MASTER CLASS: Work won't make you strong, unless you also rest

Personal trainer Christopher "Smitty" Smith demonstrates the Side to Side V Up exercise in a quiet corner at Little Rock Athletic Club. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/CELIA STOREY)
Personal trainer Christopher "Smitty" Smith demonstrates the Side to Side V Up exercise in a quiet corner at Little Rock Athletic Club. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/CELIA STOREY)

Recovery is one of the least explored aspects of fitness training, probably because 80% of the population is trying to reach physical activity standards — as opposed to slowing themselves down.

But here's the thing: Recovery is important for everyone.

People don't grow stronger during their workouts; gains occur during the rest break that follows. Recovery is the period where training stimuli take effect. This critical period between workouts should be approached with the same attention to detail and given the same importance as the workout itself.

Selecting the right nutrition, reducing inflammation and creating the right conditions for your next workout are just a few elements of a proper recovery program. But first and foremost, the body needs rest.

Tough, grueling workouts deplete nutrients, water, vitamins and minerals. Muscles often sustain microtrauma that needs to heal before the next intense sweat session. So I recommend organizing recovery time into "periods."

The first hour after a workout is important. Replace lost water, slowly allow the heart rate to recover back to resting levels and reduce respiration and perspiration rates. Stretching is also recommended. For those interested in muscle growth, this is also a great time to feed the body with some sort of protein. Whether that's a supplement or whole food is an individual decision.

After the first hour, recovery is about allowing the body heal. If extreme soreness sets in, over-the-counter anti-inflammatories might be appropriate for some. But for the most part, it's just about giving the body rest and fuel for recovery. Healthy diet, eight or more hours of sleep at night and 64 ounces of water — all are important components of proper recovery the day after a tough workout.

There's also a correct time to take an entire week off from physical activity. Most experts recommend this at least four times per year, to allow the body to recover fully from any nagging injuries — while also refreshing the mind. Burnout and staleness are very real psychological problems that dampen motivation and encourage once eager exercisers to quit; taking a week off of the "grind" can help.

The final recovery type I want to mention is active recovery, within a workout. Basically, this means you work on another muscle group or system (cardiovascular vs. strength) while the muscle group or system is at rest. For example, one might perform a set of pushups and then allow those muscles to rest for 2 minutes while running on a treadmill. This allows the target muscles to recover while training another system (cardiovascular). It's a great way to make workouts more effective and efficient.

The Side-to-Side V-Up is a very simple abdominal exercise that uses a kettlebell for a little extra challenge and fun. It's a perfect candidate for active recovery sessions within a larger workout scheme.

1. Place a kettlebell on the floor and lie on your back with the kettlebell right beside your feet. The legs should be fully extended with the feet together beside the kettlebell.

2. Sit up and place your arms behind your back for support. You're now leaning back on your hands.

3. Tighten the abdominals and lift both feet up and over the kettlebell until your heels touch the floor on the other side.

4. Quickly move the feet back over the kettlebell to touch the floor on the other side.

5. Continue moving the feet back and forth over the kettlebell while keeping the legs extended and abdominals engaged.

6. Perform two sets of 15 repetitions.

The Side-to-Side V-Up is great because the cadence is completely changeable on the fly. For a little extra burn, move a bit more slowly over the kettlebell. For a little more cardio and perspiration, move more quickly. It's a perfect active recovery exercise because of its versatility and uniqueness. Enjoy!

Matt Parrott has a doctorate in education (sport studies) and a master's in kinesiology and is certified by the American College of Sports Medicine.

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Style on 09/16/2019

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