“It’s good for athletes to do something else,” VanBaak said. But they should avoid the same repetitive movements they performed during training or an event. Fresh blood flow then delivers nutrients that help repair and rebuild muscles, tendons, and ligaments.ĭuring active recovery, athletes should engage in light physical activity that raises the heart rate above a resting rate. Karin VanBaak discusses the importance of rest and recovery for all athletes.Īctive recovery increases blood circulation, which helps remove waste products from soft tissue that have been broken down by intense exercise. “So if I go out for a six-mile run in the morning, what do I do afterward to make sure that my body and mind can recover from that single bout of exercise?” Dr. “I tend to think of short-term recovery as what you are doing that day,” VanBaak said. Research shows that low-intensity exercise during the cool-down phase of your workout is associated with performance benefits. Short-term or active recovery occurs in the hours soon after intense exercise. “If you’re an athlete, it means taking time out from your usual sport.” Athletic trainers talk about two types of recovery: short-term or active recovery and long-term recovery. “In order to see gains in fitness, in order for the body to keep doing what you want it to do, you have to give it enough rest to repair itself,” VanBaak said. It’s important to remember that this process occurs during rest and recovery, not during the exercise session itself. Over time, as muscles heal, they eventually grow bigger and stronger. You’re taxing yourself and pushing yourself beyond your current level of fitness.”Įxercise – especially intense exercise – creates tiny tears in the muscles. “if you’re participating in sports, you’re breaking down your body. “The nuances are going to be a little bit different for everyone depending on their age, sport, and level of participation and development.”īut there’s one general principle that applies to all athletes, she said. “There’s not a one-size-fits-all answer about what it means for an athlete,” VanBaak said. What is meant by rest and recovery and why is it important? Karin VanBaak of the CU Sports Medicine & Performance Center, UCHealth Family Medicine – Boulder, and assistant professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Department of Orthopedics at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus explains why rest and recovery are critical for an athlete’s physiological and psychological well-being. Nobody questions the value of exercise training for optimal athletic performance and improvement.īut rest and recovery is an equally essential component of an exercise program because it gives the body time to repair, rebuild, and strengthen itself between workouts.ĭr. Rest and recovery are critical for an athlete’s physiological and psychological well-being.
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