Why I really miss Japanese onsen

The sauna is an excellent recovery tool, post-workout. No kidding, the best days I had were when I'd do MMA for about 3 hours and then head to the onsen with my coach and just soak in a hot pool and then sit in the sauna for a bit. You'd feel wrecked but sleepy and content . . . and fantastic the next day.

Joel Jamieson just put up an article explaining how to systematically use a sauna for recovery.

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Recovery

Perhaps the most critical aspect to training outside of the gym is recovery. That is, how do you recover from the exertion in the gym? Doing so isn't a drink, it isn't a special protocol, is basically a combination of sleeping, eating, and resting. This blog post gets more into the details:

Recovery Strategies

It's worth the read. Just about the only disagreement I have is with his recommendation of ibuprofen. I've become slowly convinced that "vitamin I" (as it is sometimes called) is precisely what you don't want for recovery unless you are suffering from actual debilitating inflammation. I generally avoid it now, although the Costco-sized container of it that I have shows I was not always this way. I rely more on sleep, fish oil, and if I'm genuinely in pain a tab or two of aspirin, but otherwise . . . I avoid the NSAIDs. Still, I agree pretty much across the board with the rest of the article. Eat right, supplement wisely (and not excessively), and get some rest and your recovery will be well in hand.

Stu Ward linked to this article over on the EXRX forums. I'm glad he did, this is an excellent blog from what I've read so far. Thanks Stu!

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Get some sleep

Rest is a critical aspect of training - no rest, no recovery. No recovery, no training effect. No training effect, well, isn't that why you are training?

Turns out napping is also effective for improved cognitive function. Kill two birds with one stone and take a nap today, okay?

When in doubt, rest more

A common error of beginners and more advanced athletes alike is to rest too little.

It's tempting to think that training 6-7 days a week is better than 3-4 days a week. It's tempting to think that adding a few extra workouts here and there, or using "active rest" that consists of intense or long-duration sports, will burn some extra calories or improve your strength.

But really, all it does is take away from valuable rest. Your body doesn't improve during exercise, it doesn't get stronger in the gym. It gets weaker in the gym, and it runs down during exercise. The more intense your exercise, the more rest you need to recover from it.

You get stronger resting afterwards.

If your performance is dropping, your endurance is lower, your strength is fading...rest more. Add a little more sleep, a little more time off. Your body might just need the extra time to recover.

Get some rest

Never forget how critical it is to get your rest. Your body makes more muscle when you rest, not when you lift.

Don't be afraid to have a light workout session if you're feeling tired.

Don't fret the occasional vacation that breaks up your workout schedule.

As long as you don't let "light days" become your only days, and "occasional" vacations from exercise become occasional days of exercise, it's not a problem.

You need you rest. Don't be afraid to get it.