If you are an athlete, coach or a parent of an athlete, these few essential tips should become part of your athletic recovery routine, if you want to take your performance to the next level and resync your body effectively.

Any top professional or Olympic athlete will tell you that his or her performance improves, when they start paying attention to the quality and quantity of their recovery.

Why is that?

They simply have learned that an under-recovered athlete becomes an injured or underperforming athlete. They know that proper recovery can:

• Reduce delayed fascia soreness. Yes, soreness comes from fascia not muscles.
• Performing land based and aquatic recovery therapies help improve physiological as well as psychological recovery time.
• Clean diet and supplemental intake can only support their gaps in musculoskeletal recovery.

I am going to provide you with information that top professional and Olympic athletes incorporate into their weekly routines to improve their performance and to stay free of injuries.

First of all, incorporate land-based and aquatic therapies into your active recovery.

Here are some options to take into consideration:

• Cool downs – with emphasis on proper breathing and movement patterns. Not only to elongate your spine but to also address parasympathetic nervous system recovery.
• Modalities applied by 3^rd party – recovery massage, manual therapy, taping, fascia stretch, myolux, physical therapy.
• Aquatic recovery therapies – mineral baths, ice bath, underwater massage, cool downs in water, myofascial release in water, watsu therapy, and even training in water to take pressure of the joints and spine.

These options above are definitely more effective and sophisticated than simple foam rolling, which is the most popular form of self-myofascial release or in other words “tool-assisted self-manual therapy”.

Next and equally important is your dietary intake.

As you probably already have heard, inflammation becomes our biggest enemy, which affects your health and athletic recovery as well.

A clean anti-inflammatory diet offers a nontoxic, long-term approach to avoid chronic injuries, support healthy inflammation, and enhance optimal musculoskeletal function.

Maybe an anti-inflammatory diet does not have the most affect on lost cartilage, but it can speed up an acute injury, and it will definitely support the quality of your athletic recovery.

Today, I would like to share with you just some of the things to take into consideration while preparing your post workout meals.

These culinary spices, herbs, fruits and vegetables can be used in your meals and drinks as well as provide you with more balanced anti-inflammatory properties.

Their health benefits are associated with specific bioactive substances that oppose inflammation.

You have heard me speaking in previous blogs on the benefits of ginger and turmeric, which are part of our Resync proprietary blend. But there are more ingredients that you could use while preparing your food.

Here are just few more examples: saffron, bromelain, german chamomile, licorice and capsaicin.

As always I would advise you consult with your sport dietitian regarding using specific herb quantities, as large doses can be toxic and unfortunately have adverse consequences. However like with any food, smaller portions more frequently are more beneficial for digestion and absorption purpose.

Your diet should also be supported by plant-based food as it can only support healthy performance, and enhance your athletic recovery.

Phytochemicals (carotenoids and flavonoids) promote antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Please see the table for some ideas.

 

 

Please keep in mind that there are many options to improve your athletic performance and recovery as well.

I wanted to share with you the most effective ways practiced by the top professional, who I personally work with.

You may always change some parts of your recovery plan, but keep in mind that land based and aquatic movement therapies, and nutritional intakes should be your top priorities to pay attention to if you do not want to become and underperforming athlete.