RBS FITNESS MYTH #8:
Updated: 9 hours ago
"Recovery days don't mean much and you should just rest passively"
This is dangerous advice, but actually what I undoubtedly believed at one point sadly. Recovery and Regeneration Days are a dedicated training theme that provide tremendous opportunity to gain an edge over competition, or at least get the most out of your program. The effect is twofold. You're maximizing the day itself, but how you go about your business will always determine in part the quality of your next high intensity workout, game, or competition, so never take it lightly.
If you want a free guide on the topic, then please sign up on my homepage contact form, and I want to note that I'll be adding to this product over time as well and updating any new evidence or research I find on the matter. Think about this for a moment... Research has routintely shown that we recover from injuries faster with active recovery techniques (stretching, calisthenics, light movement routines, specific types of muscle contractions, Parasympathetic work, proper strength training,etc.) versus passive ones. You can take this finding, and immediately apply it to your workouts since by definition there is some degree of micro-trauma, or electrolyte accumulation (i.e. Calcium ions) that exists after a workout. This type of outocme is different than injuries, but shares similarities to them and can be treated as such.
Moreover, if you're using my data tracking app or doing it yourself then you are still able to progress lighter workouts and achieve maximal benefit in other influential qualities that contribute to your overall development (i.e. aerobic capacity, nervous system state, HRV, metabolic rate, weight and fat loss, and more). It's very important from a mental standpoint too because it keeps athletes and clients engaged. Sure there is the need for full and deserving restoration days when you've hit or are approaching limits or perhaps exceeding them, but they are pretty infrequent in a complete system or training program.
Bottomline, is that you don't want to overlook what recovery days/training have to offer you. The focus is of course different, but it plays a profound role in your progress and adds up substantially over time without having to do near as much. After all, the down periods are when your body switches gears and actually adapts and improves both mentally and physically from the previous training sessions you completed, so you had better comply with your body's natural design. Below are some popular recovery training methods for aerobic conditioning, movement patterning and learning, coordination development, and flexibility/mobility purposes, among others. All of which are common target areas with your non-training day work.
Here is a member of the UNR Golf Team busting out one of our standard mobility/flexibility circuits before practice to help stimulate the CNS and ensure maintenance of commonly restricted or immobile segments of a golfers frame.
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