Recovery is mostly FOMO (fear of missing out).
The current trending FOMO product is the massage gun.
You may get short-term relief (mostly psychological) the day after a leg destroying squat session. But it’s NOT an effective long-term recovery strategy.
Massage Guns are overpriced vibrators, they're NOT a recovery strategy Click To Tweet
Instead, master the things that work and see your performance jump to another level. Here’s 4 recovery methods that work:
1. Sleep
Fewer than 8 hours sleep a night can double your risk of injury (Milewski et al., 2014).
Athletes might need more.
Sleep is the foundation of recovery. If it’s an issue for you, I’ve got an article on 6 simple actions you can take to improve your sleep.
2. The Body is One Piece
Stress is stress, it all fills the same cup.
Look after your health (psychological + physiological) and watch your recovery rate accelerate.
Practical strategies include seeing your dentist and doctor for regular check-ups, and meditation if you have a busy mind.
3. Programming
Appropriate load management through a balanced training programme is key.
Training volume or intensity should not drastically spike. Manage your volume and intensity carefully. You’re not playing professional rugby, you don’t need to train like it.
4. Nutrition
Provide your body with the building blocks.
If you’re not eating enough calories or nutrients, you haven’t got the resources to recover. Undereating is a big problem with athletes, track your food for a week and see if your providing your body with the fuel it needs.
Finally, learn how to splurge. Don’t spend £400 on a massage gun.
Instead splurge on improving the basics i.e. buy blackout curtains, good cushions, invest in your dental health or invest in a coach who can do it for you.
