Recovery: By Chris Williams

The message below was written by Chris Williams, Director of Athletic Training, Bradley University. Chris is the guest writer for the second 2013 edition of the Yuletide Mania Video Series:

Recovery is a really hot topic right now in the athletic world as well as the general population. Everyone wants to know how he or she can recover faster so they can feel better for their next workout. Unfortunately, there is no perfect method or any magic pill for fast recovery, but there are a few methods that I use to get my athletes feeling recovered faster.

The first, and most common, method that I use is the ice bath. I set the temperature of the cold tub between 50-55 degrees. The theory behind the method is to cause vasoconstriction of the blood vessels, which will flush out any waste sitting in your veins after your workout.  The optimal time to do this is right after you are finished working out or training. I have my athletes sit in the ice bath from the chest down for 10-15 minutes. I tell my athletes to avoid using the hot tub after a workout or practice, because this will produce the opposite effect. The blood vessels will dilate and more blood will rush through the veins and sit there. This will cause you to feel a lot more sore the next day. The only time I allow my athletes to get in the hot tub after practice is to do a “contrast bath”.

 The second method that I use is called a contrast bath. I use both the hot tub and cold tub for this method.  The theory behind this method is to create a “pumping mechanism” for your veins. The hot water does the exact opposite of the cold water. The hot water causes your veins to dilate. The dilation and constriction of the veins creates a pump that helps push out the waste that I mentioned before. I set the hot tub at 103 degrees. I have the athletes sit in the cold tub for 3 minutes, then walk over to the hot tub and sit in there for 2 minutes, then back to cold for 3 minutes, then back to hot for 2 minutes, and then finish in the cold tub for 3 minutes. I always have the athletes end in the cold so the veins end in the constricted phase.

 The third and final method that I wanted to talk about is a newer and very effective method that is really starting to catch fire in the athletic world. The Normatec MVP is a devise that uses 2 leg sleeves that have multiple compartments. These compartments fill up with air and puts pressure on the feet, calves, quads and hamstrings, and hip flexors. They fill up in that order to flush out the veins distally to proximally (in the direction of the heart) to help move out the waste. A typical treatment time is between 20-30 minutes. A lot of NBA teams and athletes have posted pictures on the Internet of their athletes using this device. I even saw pictures of Lebron James and Shaquille O’Neal using this same devise on Twitter.

Those are three methods that I use the most to get our athletes feeling as recovered as possible for their next workout/practice.  It is also important to make sure that they stretch after activity and have a proper cool down to help their muscles relax and decrease lactic acid build up. Like I said before, there is no perfect method to recovery, but these three methods have kept my student athletes feeling refreshed for their next practice or workout.

 

 

Guest Writer, Jennifer Finn - Survive and Thrive through the Holidays!

Below is an excerpt from Jennifer Finn, our guest writer for this first December 2013 edition. The Yuletide Mania Video Series is officially being kicked off now with this great post below. Jenn and I go back to our Fitcorp days in Boston, MA. Enjoy her expertise!...

Survive and Thrive through the Holiday’s!

When the Holiday’s approach do you look forward to spending time with family & friends or do you fear that you will inevitable be tempted to skip workouts for lack of rest and an overly full social calendar?  Not to mention all the office treats that coworkers are bringing in and those incredible tasty Peppermint Mocha Lattes that seem to be calling your name at 3PM daily!  There are plenty of opportunities to enjoy the tastes of the season and stay on track with your workouts.  I listed out my favorite tips that help me and my clients stay on track through the Holiday’s.

To avoid gaining weight and being able to enjoy time with your family and friends, follow these simple strategies that will leave you feeling ready to celebrate the New Year sans the diet!

1.       Schedule Your Workouts!  When you actually schedule your workouts into your calendar & treat them as a meeting, more than likely you will stick to your plan.  Remember workouts don’t have to be in the gym, they can be anywhere!  Just do something active.  Aim to workout at least 3-4x’s/week for 30mins.  Meet up with a friend for a yoga class and then a green smoothie, instead of cocktails & tapas.

2.       Get Plenty of Rest!  Keep to your bedtime schedule the best that you can.  Studies have shown, that people who get less than 6 hours of sleep consume 500 calories more than their fully rested counterparts (7+ hours). Plus you won’t want to load yourself up with caffeine and sugar to stay awake!

3.       Drink Plenty of Water.  Keeping yourself hydrate not only keeps every day ailments like fatigue, headaches and dry skin away, but it also helps to regulate your appetite.  Often times the brain confuses being dehydrate or thirsty with hunger.

4.       Create A Party Strategy Plan.  Such as using a small plate, not standing near the hors d’oeuvres table, and most importantly don’t starve yourself prior to the party!  Eat a small meal about an hour before going and you will not feel the need to devour that cheese & cracker tray.  A good pre-party snack; some Greek yogurt, fresh berries and a tablespoon of honey.  Research has shown that when we skip meals or deprive ourselves throughout the day, we are more like to consume higher caloric foods than if you ate normally throughout the day. 

