Feeling extremely fatigued and sore during a gym/ rehab session?
Still struggling to navigate the stairs 3 days post leg day?
Constantly hungry and tired?
Experiencing mental fogginess or becoming irritable?
If you said yes to any of these… then please be assured that you’re not the only one.
Just about everyone who exercises is guilty of not prioritising their recovery from time to time, whilst dismissing effective strategies to keep injuries to a minimum.
But… perhaps you’re not aware of what you need to be prioritising to ensure you’re maximising your recovery and or preventing injury?
Well… if this is you… look no further! The Physio Lounge hold recovery and optimising performance in the highest regard and we do everything we can to educate our patients to ensure they’re leaving no stone un-turned when it comes to optimising performance whilst striving to achieve their fitness/rehab goals.
Without further ado… we hope you enjoy today’s read as we highlight several key areas you could be addressing to ensure you are in optimal performance mode.
Number 1: Nutrition
Don’t think about food … Don’t look at food… Don’t smell food…
Is NOT how we should approach our lives! The food we consume is the fuel we need to not only survive but perform to our highest potential.
You wouldn’t notice your petrol light come on in the car and then attempt to drive from Manchester to London without filling up first? The same goes for our bodies… we too, as finely oiled machines, also need the correct fuel (food and drink) to ensure we’re able to complete the physical tasks we impose on ourselves in and outside of the gym environment.
With that being said, we should aim to eat a balanced diet consisting of a wide variety of healthy foods, ensuring we prioritise the consumption of a mixture of lean protein sources, fruits and vegetables rich in fibre, vitamins and minerals, as well as healthy fats and carbohydrates.
Protein is great for building muscle, essential for recovery and a great support tool during rehabilitation. We’ve teamed up with Optimum Nutrition, our official nutrition supplement partner, to give you a killer deal. Use the code ‘TPL20’ at checkout and enjoy a whopping 20% off. Whether it’s protein shakes, bars, or BCAAs, you’ve got a golden ticket to premium nutrition.
Additionally, it is also essential to stay well hydrated throughout the day, recommendations suggest around 6-8 cups of water a day. However, it is important to note that in higher temperatures or in individuals who are exercising intensely or for prolonged periods, these recommendations will differ slightly.
Now! This does not mean you should completely restrict yourself from all thing’s chocolate, biscuits and sweets! Everything can be consumed in moderation and sometimes going cold turkey can be counterproductive and result in mass consumption of Nutella at 11pm (at least from personal experience). Therefore, trying to stick to things like the 80/20 rule can be useful and its pretty easy to follow.
80% of the time you should be eating healthy… 20% of the time you can afford to treat yourself a little!
However, your food consumption should be viewed as a lifestyle and not as a diet! You’re eating habits should be sustainable and not outright torture.
Number 2: Sleep
Getting enough sleep can really be one of life’s hardest challenges…
Whether it be a result of your occupation, binge watching true crime series on Netflix or your beloved children that just never seem to have an off button! Making a conscious effort to get at least 8 hours sleep is crucial in allowing your body to optimally recover!
Sleep allows our bodies to recharge and repair from the stressors of life that we are exposed to throughout our waking hours on a physiological level… Whether that be physically or mentally.
Without this, we increase the likelihood of experiencing things like stress, anxiety and irritability! As well as a reduction in energy levels and poorer cognitive function. Ultimately, a combination of things we would like to avoid!!
With that being said, turn off the TV, get off your phone, make sure your room is nice and dark and get some shut eye at a reasonable hour to ensure you’re well rested and ready to attack the day come sun rise!
Number 3: Adequate rest
Which brings us nicely onto our next point… managing our training load and ensuring we are getting adequate rest for optimal results.
The fear of missing out can be over powering at times and having a well needed rest day can be seen as a sin to some people! However, over exerting yourself without enough rest to fully recover can be detrimental to training and result in plateaus in progress, physical injury and mental burnout. So, it is essential to listen to your body and take “rests” when needed.
Now this doesn’t mean you have to sit on the couch all day… It means take a break from your typical training routine for a day and select something more leisurely… Like a walk with the dog, a light swim or low intensity bike ride. Doing this can ensure you’re still staying active but it can also allow the body enough time to properly recover before recommencing training as normal.
Anything else?
Now that you’re eating well, sleeping well and resting up… you’ve lay the foundations for optimal performance. However! There are a few other tools you could be utilising throughout your training to give you that extra 10%.
Massage
Don’t worry, with this next one… We’ve got your back! Literally.
And quads, calves and hammies!
Sports massages are extremely popular here at The Physio Lounge and people of all ages and activity levels utilise them to keep them feeling fresh!
Although massage hasn’t been directly linked with performance (I.e., it won’t make you stronger or faster) … Research has shown that massage has positive influence on an individual’s flexibility and perceived muscular soreness. Two influential factors on performance in our humble opinion… how can you expect yourself to perform at the best of your ability when you’re too sore and stiff from a session two days ago?
Additionally, alongside the physical benefits, massage can also have some great psychological benefits and can be a great stress reliever also.
So, whether it’s to relieve some of that built up mental stress you’ve been harbouring because of work or to help with muscular soreness ready for your next park run, massage is definitely something to take advantage of. You can book a sports massage with us HERE.
Mobility
Another important area to address within your training/rehab is your mobility… mobility referring to your ability to move freely when performing a certain movement at a specific joint. Mobility is an area that is often neglected as it is seen as time consuming, boring and often uncomfortable! However, you’ll be surprised at just how great you feel in training just by simply adding a few mobility drills into your session.
Although research has identified flexibility as a poor indicator of injury risk, it has highlighted that the risk of injury to an individual increases if they have low quality movement patterns. Therefore, for us this is more than enough of a reason to focus on mobility and good quality movement patterns within your training, as it has great crossover into our training and abilities to perform movements to a high standard.
Biomechanics/ Technique awareness
Likewise, having an awareness of how our biomechanics affect us during movement is very important… Especially from an injury prevention stand point! As too is technique.
Utilising biomechanical screening to identify imbalances within the lower limb can be very useful in injury prevention and treatment and is something we recommend taking full advantage of here at The Physio Lounge.
Our physiotherapist’s can utilise tools such as our Foot Scanner and video analysis software to screen individuals’ biomechanics and technique when performing any movement. Whether this be walking, running, weight training or bringing the shopping bags in from the car… The information used is individualised and can improve all round performance and help implement intervention to prevent injury!
Take home message
We understand that having to consider all of these variables within your training, can be a very confusing and daunting task, particularly if you’re new to exercising or physiotherapy. However, at TPL, this isn’t a problem. We are happy to help with any questions and would love to be able to support you along your journey. Contact us for more information on any of our services.