The Importance of Nutrition in Athletic Recovery

You are what you eat, and as an athlete, what you eat can make a huge difference in your recovery. Eating the right balance of macronutrients, vitamins and minerals is key to repairing and rebuilding muscle, reducing inflammation, and restoring energy levels. You want to make sure you're getting enough protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates. Plus, don't forget about those all-important recovery vitamins and minerals like vitamin C, magnesium, and zinc.

The Often Overlooked Recovery Method

You might not think of sleep as a recovery method, but it's crucial for recovery as it is during sleep that your body repairs and regenerates. Athletes should aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night to ensure that their body has enough time to repair and rejuvenate. And don't forget, consistency is key, so try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day.

Prepare To Plan or Prepare To Fail

Recovery should be planned and structured, just like training. It is crucial that both recovery and training periodisation occurs to help to avoid overtraining and ensure that you are in peak condition for competitions or important training sessions.

Sweat It Out

Infrared saunas use infrared heat to penetrate the skin and warm the body from the inside out, which can provide a number of benefits for athletic recovery. These include reducing muscle soreness and inflammation, improving flexibility and mobility, improving sleep, detoxifying the body, and improving cardiovascular health and function.

The Cold Truth To Athletic Recovery

The cold temperature helps to reduce inflammation and improve recovery by constricting blood vessels, which reduces blood flow to the area. This causes the body to release anti-inflammatory molecules and flood the area with oxygen-rich blood once the cryotherapy session is over. This increased blood flow can help to speed up the healing process and reduce muscle soreness. Additionally, cold temperatures can also help to reduce pain and swelling, which can be beneficial for athletes recovering from an injury. 

The Extra Boost Your Body Needs

Potentially the most hotly debated topic of all. Certain supplements can aid in recovery, such as protein powders, creatine, omega-3 fatty acids, and anti-inflammatory supplements like turmeric. We offer Sports Dietitian sessions as part of your membership, so you can rest assured you're getting optimised and individualised supplement advice.

The Secret Weapon in Athletic Recovery

Compression Boots are designed to improve blood flow and reduce muscle soreness. Wearing compression boots after a workout or competition or wearing blood flow restriction devices may help to speed up recovery. There are many contraindications to its use, so consulting an expert before using these is a must!