5.       Hit the Weights!  If you are short on time at the gym, opt to lift weights instead of hopping on that piece of cardio equipment.  We know that the more muscle we have the more calories we will burn when our bodies are at rest –that’s just good old fashion exercise science!  Moderate to intense strength training workouts elevate our metabolism and keep it elevated for up to 48hrs post workout!  That’s a lot more bang for your buck.

6.       Keep Your “Trigger Foods” Out of the House.  When you don’t have those trigger foods in your home, you will be more successful in choosing the foods that will nourish your body when it’s hungry.

7.       Limit Drinking Your Calories!  Most of us don’t realize how many calories we actually drink.  There is over 350 calories in one glass of Eggnog, 410 calories in a 16oz Peppermint Mocha and 180 calories in a Sam Adams Boston Lager.  Opt for lighter versions of your favorite drink, go for the Sam Adams Light with only 119 calories, ask your barista for a skinny peppermint mocha with only 130 calories…or get the tall and save another 30 calories!  You can also check out this recipe for a lightened up version of Eggnog made with Almond Milk http://www.shakentogetherlife.com/2013/11/skinny-eggnog-recipe-using-almond-milk.html

8.       Focus on Socializing with Friends and Family.  I love the saying “Where focus goes, energy flows.”  Think about what the Holiday’s really mean to you…there are no calories associated with good conversation!

9.       Load Up on Veggies!  Veggies are filling and contain a lot of water and essential vitamins and minerals.  Every party generally has a veggie tray so make sure you are the one bringing it!

Team Rebuilding - Overrated

The 2013 Washington Redskins
The 2013 and every year New England Patriots
The 2013 Kentucky Wildcats Men's Basketball Team
The 2013 Baltimore Ravens
The 2013 Boston Bruins
The 2013 Chicago Blackhawks
Draft excuses

Really, the list could continue in this debatable issue. Using "rebuilding" as an excuse for a team's poor performance is unacceptable. Please, no "yea-butting".

Teams
But, rebuilding is overrated. The Washington Redskins were 10-6 last year, won the NFC East, and made the playoffs. I am convinced that they would have beaten Seattle with a healthy Robert Griffin, III. This year's status so far: 3-9, will not win the NFC East, and will not make the playoffs. Are they in a rebuilding year? No.

The New England Patriots lose players to either injury, release, or trades every year. Yet, every year they are a legit threat to, one, make the playoffs, and to go to or win the Super Bowl. You can argue that. Do they focus on rebuilding as an excuse and tank seasons? No.

The Kentucky Wildcats won the NCAA title in 2012. They missed the tournament in 2013. Now, they are a top-ranked team again. Do they focus on the rebuilding excuse? No.

The Baltimore Ravens won Super Bowl XLVII. Their leader and team motivator in Ray Lewis retired after the game. The Ravens

shopped away most of their
stellar defense. Now, the Ravens, expected to be bad this season, are in contention to make the playoffs. Do they focus on the rebuilding excuse? No.

The Boston Bruins won the Stanley Cup in 2011. They were ousted in the first round a year later. In 2013 they competed for the Cup again but lost. Now, they are one of the best teams in the league this season. Do they focus on the rebuilding excuse? No.

The Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup in 2010. They shopped away most of their forwards. The next season they were abysmal. In 2013 they won the Stanley Cup again, beating the Bruins. Now, they, too, are among the league's best teams. Do they focus on the rebuilding excuse? No.

Moves
Draft excuses. If you are not familiar with sports, which give plenty of life lessons. Yes, there is an intellectual component to athletics; but many dumb things occur. Plus, there is a lot of over zealousness from fans and media. Many fans, players, and owners of and on teams think that teams should tank seasons in order to receive a better draft pick. That is, they are relying on a rookie who has no pro experience to be their knight. Whether you are a sports fan or not, you can relate this feature to your work. For example, with dwindling financial results or even fundraising attendance results at your firm or organization would look at what you have and try to fix it or simply give up and hire a professional rookie to solve the issues, knowing that you actually might have some tools to bounce half way back? There are still big question marks with the rookie.

Thinking of a team...when was the last team in any of the four major professional sports (baseball, basketball, football, and ice hockey) to win a championship because they relied on the draft and that draftee had an immediate impact on the title run? I cannot think of one either. A "rebuilding" team may make the playoffs and get out of the cellar. But, the goal of playing these sports is more than just making playoffs. Every team should always vie to win the championship despite the inadequacies of their roster!

So, why do teams, managers, owners, fans, commentators, and others like to dwell on rebuilding and tanking seasons if they know that this hold out method does not work? All of these teams above use what they have. They work to win. They work smarter not dumber. They know their team and players. Why on earth would a professional athlete not want to put forth the effort to win a championship despite being on a mediocre-looking roster as it only APPEARS?...Besides money being a factor.

We can end it there.

With heart,
Derek

Derek Arledge, CSCS         www.teempt.com         TEEM Performance Training