Rest and recovery are a fundamental part of the exercise, yet often overlooked. Most people exercise without completing basic stretches, at the very least. Failing to rest and recover properly can and does lead to injuries. As much as our bodies are meant to move, excessive and more intense exercise demands appropriate rest and recovery to protect us from injury.
Professional athletes have all the know-how when it comes to a bit of R&R, so let’s explore what they know.
Brian Shaw – World’s Strongest Man
Brian Shaw is a semi-famous beast of a guy from America. He won World’s Strongest Man in 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2016. During the competitions, Brian lifts weights well into the 100kgs. The tremendous strain he puts on his body demands an intense rest and recovery routine to prevent injury.
Brian does multiple things to speed up his recovery, including the basics of stretching and massage. He believes the key to recovery is massaging the areas used when working out, stretching before and after every workout, and fueling his body with good food.
Another technique that Brian advocates is cryotherapy. Cryotherapy uses intensely cold temperatures to eliminate abnormal tissues in the body. There are fancy cryotherapy tubs, but an ice bath works just the same.
Conor McGregor – World’s Toughest Man
Conor McGregor is a self-proclaimed animal. He can enter the ring and dominate his opponent – it is a shame he recently (and brutally) injured his leg. Conor has an extensive recovery program, much of which he shares via his McGregor Fast program.
One documented recovery technique is a visit to a chiropractor. Conor works alongside professional chiropractors offering the same sorts of service that you’d find at Chiropractor Vernon Hills – a chiropractic service anyone can access for treatment. They will manipulate and massage his body into the optimal position so he can fight better. A video on YouTube shows Conor visiting his chiropractor for back and neck adjustments – the sounds are insane!
Aside from chiropractic treatments, Conor focuses on physiotherapy, muscle scraping, acupuncture, and cryotherapy.
LeBron James – World’s Greatest Basketballer
Whether you think he is the world’s greatest basketballer or not, he is, by far, one of the best. Luckily, LeBron’s trainer shared his diet, training routine, and recovery techniques. LeBron has an extensive rehab program that focuses mainly on flexibility. He does yoga as part of the flexibility and stretches sessions with his trainer.
LeBron also uses a hyperbaric chamber, which isn’t uncommon amongst professional athletes. Hyperbaric chambers are used to promote the healing of infections, wounds, and carbon monoxide poisoning.
LeBron’s trainer stated he also has a daily meditation ritual that he performs in the morning or at night. Mental recovery is just as important for professional athletes as physical recovery. Meditation sets LeBron up for the day or gets his mind ready to switch off in bed.
Although professional athletes have access to more health professionals and experts that can guide them towards optimal recovery, all the information they have access to is online. With excellent research and dedication, you can recover as a professional athlete would. Invest time in your recovery to prevent injury and to put your body in peak condition.
