Sheldons Corner: Active Rest & Recovery Day: 7 Ideas
I know what you’re thinking…”Active Rest”, why does rest have to be active? I thought the whole point of Recovery Day was to relax and take a day off? Well, that is not entirely true. To better explain, let’s try to understand what active recovery really means.
Active recovery could be defined as an easier workout compared to your normal routine. Typically this workout would be done on off day from training. Generally an active recovery workout is less intense and has less volume. For example, a trainee worried about body composition goals could do active recovery by taking a brisk walk on an off day.
When defining active recovery, context comes into play. To a marathon runner, jogging at a slow pace on an off day will likely have little impact on their ability to maintain intense workouts on their scheduled training days; in fact, it ultimately may help his fitness goals.
As a general rule, exercise qualifies as active recovery if you feel better after exercising compared to before you started.
There are several advantages to active recovery. Many believe that active recovery workouts help prime your body’s metabolic pathways of recovery. Fitness experts have found that active recovery is idealized, and claim that less intense exercise simply does not add to training stress. They believe that light workouts do not stimulate an added benefit to recovery; they simply are easy enough that they do not stop the body from recovering as it would. Regardless of the mechanism many have seen benefits to including active recovery in their fitness plans.
Here are 7 ideas for Active Recovery:
1: Self -Myofascial release (SMR) – Foam rolling is one form of SMR: the objective is to use implements such as foam rollers, lacrosse balls, and other specialty items in an effort to “massage your muscles.” Although the exact mechanisms behind SMR are unclear, consistent foam rolling may improve range of motion, and decrease an over active muscles tone. Foam rolling has allowed thousands of athletes to train at high levels and avoid stiffness that comes with heavy training.
On your off day, try passing over all major muscle groups with a foam roller. Aim for 30 seconds on each large muscle group, avoiding joints and bony areas. Focus a little extra time on problem areas and pin point troublesome areas by using a lacrosse ball. Monitor your pressure; remember, the goal is to feel better after foam rolling.
2: Walking – a great thing to do for active recovery. Not only can it burn calories, but also being outside can increase your feelings of well-being. The amount of walking you do on off days should be based on your current fitness level, and your training schedule.
3: Lighter Weight Lifting – Performing an exercise that made you particularly sore, but using a much lighter weight may be restorative. As a guide, use a weight at or below 30 percent of your usual weight, and perform one set shy of failure
4: Hiking – like walking, it can burn significant calories. Once again it must be tailored towards your current fitness level. If you feel worse after the hike then when you started it probably has done more harm than good as far as active recovery sake.
5: Swimming – particularly low stress due to the weightlessness. You can have a great swimming workout engaging the muscular and cardiovascular system without added pressure on your joints. Take into consideration current fitness level.
6: Yoga – mobility work can be a form of active recovery that can be done every day. Typically each joint in the body is taken through a safe range of motion. Yoga is an example of mobility work that some people use as active recovery. It can be beneficial if you appreciate your current fitness level and learn from a good instructor.
7: Cycling – like the other forms of aerobic exercise can be a great active recovery workout, as long as you match the intensity to your current fitness levels.
In conclusion, Active Recovery days can have great benefits for overall health and muscle recovery. Keep in mind the 7 ideas mentioned above, and on your next off day…make it an active one.