What is an active recovery?

Feb 25, 2015

by 226ERS #FeedYourDreams

Marta Esteban Pro Program 226ers tells us her experience and knowledge about a topic that, at this point in the season, should worry. Not everything is fire, we must train with head and active recovery is as relevant as load days.

In our weekly training plan it is possible that we have caught our attention two words that could be contradictory: "Recovery" (Sofa and Manta would imply) and “Active " (Then ... do we move?). We will try to explain what they imply and What is your mission within our preparation. Active recovery is an exercise carried out Low intensity. We can do it at many times, for example within training, gently jogging between intervals, or after a quality session (the return to calm or release) as a training session alone.

There are studies that have demonstrated benefits in all these situations.

The return to calm, according to a study of the year 2000 (Wigernaes et al.), Showed that it helped prevent the fall of the number of leukocytes that occurs in the first 15 minute after exercise (leukocytes are blood cells that help us defend ourselves from infections). This means that The return to calm helps our body gently return to normal After a hard series session or a strong filming, and reduces the stress of the immune system (and if we also add the product to this K-Weeks Immune We will be improving our recovery much faster). On the other hand and not least, the Lactic acid washing, the body temperature returns to normal more easily, the central nervous system calms down (stopping is a greater impact for the organism, we have all suffered from a slight dizziness when the beings end up abruptly). After this return to calm Some soft static stretching are very advisable (not the ballistics). Secondly, as I have already suggested, not whenever we roll soft is to release, We can also use that trot as a training day alone. These days we raise the heart rate enough to Increase blood circulation and thus favor the recovery of the muscles, but these sessions are so light that they do not test tendons and muscles already fatigued.

These days of active recovery should be placed among the great hardness

If we use the pulsometer in our usual training, it is said that We should train in our "Zone I" or that which does not pass from 55% of our maximum heart rate (It really is a very comfortable rhythm, the same one we could use to heat before some series). Nor should they be longer than 40 ’, since then it could be confused with a soft resistance session (always thinking that our total number of kilometers a week does not exceed 80-90). These days of active recovery should be placed among the great hardness, they are very important so that we can make strong sessions of diabolical series or fartleks, if we do not measure our efforts ... little we will run at the end. By not resting the soft days, hard days we will not be able to train with such intensity to improve. As I said, it is about starting the circulation, that a lot of blood rich in oxygen arrives to muscle fibers and thus contribute to reduce the rigidity because we help eliminate undone products. In addition, and this is very important, it reduces the monotony of training, mental stress and therefore Once in order.