recovery Aims to return the body to pre exercise conditions and, in doing so, reverse the effects of fatigue Body systems rebuild and repair damaged tissue and replenish energy stores Insufficient recovery delays removal of fatiguing factors and the possible adaptations and may lead to overtraining

Recovery should include: A cool down immediately post exercise (active recovery) Passive rest Replenishment of energy stores, particularly PC stores and muscle and live glycogen stores Breakdown and removal of LA Replenishment of fluids and electrolytes (rehydration) Electrolytes are minerals found in the body tissues and blood in the form of dissolved salts. Cells use electrolytes to maintain voltages across cell membranes and to carry electrical impulses. Electrolytes help move nutrients into and wastes out of body cells, maintain water balance and helps to stabilise PH levels Repair and regeneration of damaged muscle tissue following exercise Physical and psychological regenerative therapies; eg. hydrotherapy and massage

Efficient recovery strategies will enhance adaptations to exercise loads Insufficient recovery delays removal of fatiguing factors and possible adaptations Insufficient recovery can lead to overtraining and injuries. More efficient way to enable the body to recover from exercise. Ensures that LA s broken down and removed. Prevents blood from pooling in inactive muscles (venous pooling) The amount of oxygen being consume is above resting levels The cool down

refuelling Phosphocreatine: Restored extremely rapidly as soon as rest or recovery begins Facilitated by passive recovery Most PC restoration occurs during the rapid part of O2 debt 70% in the first 30secs 98% in 3mins 100% in 10mins Replenishes PC from; The liver produces PC from amino acids Dietary creatine is obtained from red meats Low pH will slow PC restoration, as will low O2 supply during recovery

refuelling Muscle glycogen and blood glucose: The body uses glucose at a rate of 1 gram per minute during moderate exercise and at a slightly higher rate during high intensity exercise. CHO’s should be consumed during exercise lasting longer than 1 hr eg. It takes 24 – 48 hrs for full glycogen replenishment, depending on initial glycogen depletion and CHO intake during recovery The effects of glycogen depletion can be minimised by CHO loading 4 – 5 days prior to training or competition During activity lasting more than 60 mins, hypertonic sports drinks should be consumed to lessen the amount of glycogen drained from the liver Hypertonic sports drinks: drinks that contain a lesser proportion of water and a greater proportion of sugar, than the fluids in the body Alternative to sports drinks – sports gels and sports bars

The most vital time to replenish used glycogen is within the first 15 mins during recovery. Muscles are able to store greater amounts of CHO’s within the initial 2 hrs following exercise. Athletes should consume 25-50g of CHO’s at 15min intervals Familiarise yourself with Table 6.9 on pg 163 of your textbook High GI foods should be consumed as soon as practicable after the event to ensure rapid restoration: muscle glycogen then liver glycogen Delayed intake will potentially lengthen time required to return glycogen to pre exercise levels The regulator of glycogen replenishment is insulin, which increases the transportation of glucose from the blood to the muscles There is no need to increase fat intake in diet – CHO’s not converted to glycogen are stored as fats

CHO recovery snacks Each of the following provides approx 50g of CHO. Eat 1-3 of these portions to ensure a speedy recovery 650 – 800mL of sports drink 800mL of cordial 500mL of fruit juice 60g packet of jelly beans 3 medium pieces of fruit 1 round of jam or honey sandwiches 3 muesli bars 1 Mars Bar 330g of creamed rice 2 crumpets or muffins with vegemite

Protein is essential for: Protein Intake: Alongside CHO’s it is important to also ingest foods containing protein When CHO’s and proteins are ingested together they stimulate the release of insulin, promoting glucose delivery to depleted muscles Insulin stimulates protein synthesis (construct protein) and helps to reduce protein breakdown Following intense exercise, muscle protein is being broken down as a result of muscle trauma Protein is essential for: Help boost insulin Provide basic building blocks for muscle repair In the first 2 hrs post exercise, athletes should aim for a CHO-protein ration of 4:1

Metabolic by products H+ in plasma and muscle: The quicker H+ can be removed from muscles, the quicker performers will recover and be able to return contractions closer to their potential Aerobic conditioning can increase LIP from 85% max HR up to 90% max HR Active recovery is recommended for the following reason: Maintains oxygen levels higher and speeds up removal of lactate Creates a ‘muscle pump’ increasing the rate of oxygen supply and waste removal via the circulatory system Prevents venous pooling Hot and cold showers or baths lead to an increased removal of H+ with Vasoconstriction and Vasodilation being repeated many times Familiarise yourself with Table 6.10 on pg 165 of your text book Pi and ADP: It is imperative to consume CHO’s to help speed up ATP resynthesis during recovery

Neuromuscular factors The only real recovery strategy from decreased CNS firing is passive recovery. It is important to replace sodium lost and other electrolytes lost that are essential to continue rebuilding ATP and improve CNS firing. Increased rates of dehydration and redistribution of blood away from working muscles assist with cooling. Can lead to high core temperatures, hence hydration is important. Cooling can be achieved by; Contrast water therapy Cool showers/rooms Ice vests Fans/shade Lowering body temperature

REhydration During any form of exercise athletes must increase their fluid intake This should occur immediately after exercise and in the case of sever dehydration, in the days following the event. 30-70% of sweat loss is replaced through drinking fluids, it can take up to 24hrs to fully rehydrate the body Fluid loss can occur during recovery as a consequence of sweating and urination Caffeine or alcohol consumed during recovery INCREASES the loss of fluid through urination.

Rehydration guidelines Be well hydrated before participating An athlete should be consuming approx 400 – 600 mL of fluid in the 2 hrs prior to competition Avoid drinks containing alcohol and caffeine as they increase fluid loss through urination Consume approx 200 – 300 mL of water every 15 – 20 mins of exercise Wear light coloured clothing made of open weave fabrics so sweat is drawn away from the skin The amount of fluid needing to be replaced depends on the amount of fluid lost To calculate the amount of fluid lost, an athlete should compare their pre and post race weights