Top 4 Triathlon Training Recovery Tips from Heather Jackson
Heather Jackson shares her top tips for recovery following a triathlon training session. This is her typical recovery routine after every training session, in between training sessions, or at the end of the day. If your triathlon training leaves your body tired and fatigued, try adding these strategies to your training plan. Don’t forget, recovery is a major part of the training cycle.
4 Recovery Tips for Post Triathlon Training
1. Protein Shake
Immediately following a training session, the first thing Heather does is get some protein in. Her favorite way to do that is via a protein shake using Herbalife 24 protein, blueberries, and oat milk. Just make sure you consume your protein within a 30-minute window of finishing your training session.
2. Epsom Salt Bath
The next step in Heather’s triathlon training recovery is a hot Epsom salt bath. She finds that the Epsom salt draws out the chemicals and all the bad stuff that’s left over after a tough workout. Heather uses a lot of salt in her bath. In order to draw out the toxins, the water has to be saltier outside of your body. To get the most benefit from the Epsom salt bath, stay in for 20-30 minutes. Your muscles will get warm and relaxed, which will be beneficial for the next recovery tip.
3. Foam Rolling/Trigger Point Therapy
It’s best to do this after completing tip #2 when your muscles are warmed up and relaxed. Heather usually starts out with using some trigger point balls to work out her calves. Her calves tend to get the tightest after workouts, especially running. After the calves are given the attention they need, Heather moves on to work on the bottom of her feet.
Feet are very important, so it’s a good idea to keep them healthy and stretched out. Heather uses the trigger point balls on her soles. To work out tight spots in her quads, Heather uses her foam roller. This can be painful, so adjust your bodyweight on top of the foam roller to your comfort and needs. The calves, soles, and quads are the main areas Heather focuses on, but find where your own knots and tight areas are and utilize these techniques there.
4. Marc Pro
For the last step, Heather posts up somewhere, usually either on the couch or up in bed if she knows she’s going to take a nap, and puts on her Marc Pro. This recovery tool flushes out waste, brings nutrients to damaged tissue, and helps speed the rebuilding process. Heather has been using it for 6-7 years now and it’s a huge part of her recovery routine. A typical session of 30-60 minutes will provide significant improvement, but using it for longer periods of time will allow for an even greater benefit, which is ideal after a really tough triathlon training session.
Recovery for triathletes is a huge piece of the puzzle that often goes overlooked. With proper recovery, you will be able to give your best at every training session, prevent injuries, and continue to progress day in and day out. To learn more about why recovery is essential for triathletes, check out this article.
You may also be interested in:
The Key to Making Gains & Progress with Andy Potts