BY THE WTS COACHES
Jean-Batiste Wiroth, Rachid El Morabity’s coach (https://www.facebook.com/elmorabityofficial/)
Fondater of the WTS network – The Coaching Company (http://www.wts.fr)
PhD - Docteur en Physiologie de l’Exercice
During intensive training the main risk for a trailer is a bad management of his recuperation powers.
A good start
During a competition or a very strenuous session, the body goes through maximal physical and mental stress. This stress generates a rupture in our body’s internal balance (what the physiologists call homeostasy) resulting in acute exhaustion. After an effort, the body sets up a number of processes in order to compensate the disruptions and re-establish a normal physiological working order. Obviously the time necessary to go back to normal is proportional to the effort.
However, whatever the type of effort, recuperation is influenced by a number of parameters such as level of training, environmental conditions (weather, altitude), sleep, psychological make up, additive help (massage, thalassotherapy) other activities (professional, family) and food.
How nutrition can help recuperation
Nutrition is an athlete’s first “weapon” and proper food intake will accelerate recuperation and dissipate the outward signs of exhaustion.
The purpose of this food intake is
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To rehydrate the body
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To restore ones energy reserves
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To eliminate acid waste
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To stimulate muscular synthesis
Most specialist agree that it takes 6 to 8 hours recuperation after an effort, during which optimization can be set up according to the following process :
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1/ - It is advisable to rehydrate by consuming a drink consisting in 50g carbohydrates and 25g protein. This mixture allows restoration of carbohydrate reserves and protein synthesis (muscular fibres, hormones). It also allows an insulin release which allows the re- introduction of carbohydrates and amino-acid into the muscles.
Drinking fizzy mineral water with a high rate of bicarbonate and sodium will absorb and thus compensate corporal acidity and rehydrate the organism. It is advised to drink 1,5 times the difference in weight between the moments before and after the effort.
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2/ - About one hour after the end of the effort, when one starts getting hungry again, first solid food can be reintroduced such as dried fruit, cereal bars, a small sandwich, steamed potatoes … at a rate of 50g carbohydrates per hour.
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3/ - A few hours after the end of the effort, an ” ovo-lacto-vegan” including
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Soup (mixed vegetables and potatoes)
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Mixed salads with colza, olive, grape seed, soja oil
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Starch : pasta, rice, potatoes, dried vegetables
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Eggs (2 or 3)
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Yoghurts
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4/ - Later in the day one can also add a medication made up of ramified amino-acids (leucin, isoleucine and valin and glutamin) which will complete the intake in order to stimulate the muscular synthesis, boost and restore the immunological and nervous systems.
Needless to say that intakes of alcohol, sodas, red meat should be avoided during the first 24 hours after the effort.
Other recuperation methods
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Alternate training and recuperation phases. If you respect recuperation phases after each effort phase you will enable your body to adapt to what is expected of it. In order to progress it is thus necessary to increase and harden the training phases and to optimize the post-training phases. Nothing can replace proper rest when exhaustion is critical
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Sleeping properly is one of the crucial parts of all training (see http://www.wts.fr/les -3-piliers-de-la-forme). A good recuperation requires good sleep in terms of quantity, quality and regularity. This last point is particularly important as it has been noticed that changes of rhythm are extremely tiring and are a handicap to recuperation. Such is the case for people who alternate day and night work or have to frequently cope with jet lags.
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A few hours after the end of the effort, 10 to 15 minutes of a very light intensity exercises (50-60% of maximal heart rate) will help eliminate toxins produced by the muscles used during the competition. Walking, swimming or quiet bicycling are advised.
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Stretching or massage in order to decrease neuro-muscular pressure is also advised. Hydrotherapy with an alternation of hot (28°c) and cold (12°c) baths is a good way of vaso-constructing (reducing the diameter) the blood vessels and reducing the inflammatory process. Heat produces vasodilatation and helps the drainage of the muscular fibres. Runners can use the shower to sprinkle very hot followed by very cold water on their leg muscles.
As a conclusion it can be said that recuperation of one physical aptitudes after a very heavy training session or a competition is a guarantee of success for a faster and optimal resumption of activities. Moreover the above advice should avoid appearance of the over-training syndrome.
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