When Less Training Is Not an Option
For many athletes, the equation of more training plus more training equals better results, seems to make logical sense. The thought process is that the more that you put into training, the more that you get out of it.
While this formula may work in the short term, every athlete needs to know the importance of checks and balances when it comes to training and recovery. If you don’t want to train less, you need to recover better.
Overuse sports injuries results are typically under-diagnosed as they are not typically completely disabling from the onset. As a result, many athletes will push through aches and pains without much thought as to the consequences. At least 50% of individuals who engage in sports will become injured during the course of a career. From these injuries, at least half of them are attributed to overuse, which illustrates just how commonly these injuries occur.
For adults, the most common overuse injuries include:
- Rotator cuff tears or impingement
- Patellofemoral Dysfunction
- Stress Fractures
- Epicondylitis
So how can injuries related to overuse be prevented? Step one is to recognize the different types of pain, and to learn when to push, and when pain needs to be addressed. Step two is to evaluate if you are actually recovering properly. What steps are you taking regularly to ensure that after each workout you are maximizing recovery?
- Are you hydrating properly?
- Are you consuming the right foods to propel recovery?
- Are you increasing the amount of ‘work’ in your workouts appropriately?
Allowing the body to recover properly, the tissue can adapt and strengthen instead of allowing for micro areas of structural damage to form. When the body is fully recovered, better biomechanics can be maintained, performance can improved, and the risks of subsequent injuries can decrease. In short, when the body is able to recover, the chances of sustaining substantial injuries decreases dramatically.
Electronic Muscle Stimulators, such as the Marc Pro, can allow for muscles to recover more completely by pushing out waste, and allowing nourishment into the tissues. Non-fatiguing muscle contractions yield the activation of Nitric Oxide, which in-turn dilates blood vessels and increases the flow of oxygenated blood and nutrients into the muscles. Incorporating the Marc Pro into your post-workout routine, can allow you to gain the edge on recovery that your body is craving.
Overuse injuries do happen, but you can train smarter by recovering better. Planning the ways in which you will recover can only help to propel your workouts and performances to the next level. If you take the time to carefully craft the workouts you do, or listen to a coach about how hard to hit each rep, why wouldn’t you take the time to plan your recovery too?