Ask the Experts: Ben Greenfield on enhancing recovery after a hard workout
29 October 2008Many qualified experts on training and nutrition use TrainingPeaks to help manage their business. Now, a select few are offering professional training and nutrition advice on our blog. Read on to learn what Ben Greenfield has to say about enhancing recovery after a hard workout, and submit a question of your own below!
Question: Aside from stretching, are there any other special methods I can use to enhance recovery and decrease soreness after a hard workout?
Answer: Absolutely! The muscles can look like a battle zone after a tough interval session or resistance training routine, but here are five highly effective strategies for enhancing the ability of your body to repair the damage:
- Branched chain amino acids. These protein building blocks, known as “BCAA’s” are quickly absorbed by the tissues and crucial to optimally repairing torn muscle fibers. Uptake will be enhanced if you ingest your BCAA’s within 20 minutes after a workout, with your normal post-workout meal. While it is true that BCAA’s can also enhance exercise if ingested during a workout, gastrointestinal discomfort will result when taken in sufficient levels to aid performance.
- Ice bath. Save this time-consuming and slightly uncomfortable recovery method for after your key workouts, such as a long weekend brick session or breakthrough run workout. As soon as you walk in the door, grab an entire bag of ice from your freezer (I recommend keeping 2-3 on hand of possible), dump it into the tub, and run cold water while you munch down your post-workout meal and BCAA’s. Then go sit in the tub for 15-20 minutes with the legs fully submerged. For added benefit, restore circulation with a hot shower after the ice bath.
- Proteolytic enzymes. These enzymes, released by an organ in your body called the pancreas, are essential to connective tissue cellular repair and the anti-inflammatory process, and are use by many high-level competitive cyclists during multi-day events like the Tour de France. Many recovery supplements currently on the market contain the enzymes “bromelain” or “papain”, but for even more effective recovery, you’ll need to look for “trypsin” and “chymotrypsin”.
- Water is essential to the anti-inflammation and healing process, and there’s a reason that an IV fluid administered to any Ironman triathlete who has just crossed the finish line results in a much happier athlete the next day. While a needle and bag may not be a realistic recovery method at home, prioritize 1-2 water bottles per hour, with added electrolytes, until you have completely restored your pre-workout weight.
- Massage. Once again, it is unlikely that your personal therapist will be waiting for you in the living room when you walk in the door from a key workout, but be sure to add to your recovery arsenal two equally effective weapons: a stick and a foam roller. A stick is held in both your hands and used to apply pressure to tissue adhesions and sore muscles. In absence of a product like “The Stick” or “Muscletrac”, a common rolling pin will suffice. A foam roller allows you to actually roll a muscle using your entire body weight, thus allowing for deeper pressure. Usually, 10-20 rolls over a muscle will help remove inflammation and muscle adhesions.
Recovery can be time-consuming and logistically challenging. I recommend you think about it this way: 1) BCAA’s, enzymes, and water are simple to consume after any workout, so no excuses on these; 2) Ice baths after very hard or very long workouts only; 3) 5-10 minute foam roller or stick session at least 3 days/week. This adds up to only about an hour spent on recovery per week, but that one extra hour can vastly enhance performance!
About the author:
Ben Greenfield is recognized as one of the top fitness, triathlon, nutrition and metabolism experts in the nation. In 2008, he was voted as the Personal Trainer of the Year by the National Strength and Conditioning Association, an internationally recognized and respected certifying agency. Ben is Director of Sports Performance and oversees the physiology and biomechanics laboratory at Champions Sports Medicine in Spokane, WA, which offers metabolic-based weight loss, bicycle fitting, running gait analysis, swim stroke analysis, VO2 max testing, blood lactate testing, resting metabolic rate analysis, and other cutting-edge procedures for weight loss and performance.
Ben hosts the highly popular fitness, nutrition and wellness website at www.bengreenfieldfitness.com, which features blogs, podcasts, and product reviews from Ben. In addition to coaching and training for weight loss and sports performance at http://www.pacificfit.net, Ben serves as a business and marketing consultant to fitness professionals, and is the host of a weekly syndicated fitness business blog and podcast at http://www.trainfortopdollar.com. E-mail: ben@bengreenfieldfitness.com
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