Aquatic Active Recovery: How water can help boost muscle recovery and more
Athletes in any sport and fitness enthusiasts always go the extra mile during their training and work-out phases. Some even frequently exceed their own physical limitations on one day but manage to get back up on their feet, raring to go once again on the next. Of course, stamina and dedication are qualities that play an important role when it comes to maintaining top physical form but the most important factor is Muscle Recovery. All of our programmes i.e. Combat Kinetics, Super Kinetics and Ultra Kinetics are hard-core and strenuous goal oriented workouts. For times like these, a quick dip into the pool does more than just help you let off some steam!
Active aquatic recovery is a well-practised and effective technique to help warm-down and de-stress fatigued muscle groups after intense drills. The overall benefits of aquatic recoveries include improved strength, flexibility, endurance, muscular balance, heart and blood flow among the most prevalent health gains. Swimming workouts can also assist in improving the body’s aerobic conditioning apart from blood lactate regulation.
Exercises like Pool-wall running helps to improve acceleration and lower body mobility
A study carried out by the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness mentions significantly faster decreases in blood lactate levels of athletes who used swimming as a medium for their active recovery than others. A similar study carried out by The International Journal Of Sports Medicine also mentions a marked improvement in performance between two-runners who carried out water-based and normal active recovery workouts by more than 14%. What this means is that their muscles take lesser time to recuperate and feel fresher for the next days workout than their counterparts, thus affecting overall body health. It is almost no surprise that this was the reason Conor Mcgregor used a hydrotherapy machine in the lead up to his fight with Floyd Mayweather!
The exercises are tuned to help the body recuperate under the soothing hydrostatic action of water. Speaking with your trainer or coach will help you narrow down on key exercises that are in line with your athletic requirements. Along with improved muscle health, blood pressure and tissue inflammation, aquatic active recovery will substantially boost your peak physical state. This will allow you to go harder, better, stronger and faster for a lot longer than most.
Catch you in the pool sometime then?
References
1) Influence of massage, active and passive recovery on performance and blood lactate. Journal of Sports medicine and physical fitness
– Ali Rasooli S, Koushkie Jahromi M, Asadmanesh A, Salesi M.
2) Effects of a recovery swim on subsequent running performance. The international journal of sports medicine
– Lum D, Landers G, Peeling P.
3) The Properties of Water and their Applications for Training. Journal of Human Kinetics
– Torres-Ronda L, Del Alcázar XS.
4) Contrast water immersion hastens plasma lactate decrease after intense anaerobic exercise. Journal of scientific medicine and sports science
– Morton RH.
