dr. Ruiz DC breaks down her five steps to prepare for a tournament and to recover during tournament.
WPH Tournament Preparation Series by Dr. Ashley Ruiz
Tournaments can be grueling, but there are some steps that can help improve soreness and recovery for the next game.
- Sleep sleep sleep! 7-10 hours is ideal
- Increase fluid intake in the days leading up to the event
- Eat 4 hours before game time. If you’re unable to eat that early, have a big meal the night before with a light, carb heavy breakfast.
- Between games eat simple carbs like fruit and avoid high fiber and high fat food. Ideally eat light carb replenishing snacks 30-60 mins after the game and a meal (carbs and protein) within 2-4 hours. Replace electrolytes with sports drinks or coconut water.
- For after and between games, active recovery is best to reduce muscle soreness. This includes walking, light cycling, or walking in a pool. Other great recovery is stretching, massage, foam rolling, or an ice bath
Every body is different and some techniques/nutrition work better for some than others. Don’t try a new food or routine during an event. Test these practices during training and stick with what you know during the important events.
About Dr. Ruiz
Dr. Ruiz is a certified chiropractor, helping handball players, other athletes and people struggling with pain to return to full strength each day in her Tucson office.
For more on Dr. Ashley Ruiz’s practice, visit Dr. Ashley’s homepage HERE
Thank you to Dr. Ruiz for sharing her tournament preparation and recovery expertise.
Stay tuned for upcoming WPH Tournament Preparation Series features.
Read more of WPH Tournament Preparation Series HERE