Running Head: Pre and Post Workout

The Five Essential Recovery Techniques: Pre and Post Workout

Arun Gomez
4/22/16
COED_6340

Pre and Post Workout

The Five Essential Recovery Techniques: Pre and Post Workout

Introduction
Athletes put their bodies through rigorous training in order to perform at the highest level
possible in their respective sport or sports. With all the training that is required to compete at an
elite level, athletes must understand what steps need to be taken to ensure they are letting their
body recovery correctly. Athletes must know how to prepare their body for a training session, as
well as after a training session so that they are giving their body the best opportunity to recover.
Moreover, with the amount of training these athletes do, there has to be a balance between
training and recovery in order for the athlete to reach peak performance. If not, it could hinder
the athletes performance because even though their fitness level may increase, so is their fatigue
level also.
When an athlete undertakes large volumes of training or trains at very high intensities,
fitness will increase but fatigue will also increase, which can reduce preparedness. (Rountree, p.
97). This is why it is so important for athletes to acknowledge and understand the significant
role recovery plays pre and post workout, and how it can affect their ability to perform in their
sport. Understanding that there are many recovery techniques to help enhance their bodys
ability to repair and be ready for the next training session or game is crucial. Furthermore, there
is a large amount of recovery techniques available for athletes to utilize, all of which can help in
one way or another. However, utilizing the correct techniques pre and post workout will
ultimately give the athlete the best chance to perform at a high level. There are five essential
recovery techniques that must be utilized pre and post workout for athletes to be fully recovered,
and enable each athlete to perform on the playing field. Sleep, nutrition, hydration, active

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recovery, and massages are important elements in regards to an athletes recovery, because they
provide the body with everything it requires for a full recovery from workouts.
Sleep
Sleep is a very important element to an athletes recovery, and it is one of the most, if not
the most important recovery technique pre and post workout. During sleep the body repairs itself
from strenuous activity and allows the body to get the needed rest from these types of activities.
Furthermore, sleep will also aid the athlete by increasing alertness and brain function, which will
assist the athlete tremendously during their training regimen. . . .sleep is particularly important
as it restores brain function and alertness in preparation for intense training sessions. (Robson,
2015). Also, if athletes are training for muscle growth such as body builders or football players,
then sleep becomes even that more important.
Muscle recovery is dependent on sleep because during the time an athlete is sleeping
many different things occur in order for muscle to strengthen and grow. Sleep also enhances
muscular recovery through protein synthesis and human growth hormone release. Getting eight
to ten hours of quality sleep every night will promote these factors as well as general well being.
Recovery will take a backward step if one does not prioritize sleep, so get to sleep if you want to
grow. (Robson, 2015). Recovery and sleep go hand-in-hand, and athletes must incorporate a
proper sleep schedule if they intend on being fully recovered for training and competition.
Nutrition
The food that an athlete puts in their body is something that should not be taken lightly.
Food is fuel and it gives athletes the necessary energy they need to train and compete, and
without the correct diet being consumed, athletes can hinder their recovery and performance. . .
.suggested that nutrition plays a part in the recovery from exercise or competition. (Rountree, p.

