Danny O’Dell’s

Explosivelyfit Training News

Strength and power knowledge

15-August-06

ISSN: 1550-2643: Library Of Congress, Washington D.C.,

Welcome to this edition, I hope you enjoy the contents.

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Topic discussed:

15086 Recovery methods - part five

Dr. Fred Hatfield addressed many of the different restorative aids in his book Power: A Scientific Approach. Even though this was written and published in 1989 it still has valuable information in it. Consider the fact that we still advocate the use of massage, hydrotherapy, electrical stimulation and of course rest. He was far ahead of his time with this book.

Some trainers encourage the use of activities in the water to help restore the normal status of the body. Others recommend the use of tight fitting compression clothing. This type of clothing acts in the same manner as a compression wrap on an injured part of the body by helping to control the swelling caused by a heavy work out.

Other means are through the use of nutritional substance strategies such as low glycemic foods/drinks just before and high glycemic foods immediately following an exercise period. Chocolate milk is now being recommended as the ideal drink within the magic 30-60 minute time span after the work out is over.

Massage and trigger point massage, a more specific adaptation to the general massage, is used so frequently by elite athletes. Tamera Snelling of 24 KT Bodywork is an expert masseuse and would be the one to contact on this issue as it is way over my head. She has written an outstanding document about self massage that has been incorporated into several strength manuals available here at http://www.explosivelyfit.com/Bookstore.htm

Psychological approaches that help alter the athletes perceptions of the workout, the body and the results via visualization have been found to be useful and have been addressed in earlier newsletters.

Along with psychological tactics we have light, sound and color therapies. Each one of these can be used to arouse or sooth an individual depending on the desired outcome.

Hot and cold after training treatment protocols have been used since the ancient Greeks were at the top of the physical specimen heap. Now it is just more organized, regimented and time constricted than back then.

Heat and cold contrast baths or showers help provide an impetus in moving the blood through the body and stimulating the nervous system after exercise. According to my early training professor it is best to begin with, and end the recovery session with cold.

Contrast baths/showers use a specific sequence of cold and hot water treatments. One that is commonly used is cold, hot, cold, hot, cold each lasting for about 5-6 minutes each. Some trainers set differing time limits for each portion; from as low as 30 up to 60 seconds for the cold and from 60-120 seconds for the hot.

The theory is the cold slows down further degeneration of the tissue damage in the area. The hot then brings a great profusion of blood to the region, which then flushes out the waste products. More cold/hot repeats the process and so on.

The first time you try this it is truly a sensation not to be believed.

Start off in the cold water, either a bath or a shower within thirty minutes of finishing your work out. About the same time as you are gulping down the big glass of chocolate milk. The cold water should be about 61-50 degrees Fahrenheit and the hot set between 95-99 degrees Fahrenheit which isn’t all that hot but it will feel like it if you are moving from 61 degree water into 99 degree water. Showers are the easiest to use.

Other uses for cold are in minimizing the swelling of injuries and in the muscles that were worked hard and heavy. Some authorities believe ice cold water immersion of the affected body parts will help reduce the damaging effects to the muscles and abate DOMS. In these instances the cold has to be a lot colder than that used in the contrast baths/showers. In fact it needs to be in the vicinity of a brisk 41 degrees Fahrenheit up to a balmy 59 degrees Fahrenheit. Once in this cold water it’s important to keep moving so the water next to the body remains cold and doesn’t get warmed up due to the transference of your body heat.

Stay in this for seven to ten minutes only if you have your doctor’s clearance to do so. If you have circulatory problems, heart or nerve conditions that would be contraindicated this can be shock to your system and more than likely should be avoided.

More next edition.

That’s all for this time. I hope your training is going well and wish you happiness in your life.

Stay strong, and remain passionately committed to your hearts chosen path.

By Danny M. O’Dell, MA. CSCS*D