Recovery Practices to Improve Athletic Performance

Introduction: The Importance of Recovery in Athletic Performance

The most important thing in becoming very fit and strong is performing the absolute best you can in each training session. To do that you need to be recovered and ready to train. Athletic performance is not only determined by the intensity of training or the effort put into each training session; it is equally influenced by the quality of recovery. Recovery is the process that allows the body to repair itself after training or stress, enabling athletes to come back better and stronger. While training causes physical stress to the muscles, ligaments, and joints, recovery is the phase that facilitates the body’s adaptation to these stressors.

In this article, we will explore the art of recovery, its role in enhancing athletic performance, and strategies for recovering more effectively.

1. Understanding the Recovery Process

A. The Stress-Adaptation Cycle

When athletes train, they put stress on their muscles and the nervous system. The recovery phase is when the body adapts to the stressor by rebuilding muscle and recovering the nervous system.

• Training = Stress: During training, the body undergoes physiological stress. Although it doesn’t feel like the stress you feel when a work deadline is coming up it is stress nonetheless. For the most part, your adrenals can’t tell the difference between stressors so treat training like a stressor and practice good recovery strategies.

• Recovery = Adaptation: Once the body recovers, it repairs and strengthens the muscle tissue, adapting to the demands placed on it.

2. The Components of Recovery

A. Sleep: The Foundation of Recovery

Sleep is one of the most vital components of recovery. During deep sleep, the body produces growth hormone, which is crucial for tissue repair, muscle growth, and overall recovery. Adequate sleep also supports cognitive function, mood regulation, and immune system strength, all essential for athletic performance.

1. Growth Hormone Production: The deepest stages of sleep are when growth hormone levels peak. Growth Hormone facilitates muscle repair, fat loss, and overall recovery.

2. Cognitive and Mental Recovery: Sleep is essential for restoring mental capacities such as focus and mood. After intense training or competition, sleep allows the brain to consolidate neurological patterns and reduce cognitive fatigue.

3. Immune System Health: Sleep strengthens the immune system, reducing the risk of illness that could impair training and performance. (Your immune system is not just the thing that kicks into gear when you are sick. It is the very thing that takes care of the recovery process, Take care of your immune system.)

For athletes, 7-9 hours of sleep per night is generally recommended for optimal recovery.

B. Nutrition: Fueling the Recovery Process

Nutrition is the next pillar of recovery. After intense training, the body requires the right nutrients to repair and rebuild muscle, replenish glycogen stores, and reduce inflammation. Proper post-training nutrition can accelerate recovery, minimize muscle soreness, and improve performance in upcoming workouts.

1. Protein for Muscle Repair: Protein provides the amino acids necessary for muscle protein synthesis (the process of building muscle). After training, the muscles are in a catabolic state, meaning they need protein to repair and grow. A post-workout meal or supplement containing whey protein or other protein source such as meat is ideal for muscle recovery.

2. Carbohydrates for Glycogen Replenishment: Carbohydrates are stored as glycogen in muscles and the liver and are the body’s primary source of energy during intense exercise. After training, glycogen stores need to be replenished to ensure optimal performance in the next workout.

3. Fats for Hormonal Health: Healthy fats, particularly omega-3 fatty acids, help regulate inflammation and support hormone production. Sources of healthy fats include butter, avocados, olive oil, and fatty fish.

4. Hydration: Hydration is critical for recovery, as dehydration can impair muscle function and delay the healing process. Drinking water and replenishing electrolytes with drinks like coconut water or electrolyte mixes can speed up recovery and support overall performance.

To get a more in-depth understanding of post workout nutrition check out my post workout nutrition article here or download my nutrition manual to get a more in depth look at nutrition as a whole.

3. Active Recovery

Active recovery refers to low-intensity movement that helps improve blood flow and promote muscle repair without putting additional stress on the body. Incorporating active recovery into a training schedule can help athletes increase blood flow to recovering areas and improve some levels of cardiovascular ability.

1. Light Cardio: Activities such as walking, cycling, or swimming at a low intensity can promote blood flow to muscles, aiding nutrient delivery and waste removal from muscle tissue. For this, it is important to stay at a Zone 2 heart rate and limit intensity. Zone 2 is the intensity at which you are able to still have a conversation with someone the entire time. Nasal breathing is recommended during zone 2 work.

2. Foam Rolling, Graston, and massage: Self-myofascial release can help reduce muscle tension and tendinitis. These techniques also increase blood flow to recovering areas. Professional massage or self-massage techniques can promote muscle relaxation and relieve soreness by increasing circulation to the muscles and fascia.

3. Yoga and Mobility Work: Gentle yoga and mobility exercises can help improve range of motion, reduce muscle tightness, and promote relaxation, all contributing to faster recovery. Yoga helps you enter a parasympathetic state which is key to recovery. 

A technique that I use a lot with athletes during recovery weeks before and after comps is to superset light aerobic work with mobility work into a flow session. That looks something like this.

1. 1 min Assault Bike, 20 Calf Raises, 20 Tibialis Raises (Bodyweight)

2. 1 min Assault Bike, 10 Deep Heel Elevated Squats

3. 1 min Assault Bike, 10 (90/90) hip rotations

4. 1 min Assault Bike, 30 Sec Hip Flexor Stretch per side

5. 1 min Assault Bike, 10 Cat Cow stretches

6. 1 min Assault Bike, 20 Band Shoulder External Rotations (per side)

The intensity on the bike should be easy with a focus on nasal breathing. This is a great technique for promoting blood flow, improving mobility/joint function, and preserving aerobic ability during a recovery week.

