Modalities for Individualized Recovery Implementation Strategies for the Student-Athlete
*Optimizing consistent sleep and nutrition habits should be the starting point and thus foundation of all recovery efforts.
Physical
Red Light-Bed
Pre-Training Benefits: Enhanced Strength and Energy, Increased Mobility
Post-Training Benefits: Anti-Inflammatory Response, Reduced Oxidative Stress, Reduced Pain
Optimal Dose: 2 to 5 times per week, 15 to 20 minute sessions
Increases: Strength, Energy, and power output
Decreases: Inflammation, pain and Metabolic Waste
Cryo
Pre-Training Benefits: Central Nervous system activation, endorphin-related analgesia, anti-inflammatory response, positive neuro-endocrine response
Post-Training Benefits: Anti-Inflammatory Response, positive neuro-endocrine response, decreased core body temperature
Optimal Dose: 2 to 5 times per week, 3 minute sessions, Not ideally applicable within 90 minutes of intense training
Increases: Energy, CNS Activation, Oxygenation, CNS Balance
Decreases: Inflammation, soreness
Contrast Bath
Pre-Training Benefits: Not ideally applicable
Post-Training Benefits: Increased circulation, anti-inflammatory response, clearing of metabolic waste
Optimal Dose: 1 to 2 times per week, 6 to 12 minute sessions
Increases: Circulation and Oxygenation
Decreases: Inflammation and Metabolic Waste
Cold Water Immersion
Pre-Training Benefits: Not ideally applicable
Post-Training Benefits: Anti-inflammatory response, positive neuro-endocrine response, Reduced Soreness, decreased core body temperature
Optimal Dose: 2 to 5 times per week, 4 to 20 minute sessions
Increases: Energy, CNS Activation, Oxygenation, CNS Balance
Decreases: Inflammation and soreness
Foam Rolling
Pre-Training Benefits: Increased Mobility, reduction of myofascial adhesion
Post-Training Benefits: Muscle relaxation, restoration of resting muscle length
Optimal Dose: Daily as needed, 2 to 10 minute sessions, 30-90 seconds per muscle group
Increases: Mobility
Decreases: Muscle Tension, Soreness, and Pain
Aerobic Recovery
Benefits: Accelerated return to homeostasis, reduce oxygen debt accumulation, increased aerobic contribution during interval training, and increased muscle blood flow
Optimal Dose: greater than 20 to 30 second interval training, 10 to 30 minute on recovery days, 30 to 50% VO2 Max
Increases: Circulation and mobility
Decreases: Soreness and Stiffness
Normatec
Pre-Training Benefits: Not ideally applicable
Post-Training Benefits: Positive neuro-endocrine response, increased circulation, reduce soreness, anti-inflammatory response, decreased muscle stiffness
Optimal Dose: As often as needed, 10 to 30 total minutes
Increases: Circulation
Decreases: Inflammation, metabolic waste and soreness
BEMER
Pre-Training Benefits: Improved circulation, increased energy
Post-Training Benefits: Positive neuro-endocrine responses, anti-inflammatory response
Optimal Dose: 2 time per day, 8 minute sessions
Increases: Circulation and Oxygenation
Decreases: Inflammation and Metabolic Waste
Holistic
Float Therapy
Pre-Training Benefits: Not ideally applicable
Post-Training Benefits: Improved sleep, reduced stress / cortisol, and reduced pain / soreness
Optimal Dose: 1 to 3 times per week, 60 minute sessions
Increases: Energy, sleep, mood, CNS balance
Decreases: Soreness, anxiety, pain and stress
Yoga
Pre-Training Benefits: Improves focus, mood, and memory recall, and improved mobility
Post-Training Benefits: decreased busy brain, decreased cortisol, inflammation, pain muscle tension, hypertension, improved focus, mood, calmness, immunity, sleep quality, and memory
Optimal Dose: 1 to 5 times per week, 30 to 90 minute sessions
Increases: Focus, mood and memory recall
Decreases: Busy brain, inflammation, and pain
Mental
Optimize Mindset
Pre-Training Benefits: Increased executive function, directed focus, regulated mood
Post-Training Benefits: Enhanced learning, rebound from setbacks, reduced stress, and overcome adversity
Optimal Dose: Daily, 5 to 60 seconds pre, during, or post training event
Increases: Executive function, focus, and mood
Decreases: stress
Mindful Low & Slow Breathing
Pre-Training Benefits: Increased focus, increased motivation and mindset, increased self-regulation
Post-Training Benefits: Improved sleep, reduction of stress
Optimal Dose: at least 1 time per day, 20 plus total minutes
Increases: Mindset, focus, motivation, self-regulation
Decreases: Stress