By Randall Cooper, Sports & Exercise Physiotherapist
If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably pushed through training sessions you should’ve backed off from. I’ve done it, Mick’s done it, and almost every athlete we’ve worked with has done it too.
In our first Exercise Matters podcast episode, Mick and I dig into recovery, not just rest days, but the full picture. Because recovery isn’t about taking your foot off the gas; it’s about knowing when and how to ease off so your body can adapt, rebuild, and go again.
🎧 Listen to the full episode here
What Recovery Really Means
Recovery is what happens when your body restores itself, rebuilding muscle, replenishing energy, and recalibrating mentally. It’s not just sleep and hydration (though those matter), but also how you structure your training, manage fatigue, and handle stress.
We broke it down into three types:
- Passive recovery – sleep, massage, baths
- Active recovery – light movement, mobility, low-intensity cardio
- Proactive recovery – planning recovery into your week, using tools like heart rate variability (HRV) to guide decisions
Elite athletes lean on all three. But this isn’t just for elites.
Muscle Repair Isn’t Just About Protein
We talk a lot about muscle soreness and recovery strategies. Protein intake is critical - 20–40 grams within an hour after training helps kickstart repair. Massage helps ease soreness but doesn’t boost performance. Foam rollers? Good for range of motion, less so for pain. Cold water immersion works well after races or hard sessions but might interfere with gains if used too often.
Replenish What You Burn
Most people don’t eat enough after training, especially carbs. If you’ve just trained hard, particularly endurance work, aim for 1.0–1.2g of carbs per kg of body weight within the hour. Don’t forget electrolytes - sodium, potassium, magnesium. These matter more than people think, especially in hot or long sessions.
Psychological Recovery Is Real
We often overlook mental fatigue. The data shows mentally fatigued athletes get injured more. Things like breathing exercises, journaling, downtime, and team connection aren’t soft, they’re essential. It’s something I’ve seen time and again in pro sport.
How Long Does It Take?
- A standard gym session? 24–48 hours.
- An Ironman? At least a week, probably more.
Recovery isn’t one-size-fits-all. Your body gives you signals - some obvious, others more subtle.
Use Tech—Don’t Rely on Guesswork
Recovery shouldn’t be based on “how you feel” alone. Wearables like Garmin, Oura, and Whoop now let you track HRV, resting heart rate, and sleep. They’re not perfect, but they give useful trends - especially when combined with a bit of common sense.
Mick and I have seen it in clinics and on the field - athletes who train hard but don’t recover well hit plateaus or get hurt. Recovery is where the gains happen. And it's one of the best injury prevention strategies going around.
🎧 Click here to listen to Episode 1 of Exercise Matters
Let us know what you think—and if there’s a recovery strategy you swear by, we’re all ears.