3. The Role of the Parasympathetic State in Athletic Recovery

At the center of optimal recovery lies the parasympathetic nervous system. The autonomic nervous system has two main branches: the sympathetic (fight or flight) and the parasympathetic (rest and digest). While the sympathetic state primes the body for action the parasympathetic state does the opposite. It slows the heart rate, promotes digestion, reduces cortisol levels, and shifts the body into a state of repair. For athletes, toggling between these two states is crucial.

Why Parasympathetic Activation Matters for Recovery

1. Tissue Repair and Muscle Growth
   During deep parasympathetic states, especially during quality sleep, the body initiates anabolic processes like protein synthesis, muscle repair, and connective tissue healing. Growth hormone, critical for recovery and adaptation, is secreted primarily during deep sleep, which is governed by parasympathetic dominance.

2. Reduction of Systemic Inflammation
   Recovery is not just about rebuilding muscle but also about clearing metabolic waste and reducing inflammation. The parasympathetic system activates anti-inflammatory pathways.

3. Improved Digestion and Nutrient Absorption
   Recovery requires nutrients. These nutrients can only be effectively digested and absorbed when the parasympathetic system is active. Eating in a relaxed state, without distraction or stress, significantly enhances nutrient absorption. So sit down, relax, stop eating and driving, stop scrolling when you eat, and enjoy your food.

How to Activate the Parasympathetic State

• Breathwork: Slow nasal breathing calms the nervous system. Check out my breath work article here.

• Sleep Quality: Prioritize a cool, dark sleep environment (keeping the nervous system cool is very beneficial in recovering the nervous system)

• Meditation: Even 5–10 minutes per day spent focusing on the breath and presence can reduce stress hormone levels and shift the body toward recovery.

• Post-Workout Nutrition: Consuming a balanced meal in a relaxed state encourages better digestion and absorption. After training, focus on getting your heart rate down before eating. This will ensure that all of your nutrients are going to recovery. If you are in a high cortisol state (stressed with a high heart rate) then your body will not use your post-workout meal nutrients for recovery properly.

4. Managing Inflammation

While inflammation is a natural response to exercise-induced muscle damage and in some levels is something that we want in order to promote muscle hypertrophy, excessive inflammation can impede the recovery process and lead to prolonged soreness and fatigue. Managing inflammation appropriately can enhance recovery and reduce pain.

A. Cold and Heat Therapy

Cold and heat therapies are commonly used to reduce soreness, reduce inflammation, and accelerate recovery.

1. Cold Therapy: Using ice baths can help reduce muscle inflammation and minimize soreness after training. Cold therapy constricts blood vessels, helping to reduce swelling and inflammation. A lot of the value in cold therapy is the fact that it spikes dopamine levels so much. A spike in dopamine lowers the feelings of pain and improves your mood and brain fog which helps you feel more recovered. However, if you are in a state where your nervous system is very stressed from heavy intense training then I would not recommend an ice bath. Its going to be feeding that same sympathetic state that the overtraining is feeding and will cause more nervous system overload.

2. Heat Therapy: Heat therapy, such as sauna sessions, helps relax muscles and improve circulation. Heat increases blood flow to muscles, promoting the delivery of nutrients and the removal of waste products. To read a more in depth look at Sauna for health and performance check out my full sauna article here. 

5. Supplements to Enhance Recovery

Several supplements can support faster recovery and reduce fatigue, soreness, and inflammation:

1. Whey Protein Isolate

Purpose: Muscle repair and protein synthesis

How it works: Whey is a fast-digesting, leucine-rich protein source that rapidly elevates amino acid availability post-exercise, supporting muscle protein synthesis.

2. Creatine Monohydrate

Purpose: Strength recovery, ATP replenishment, muscle repair

How it works: Enhances phosphocreatine stores, allowing faster ATP regeneration. Reduces muscle cell damage and inflammation.

Note: Best taken daily, not just on training days.

3. Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Purpose: Inflammation control, joint recovery, nervous system recovery, cellular membrane health

How it works: Modulates inflammatory pathways, aiding in tissue repair without blunting adaptive responses.

4. Magnesium 

Purpose: Nervous system recovery, muscle relaxation, sleep quality

How it works: Acts as a cofactor in over 300 enzymatic processes, including ATP production, neurotransmitter regulation, and muscle function. Glycinate form is best for relaxation.)

9. Curcumin

Purpose: Anti-inflammatory recovery, joint pain relief, antioxidant support

How it works: Modulates inflammatory pathways, reducing inflammation without suppressing training adaptations.

Note:
I would recommend Rho Curcumin

10. Electrolytes

Purpose: Hydration, cramp prevention, nerve and muscle function

How it works: Replaces minerals lost through sweat, supporting neuromuscular signaling and fluid balance.

Note: Consider products with balanced sodium (~500–1000mg), potassium (~200–400mg), magnesium (~100mg), and calcium such as Trace, Pedialyte, LMNT

Other Supplements to Consider

• L-Tyrosine: Supports Neurotransmitter synthesis, which becomes depleted from hard training.

• Collagen Peptides: Supports joint and tendon repair

• Pine Bark Extract (Pycnogenol): Improves circulation and reduces oxidative stress

Conclusion: Mastering Recovery for Peak Performance

Recovery is an overlooked but essential component of athletic performance. While training hard in the gym is necessary for improving fitness, it is through recovery that the body adapts and becomes stronger. Adequate sleep, proper nutrition, active recovery, and the use of targeted supplements all play a role in accelerating recovery and optimizing performance.

If you would like help creating a personalized recovery plan book a free consultation here.

The links used in this article are part of affiliations with other companies. By using the links, you are supporting Sovran Strength.