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106). Marathon runners for example need to have a diet high in carbohydrates because it is
essential for the long periods of running they will endure. Given that muscle glycogen is
limiting during a 2-h marathon, optimizing carbohydrate (CHO) intake and delivery is of
maximal importance. (Stellingwerff, p. 573). With that said, if athletes are properly educated on
nutrition, it could have positive affects on their performance. If sound nutrition advice is given,
it can be very beneficial to both the athletes health and performance. (Curley, Danaher, p. 211).
In addition, a balanced diet and consuming healthy foods will assists greatly with recovery from
intense training sessions. Eating the right foods pre and post workout will help with muscle
repair, and when lifting weights for a sport like football where many of the lifts involve heavy
weights, the proper nutrition is necessary for the athlete to enhance the repair of the muscles
broken down from training. . . .quality, quantity, and timing of intake of food and fluids after
workouts or competitive events to optimize processes such as refueling, rehydration, repair, and
adaptation. (Burke, Mujika, p. 425).
Pre and post workout nutrition is extremely important for athletes, because during the
workouts their body is using a lot of energy to get through the training session, and in order to
recovery fully the proper nutrition is a must. Your body uses stored energy (glycogen) in your
muscles to power through your workout or game, but after that workout, you need to replenish
the nutrients lost. (Mohr, 2016). This is why post workout nutrition is so important, and athletes
must understand the importance of getting the proper nutrition immediately after a workout. As
soon as possible post workout, get carbs and proteins immediately into your body. This gives
your muscles the ability to replenish the glycogen they lost through training and helps your tired
muscles rebuild and repair with the available protein and amino acids. (Mohr, 2016). Nutrition

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is without a doubt a vital element in the recovery process, and after high intense activity, whether
it is a training session or competition, nutrition plays a significant role in the athletes recovery.
Active Recovery
An intense training session or competitive matchups usually require athletes to perform
strenuous endurance activities. Athletes such as tennis player, football players, basketball
players and rugby players are involved in sports where they must display high levels of
endurance to compete. This ultimately means they have to utilize high endurance exercises and
training methods to prepare them for game day. Endurance exercises increase lactate buildup in
the muscles, which is the soreness an athlete can feel after training or a game. However, with
active recovery the athlete will use aerobic exercises such as swimming or riding a stationary
bike to assist with blood flow to the muscles that were used during their workout and aid with
recovery. An active recovery generally consists of aerobic exercise which can be performed
using different modes such as cycling, jogging, aqua jogging or swimming. (Halson, 2016).
These recovery exercises can help reduce the lactate acid build up, and it is a necessary
technique to resort to post workout. Active recovery is often thought to be better for recovery
than passive recovery due to enhanced blood flow to the exercised area and clearance of lactate
and other metabolic waste products via increased oxygen delivery. (Halson, 2016). Moreover,
the soreness athletes feel after training or competition is very common, and recovery techniques
like active recovery specifically reduce lactate and muscle soreness. This is why this is such an
important recovery technique to be utilized by athletes, because it has the ability to have them
fully recovered for their next game or workout. The role of active recovery is reducing lactate
concentrations and reducing muscle soreness after exercise may be an important factor for

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athletes. This is anecdotally reported to be one of the most common forms of recovery and
utilized by the majority of athletes for these reasons. (Halson, 2016).
Hydration
Athletes lose a lot of fluids during training and competition. This is why keeping
hydrated is such an important element pre and post workout. Furthermore, if athletes are not
consuming the proper amount of fluids, there will be an imbalance in fluid intake and fluid loss.
Athletes should be well hydrated before exercise and drink enough fluid during and after
exercise to balance fluid losses. (DiMarco, Rodriguez, Langley, 2010). Also, if athletes intend
on maximizing their performance during a training session or competitive matchup, adequate
fluids need to be consumed. Not to mention, proper hydration is required for the body to recover
from strenuous activity. Adequate food and fluid should be consumed before, during, and after
exercise to help maintain blood glucose concentration during exercise, maximize exercise
performance, and improve recovery time. (DiMarco, Rodriguez, Langley, 2010).
When an athlete is dehydrated it can have a number of effects on the body. Water is an
essential element that makes up the human body, and it is of extreme importance when looking at
certain functions in the body. Given that, when the body is dehydrated it is only a matter of time
before it begins to have an impact the bodys functions. . . .given the fundamental importance
of water for the body, dehydration will inevitably disrupt functioning at some point. (Benton,
Young, p. 83). In addition, dehydration will not only hinder an athletes ability to recover, but it
can also have a major impact on performance. The impact of dehydration on athletic
performance has been widely studied, and meta-analysis established that dehydration amounting
to 5% or more of body mass impairs both VO2max and exercise performance. (Benton, Young,

