<h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #993366;"><em><strong>PART 6 - IMPROVED RECOVERY FROM RUNNING SESSIONS</strong></em></span></h1>
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<h3><span style="color: #993366;"><strong>Why should you consider recovery post workouts? particularly your harder sessions?</strong></span></h3>
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<h3><span style="color: #008080;">Workout stimulus + Quality recovery = Improved
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<h3><span style="color: #008080;">Failure to consider appropriate recovery usually leads to injury, illness and excessive tiredness.</span></h3>
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<h3><span style="color: #993366;"><strong>What can you do to reap the most out of your workouts?</strong></span></h3>
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<h5><span style="color: #008080;"><em><strong><span style="color: #993366;">Quality sleep - sleep is King</span></strong> - consider grabbing a little extra post harder<em> workouts.  From growth hormones to testosterone, sleep is your ultimate rebuilding &amp; strengthening discipline.</em></em></span></h5>
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<h5><span style="color: #008080;"><em><strong><span style="color: #993366;">Nutrition</span></strong> - Obviously your post workout fuel is critical - lots of 'good' fats, a <img class="alignright size-full wp-image-3771" src="http://www.bpsnowyhealth.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/zzz.jpg" alt="zzz" width="212" height="237" />variety of protein, and loads of mixed veggies.  Oh and water to thirst.</em></span></h5>
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<h5><span style="color: #008080;"><em><strong><span style="color: #993366;">Green machine</span> </strong>- post your harder higher threshold sessions consider anything green - as in juices.  Green produce is known to alkalize your likely acidic state post smash up sessions.  Green sports drink is NOT appropriate.  Super Greens, Spirulina, or any grassy, leafy product. </em></span></h5>
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<h5><span style="color: #008080;"><em><strong><span style="color: #993366;">Meditate</span> </strong>- simply close your eyes for 20 seconds and focus only on controlling and more so relaxing your breathing rate.  Relaxed breathing will let your brain know everything is AOK.</em></span></h5>
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<h5><span style="color: #008080;"><em><strong><span style="color: #993366;">Legs Up</span></strong> - simply lay down and pop your feet up against something - wall, chair, desk etc.  Allow gravity to assist in the removal of wastes (eg acidity, micro fibre breakdown etc). </em></span></h5>
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<h5><em><strong style="color: #008080;"><span style="color: #993366;">Water is Gold</span></strong><span style="color: #008080;"> - while the </span>therapeutic<span style="color: #008080;"> nature of hydrotherapy is widely unknown, it works!  Simply standing around in water is extra-ordinarily therapeutic for tired working legs.  The colder the water the better.  Better still is cold salt water (I don't know why this works - it just does).</span></em></h5>
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<h5><span style="color: #008080;"><em><strong><span style="color: #993366;">Compression pants</span></strong> - certainly if you've just performed a hard exercise session and you find yourself sitting shortly after for an extended period of time
- compression garments do seem to help recovery in this case.</em></span></h5>
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<h5><span style="color: #008080;"><em><strong><span style="color: #993366;">Massage</span> </strong>- while we're still not exactly sure why or how massage works, the point is, for most people you can expect a positive return.  I suspect the muscular skeletal improvement received is largely psychosomatic.  Meaning the brain senses a more relaxed sensation and in turn releases tension of (fatigued) muscle fibres.  Whatever! again it seems to work! </em></span></h5>
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<h5><em><span style="color: #008080;"><strong><span style="color: #993366;">Descaled intensity</span></strong> - I most certainly recommend a warming down period, particularly after more intense sessions.  While usually all you feel like doing is hitting the shower, I recommend reducing your intensity gradually over<img class="alignright wp-image-3768" src="http://www.bpsnowyhealth.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/ffhfhfh-300x169.jpg" alt="ffhfhfh" width="256" height="144" /> 2-3 minutes - eg 70% - 50% - 30% - walk.</span></em></h5>
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<h5><em><span style="color: #993366;"><strong>Legs swings</strong></span> - <span style="color: #008080;">Opposed to standard or classic statically held end range stretches, I'm more a fan of simply swinging your limbs (with control) through a natural range.  </span></em></h5>
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<h3><span style="color: #993366;"><strong>Stuff I'm not so sure about!</strong></span></h3>
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<h5><em><strong style="color: #008080;"><span style="color: #993366;">Salt</span></strong><span style="color: #008080;"> - When appropriate conditions present, and only when you're innately drawn towards salty food do I believe topping up on additional salt is advised.  Yes, if you're training heavily in heat, and yes if you could sweat for Australia, then it is possible additional salt may assist in recovery, performance and to prevent muscular dysfunction like cramping. For years now in all types of conditions I have personally </span>trialed<span style="color: #008080;"> salt supplements and only now when in hot conditions, and after swimming (eg a triathlon), do I use salts tabs.</span></em></h5>
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<h5><span style="color: #008080;"><em><strong><span style="color: #993366;">Supplements</span></strong> - Nuh! I have trialed near every possible (legal) supplement on <img class="alignright size-full wp-image-3767" src="http://www.bpsnowyhealth.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/c.jpg" alt="c" width="275" height="183" />the market in search of a performance boost.  I'm afraid I've come up with nothing! I have researched this subject to the nth, and now, years later, I just can't believe, irrespective of persuasive marketing that supplements are physically necessary.  I guess if one thinks they work, it may be likely they will work - so in this case, go for it!</em></span></h5>
