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HSC PDHPE Core 2:
Factors Affecting Performance
“Recovery strategies are primarily used for three purposes:
1. To enhance the athletes recovery from fatigue
2. To enhance the extent of training adaptations
3. To enhance the athletes readiness for the next training
session or performance.
Common recovery strategies can be clustered in four
Categories:
• Physiological strategies
• Neural strategies
• Tissue damage strategies
• Psychological strategies”
“Recovery strategies aim to ensure that the
athlete is able to resume normal training and
competition within the time span of the
training program. Workouts and
performances can weaken athletes, even
those who are hardened, well conditioned
and prepared.
Active rest is still regarded as the most
beneficial form of recovery. Rest allows both
physiological and psychological revitalisation
to take its course. During rest, muscles repair
and rebuild while energy and fluid levels are
restored to pre-event levels. Recovery is
important to avoid symptoms of overtraining
that may be evident in feelings of staleness,
lack of interest and an inability to put in effort
despite warnings to do so.”
“Recovery can be short term or long term, depending on the
type of event or activity:
Short term recovery refers to the period
immediately following training, game or
performance. Short term recovery
requires activities such as cool down
following training, together with low
intensity exercise to promote soft tissue
repair and disperse lactic acid. The
nutritional component of this period is
characterised by replacement of fluid
and energy supplies as quickly as
possible.”
“Long term recovery refers to
recovery between competitions or
following periods of peaking where
the body needs to be rested from
the demands of regular training.
Long recovery periods are part of
an annual plan in advanced
training programs. An example is
rugby league footballers having an
extended break from training in the
period following the grand final.
Nutritional goals for long term
recovery relate to a continuation
of healthy eating practices and
avoidance of weight gain despite
lower levels of activity.”
“If recovery is inadequate the athlete may be:
• incapable of performing at the expected standard
• prone to injury of the affected area
• predisposed to injuring another part of the body
• susceptible to overtraining or non-functional overreaching.
A range of techniques can be used to assist an athlete
recover from a game, performance or heavy training
session. Nutritional strategies to assist in the recovery of
energy stores have already been discussed. A number of
other strategies are designed to allow both the body and
the mind to regain strength ready for the next performance.”
• Recovery Strategies:
-Physiological Strategies eg cool down, hydration
Physiological strategies need to focus on two elements:
• The removal of metabolic by products (such as adeonsine,
hydrogen ions and carbon dioxide) and;
• A nutritional plan to replace lost fluids and energy-rich
nutrients. An effective cool down is the recommended manner
for removal of metabolic by products.
The purpose of a cool down following exercise is to gradually
reduce heart rate and metabolism to the pre-exercise state. In
doing this, a number of other elevated body functions such as
ventilation rate, adrenaline levels gradually return to normal.
Vigorous or sustained exercise that is not concluded with a
cool down may result in blood pooling, causing dizziness.
Cooling down following activity is designed
to apply an active recovery strategy and
therefore reduce the occurrence of
delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS).
The process of cooling down (continual and
slow movement and stretching following
exercise).
This has many benefits for the individual,
including;
• a reduction in the level of lactate in the
blood stream
• a gradual lowering of the core body
temperature
• psychological benefi ts, such as feeling
better when the
body has been returned to a near normal
state following
exercise.
“Hydration is an important consideration
following exercise,
especially if the athlete has been
exercising in hot, humid conditions and is
at risk of dehydration. Many athletes
drink water while playing or participating
in activity, but most will have only
replaced between 30–70 per cent of the
total fluid lost during activity. In addition,
body temperature remains high
following activity, causing further
dehydration. When an athlete has to
perform two bouts of exercise in quick
succession a specific plan for recovery
hydration maybe benefical. By following
the advice below, athletes can avoid
the effects of fluid loss.”
“Athletes should monitor their body weight. If they are
lighter by 1 kilogram they will have a deficit of 1 litre of
fluid. This does not mean, however, that by drinking 1 litre
the deficit will be removed. The body will be still producing
urine and possibly sweating and, accordingly, the athlete
will need to drink 1.5–2 litres of fluid to correct this deficit.
