WPH Press, 11/11/20
WPH Wednesday Workouts have focused on the different types of anaerobic exercises that athletes can employ, the importance of sleep for athletes, types of strength training, shoulder strengthening exercises, footwork exercises and more. What about rest? Should a high level athlete train every day? Should there be days off built into training programs? Let’s find out.
Kris Swartzendruber, Michigan State Extension (2013) HERE stated that rest and recovery is as important as exercise training for optimal performance and improvement because rest and recovery allows the body time to repair and strengthen itself in between workouts, while giving the athlete time to recover physically and psychologically. According to Swartzendruber, rest and recovery allows the body to adapt to the stress associated with exercise, replenishes muscle glycogen (energy stores) and provides time for the body tissue to repair. Swartzendruber cites immediate or short-term recovery as critical, which occurs within hours after a workout. The short-term recovery should include low intensity exercise during the short-term cool down phase. The long-term recovery, according to Swartzendruber, should be built into a seasonal training schedule and should include days or weeks of rest.
Elizabeth Quinn of verywellfit HERE states that rest days are critical for sports performance so that muscles can repair, rebuild, and strengthen, and states that too little rest and too few recovery days can lead to overtraining syndrome. Overtraining syndrome, according to Quinn HERE occurs when an athlete trains beyond the body’s ability to recover, leading to a decrease in performance. The overtraining syndrome features a compulsive need to exercise, which can lead to a decreased appetite, depression, headaches, increased incidence of injuries, insomnia, a lack of energy, a lack of enthusiasm for the sport, lower immunity, general aches and pains, moodiness and irritability, reduced training capacity, and a sudden drop in performance. To treat overtraining, Quinn recommends cross-training, a sports massage, hydrating, and rest and recovery – reduce or stop the exercise and allow yourself a few days to rest.
World Athletics HERE believes rest and recovery are critical to athletic success. Giving yourself a sleep audit, refueling straight after training, preferably having protein and carbohydrates within 20 minutes of training is ideal, followed by a proper meal when the time allows, resting your brain with mental-down time to be mentally fresh, keeping an eye on how you feel, and occasionally skipping workouts are the keys to successful rest and recovery.
Amanda Muscatell from At Your Own Risk HERE states that rest days are critical for the athlete’s physiological (body) and psychological (mind) well-being. Muscatell believes that the recovery time is when the body adapts to the stress that was placed on it during exercise and that is when the real effects of training take place, not when the athlete is exercising. Muscatell believes that short-term recovery should include passive exercises that keep the body moving at a less intense pace. These short-term recovery exercises include swimming, jogging, biking, elliptical machines, gentle yoga, and light weightlifting. Muscatell believes that long-term recovery addresses changing training variables, modifying workouts, and cross training. The quality of sleep is perhaps the most critical element of rest and recovery.
When you are lacking a decrease in energy or noticing a lack of enthusiasm or performance decline, go for a walk or a swim, or just take the day off! Remember that rest days are just as important as high intensity training days.
David Fink
WPH Fitness Director