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<h5><span style="color: #008080;"><em><strong><span style="color: #993366;">Stretching</span></strong> - I am NOT a fan of static stretches - particularly when held at end range of an extended period of time.  There's enough evidence to suggest possible neural dysfunction and consequent muscular inhibition.  </em></span></h5>
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<h5><span style="color: #008080;"><em><strong><span style="color: #993366;">Sports drinks</span></strong> - In my opinion leave sports drinks to the back half of the Hawaiian Ironman marathon leg.  Then, and only then would they be considered appropriate in my opinion.  A steady 1 hour workout, or worst still, in a kids lunchbox, does not seem appropriate!  Be careful of marketing in overdrive! </em></span></h5>
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<h5><span style="color: #008080;"><em><strong><span style="color: #993366;">Sports nutrition</span></strong> - I can't believe a manufactured and largely modified food choice could be better than 'real' food.  While I appreciate possible convenience, with a little forward planning I reckon an apple will forever trump a fancy <img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-3766" src="http://www.bpsnowyhealth.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/vgbgbbgbgbgbg-300x249.jpg" alt="vgbgbbgbgbgbg" width="300" height="249" />sports bar spruiked by an athlete with a red &amp; yellow mascot.</em></span></h5>
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<h5><span style="color: #008080;"><em><strong><span style="color: #993366;">Altitude tents</span></strong> - while the theory of altitude training and it's benefits most certainly has merit and is strongly supported by some athletes and leading trainers, for most part, I can't help but believe that keeping it 'normal' is best.</em></span></h5>
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<h5><span style="color: #008080;"><em><strong><span style="color: #993366;">Aromatherapy</span></strong> - While again largely unfounded, I've experimented with both Lavender and Jasmine oils post harder workouts.  Simply dab a little essential oil on your top lip and carry on with your busy day.  I have to admit I do find myself more calm and relaxed when using these oils.</em></span></h5>
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<h3><span style="color: #993366;"><strong>Poor recovery habits</strong></span></h3>
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<h5><span style="color: #008080;"><em><strong><span style="color: #993366;">Alcohol</span> </strong>- While there's no significant proof that alcohol inhibits fitness (as in with intermittent consumption), I'm certain excessive alcohol places additional stress on the gut, and convinced the gut plays a significant role in ones athletic <img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-3765" src="http://www.bpsnowyhealth.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/fgfgfff-300x199.jpg" alt="fgfgfff" width="300" height="199" />metabolism.  I believe Hydration is also compromised post excessive alcohol consumption.  My golden rule is to drop AZ top (intensity) by 10 beats post excessive alcohol - and avoid exercising in warmer considerations.  </em></span></h5>
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<h5><span style="color: #008080;"><em><strong><span style="color: #993366;">Stress</span></strong> - while I'll cover the effects of lifestyle stress in detail in PART 3 - <strong>WORK/LIFESTYLE BALANCE</strong>, I am wary of mixing harder exercise with simmering lifestyle emotional stress.  It seems to be a destructive hormonal mix - a mix that can negatively influencing ones health and consequent athletic performance.</em></span></h5>
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<h5><span style="color: #00ccff;"><em>My golden rule is to never thump harder training sessions with juggling challenges between the ears.  Drop your intensity and consider the athletic interests on the DEFENSE.  Defend your fitness opposed to attacking it.</em></span></h5>
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<h5><span style="color: #008080;"><em><strong><span style="color: #993366;">Sitting</span></strong> - Sitting for long periods of time post exercise is a postural disaster.  While I understand is it largely unavoidable, set yourself a friendly reminder to stand up and down every 20 minutes or so.  At least this keeps your blood pumping - and more so clearing post training waste.</em></span></h5>
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<h5><span style="color: #008080;"><em><strong><span style="color: #993366;">Sugar</span> </strong>- We covered the possible and likely negative effects of refined sugar consumption in SECTION 1 - FOOD AWARENESS, but, for the record, unless you are suitably and highly trained, have pressed your intensity to its limit, and, have a solid grip of your lifestyle stress, I can't believe refined sugar choices are in your best interest.</em></span></h5>
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<h5><span style="color: #00ccff;"><em>For most people - Avoid sports gels and sports drink at all costs.</em></span></h5>
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<h5><span style="color: #008080;"><em><strong><span style="color: #993366;">Back to back smack down sessions</span></strong> - a hard exercise session followed (shortly) by another hard session seems commonly to contribute to illness - eg colds &amp; flu's.  With hard sessions, which are certainly required for some athletes (when appropriate), improved recovery practice becomes increasingly important in avoiding immune stress.  </em></span></h5>
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<h5><span style="color: #00ccff;"><em>I love the 48+ hour rule between 'hard' sessions</em></span></h5>
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<h5><span style="color: #3366ff;"><em><span style="color: #00ccff;">Hard sessions = over and above your AZ for extended periods of time.</span><img class="alignright wp-image-3764" src="http://www.bpsnowyhealth.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/massss.png" alt="massss" width="182" height="139" /></em></span></h5>
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<h5><span style="color: #008080;"><em><strong><span style="color: #993366;">Skimping sleep</span></strong> - I mentioned earlier how critical quality sleep is related to your continued healthy adaptation post exercise.  Equally ripping yourself off by limiting sleep can inhibit your hormonal rebuilding and recovery phase post workout.  </em></span></h5>
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<h3><a href="http://www.bpsnowyhealth.com.au/contact/"><span style="color: #3366ff;"><strong>Any questions??</strong></span></a></h3>
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