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p. 83). Athletes need to maintain proper hydration pre and post workout, if they intend on
keeping their body functioning and fully recovered.
Massage
Massages have been used worldwide for athletes of all sports as a method of recovery,
and also as a method to reduce and rehabilitate injuries. This technique is used to help reduce
muscle soreness, as well as aid the athlete to a fast recovery, and many believe massages are very
beneficial to an athletes performance. Massages has been around the world for thousands of
years as a rehabilitation and relaxation-inducing tool. Many coaches, athletes, and sports
medicine professionals believe that massage can enhance recovery from training, reduce injury
risk, and maintain athletic performance. (Rountree, p. 109). With that said, implementing
massages into the offseason or preseason training as a recovery technique can be very beneficial
to the athletes. According to Rountree:
. . .using 17 min of a classic Western massage protocol as a recovery modality
during the preseason preparation of Division 1 woman volleyball and
basketball

players resulted in a maintenance of shuttle run time, a decrease in

perceived

soreness, and an improvement in vertical jump performance when

compared with

a group of athletes who did not receive the massage

treatment. (Rountree, p. 109).

Massages have also been said to be have the ability to help athletes psychologically
because it helps the athletes in many other areas. Athletes who use massages as a recovery
technique pre and post workout have reduced tension, stress and also an improvement in mood
and relaxation. Additional support for using massage as a recovery modality comes from
literature suggesting that massage reduce anxiety, tension, stress (Rountree, p. 109).

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Moreover, as stated above athletes who receive massages are more relaxed and in better moods,
therefore having a beneficial psychological effects on the athlete. If the athlete is in a better
mind state, it could also help aid in their recovery from training or competition. . . .improves
mood; and increases relaxation, sense of well-being, and the perception of recovery. Thus, it
appears that massage offers significant psychological effects that may be of particular benefit to
the athlete during recovery. (Rountree, p. 109). Massages can have a huge impact on an
athletes recovery, and it is a technique that must be implemented into every training recovery
program.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the five essential recovery techniques mentioned above clearly show the
impact they have on athletes. Each recovery techniques can benefit athletes both pre and post
workout, and without one of these techniques being implemented into recovery programs, the
athletes recovery will not be maximized. Furthermore, the importance of sleep, proper nutrition
and hydration, active recovery, and massages need to be stressed to athletes so that they fully
understand how to benefit from these essential techniques. Before and after a training session, as
well as during recovery, these recovery techniques will help athletes reach optimal recovery and
performance. For these reasons, the five essential recovery techniques must always be
implemented into every recovery program, and utilized pre and post workout.

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References
Benton, D., Young., H., A., (2015). Do small differences in dehydration status affect
mood and mental performance? Nutrition Reviews, 73, 83-96.
Burke, L., M., Mujika, I., (2014). Nutrition for recovery in aquatic sports. International
Journal of Sport Nutrition & Exercise Metabolism, 24, 425-436.
Curley, T., Danaher, K,. (2014). Nutrition knowledge and practices of varsity coaches at
a canadian university. Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research, 75,
211-213.
Dimarco, N., M., Rodriguez, N., R., Langley, S., (2010). Nutrition and athleteic
performance. Retrieved from www.medscape.com April, 22, 2016.
Halson, S,. L,. (2016). Recovery techniques for athletes. Aspetar Sports Medicine
Journal. Retrieved from www.aspetar.com April, 21, 2016
Mohr, C,. R,. (2016). Timing your pre- and post-workout nutrition. Academy of Nutrition
and Dietetics. Retrieved from www.eatright.org April, 21, 2016.
Robson, D., (2015). Importance of sleep. Retrieved from www.bodybuilding.com April,
20, 2016.
Stellingwerff, T., (2013). Contemporary nutrition approaches to optimize elite marathon
performance. International Journal of Sports Physiology & Performance,
8, 573-

578.

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