Success in sport is not only the result of effort, but also of the ability to recover properly. Strength lies in rest: only those who recover can perform at their best. Let’s find out together how recovery is the key to sporting success.
This post was provided to us by the Swiss magazine FITforLIFE. If you would like to read regular informative articles on running and endurance sports, click here.
Recovery between amateurs and professionals: challenges and strategies for optimal performance
In endurance sports such as cycling, triathlon and running, recovery plays a central role, determining the athlete’s ability to cope with prolonged challenges with consistency and strength. For amateur athletes, giving the body the necessary rest periods is essential to maximize performance. Unlike professionals, who can concentrate entirely on sport, amateurs must skillfully balance time between work and sporting activity. Despite the daily challenges, amateur athletes engage in training sessions that can easily exceed five to ten hours per week, often scheduled during the early morning or late evening hours. In this hectic routine, the element often overlooked is the recovery period, which is indispensable to achieve the best possible performance.
The Phenomena of Supercompensation and Open Window
Training is not just a succession of intense physical efforts, but represents a balanced combination of effort and recovery. During the regenerative phase, the body recovers, adapts, and prepares for the next effort, thus improving performance. This phenomenon is known as ‘supercompensation‘, during which performance increases from its original pre-training level. This effect is crucial in athletic training, as by challenging the body with the right stimulus at the right time, we achieve optimal improvement in sports performance. As in a pyramid, the upper levels are built on top of the lower ones.
During the phase of intense exertion, instead, the body responds with fatigue and becomes less efficient and more vulnerable to short-term illness. This second phenomenon is known as ‘Open Window‘. During this period, the body’s defenses are reduced, increasing the risk of colds or infections. How long the ‘open window’ lasts varies and depends on the type of stress. The sensitive phase may last only a few hours, but also several days. In general, the more intense and exhausting the sporting activity, the greater the challenge to the immune system.
Recovery time: the key to maintaining and improving performance
The key question is: how long should I wait before starting a new training session? The secret is to always seize the right moment for the next workout, as not all stresses require the same recovery time.
If you wait too long without stimulation, your performance will quickly return to where it was. There is no point in only doing a two-hour run over the weekend and being inactive for the rest of the week. On the other hand, if you resume training before recovery is complete, you are subjecting your body to strain without any training benefits. If this happens frequently, performance will drop instead of improving steadily.
As a rule of thumb, the regeneration time after free aerobic endurance training is 24-36 hours, after intensive anaerobic endurance training 48-72 hours, and after strength training 72 hours (for the trained muscle group).
Create with 2PEAK an AI-based training plan for triathlon, cycling and running that adapts to your performance after each workout. Download the app and start revolutionizing your training.
Regeneration in phases: guide to crucial recovery times
- 4-6 minutes: Full recovery of muscle creatine phosphate stores.
- 30 minutes: Heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure and lactic acid levels in the blood have returned to normal.
- 90 minutes: Reconstruction of the destroyed muscle proteins begins. We move from decomposition to the reconstruction of metabolic processes.
- 6-24 hours: In the first six hours, the first filling of the depot (carbohydrates), water and electrolyte balance (e.g. magnesium and iron) and normalization of the ratio of solid to liquid components of the blood (haematocrit) occur.
- 24 hours: Replenishment of carbohydrate reserves in the liver.
- 2-7 days: Reconstitution of carbohydrate reserves in stressed and possibly (partially) destroyed muscles.
- 3-5 days: Replenishment of muscle fat reserves.
- 3-10 days: Recovery of defective muscle fibres.
- 7-14 days: Restoration of the cells’ energy supply systems. Gradual recovery of full muscle aerobic capacity.
- 7-21 days: Psychic recovery.
- 4-8 weeks: Completion of regeneration after a marathon or Ironman.
The indicated times may vary depending on the duration, intensity of the exercise and the athlete’s individual performance and constitution. After a relaxed endurance run, recovery may take about half a day, while intense training or a short competition may take several days. A marathon can take weeks or months for full recovery, explaining why top runners only run two or three marathons a year. In summary, the intensity of the exercise is more decisive for recovery time than the duration.
The same rule applies to strength training: a workout with maximum weight and few repetitions puts more strain on the muscles than a workout with little weight and many repetitions. Therefore, it is important to carefully balance the recovery time after each type of load.
What is valid for a small cycle of a few training units must also be thought out for longer periods. After two or three weeks of intensive training in preparation, it is essential to include rest weeks with less demanding sessions. After an intense competition phase, it is advisable to stop training for a while and allow the body to rest completely.
Active vs. Passive Recovery
Various measures can promote recovery after physical exertion, distinguishing between active and passive approaches. Active regeneration, such as running, stretching or swimming, stimulates blood flow and anabolic metabolic processes. Passive measures, such as eating, sauna or sleeping, improve well-being and muscle elasticity. Whether passive relaxation can accelerate physical regeneration is debated, but it is undeniable that mental stress impacts on sports performance, making mental relaxation crucial.
In sport, stress and recovery are closely related, so the key is not to increase the quantity, but to improve the quality of training and shorten recovery time. Ignoring recovery can lead to negative consequences, so give yourself the time you need to regenerate body and mind.
Are you ready to revolutionize your training? Try 2PEAK free for 14 days!