Carbohydrate, fluid and salts can be replaced through
the use of commercial sports drinks. The drinks should be
cool as this will help to reduce the body’s core temperature
following exercise.”
• Recovery Strategies:
- Neural Strategies e.g hydrotherapy, massage
“Neural recovery strategies are those that help the central
and peripheral nervous systems recover from a high level of
work. The central nervous system consists of the brain and
spinal cord. The peripheral nervous system consists of the
nerves running from the spinal cord to the muscles. These
systems fatigue due to the change in chemicals (such as
lactic acid) found in the muscles following heavy bouts of
exercise or due to psychological reasons. Specific strategies
can assist with recovery of the neural pathways and improve
subsequent performances.”
Hydrotherapy involves the use of
water to assist with the recovery of
muscles following exercise.
Hydrotherapy is becoming an
increasingly popular means of
enhancing post-exercise recovery.
Various physiological effects have
been shown following whole-body
immersion in water. These include
changes in cardiac response;
changes in
blood flow (arising from changes in
hydrostatic pressure);and skin,
muscle and core temperature
changes. Water can be used in
many ways to assist in recovery,
including hot water immersion and
contrast water therapy.
Massage is another neural strategy that can be applied by
athletes. This can be delivered by a masseur or through
self-massage by shaking the muscles used during exercise.
In common with hydrotherapy, massage may bring both physical
and psychological benefits to the individual following exercise.
Massage has a number of benefits.
For example, massage may:
• increase blood flow to the muscles, enabling a faster
removal of lactic acid
• decrease levels of muscle tension and soreness
following exercise, which lowers the risk of injury at
the beginning of the next bout of activity and enables a
higher beginning point for performance
• increase joint flexibility
• enhance immune system functioning
• decrease tension in the nervous system—the nerves are
more relaxed and able to function more effectively
• relax the person and provide a greater sense of wellbeing—
this allows better sleep, which
• Recovery Strategies:
- Tissue Damage Strategies e.g cryotherapy
Tissue damage strategies
“When strenuous activity is
undertaken muscle fibres will be torn
and damaged in minor ways. This is a
perfectly normal reaction by the
body and in many cases strengthens
the muscle, enhancing future
performance. Studies indicate that
this process of muscle damage and
repair is responsible for much of the
DOMS in the days following highintensity activity. Two techniques that
have become quite popular to treat
tissue damage are cryotherapy and
the use of compression garments.”
“Cold water immersion (CWI) and other forms of cryotherapy
have traditionally been used by elite athletes to treat soft
tissue injuries. This is due to its ability to reduce infl ammation
and to alleviate spasm and pain. The physiological response
to CWI is well documented and includes decreases in heart rate
and cardiac output, an increase in blood pressure, decreases in
core and tissue temperature and a reduction in infl ammation,
pain and muscle spasm. Cold water immersion is commonly known
as ‘ice baths’and involves immersing the body in water of
approximately 10–15°C for around 5 minutes.”
“Cryotherapy improves blood
Flow to the muscles.
When the muscles are submerged in
ice water, the blood vessels exposed
to the cold will narrow; that
is, vasoconstriction will occur.
This process forces blood away
from the muscles, taking with
it the by-products of energy
production, such as lactic acid.
After a period of time, blood will
flow back into the area, bringing
with it fresh supplies of energy
and the enzymes needed for
muscle repair.This allows a faster
recovery to occur.”
“Many athletes wear compression garments in a bid to increase
recovery from exercise. Compression garments are widely used in
medicine to treat problems with blood flow in an attempt to
improve circulation. The use of lower-body compression has been
found to promote venous blood flow and assist with venous return
in patients. By improving circulation and promoting venous return in
the post-exercise period there may be an accelerated postexercise inflammatory and repair response, aiding the recovery
process.”
“The interest in compression garments for use by the athletic
population largely stems from the beneficial effects they have
on patients with circulatory difficulties. Research has shown
that there may be a reduction in the perceived impact of
DOMS following exercise when compression garments are
worn. The benefits of compression may be due to an increase
in blood flow, a decrease in inflammation and/or a decrease
in pain. Comprehensive research into the
benefits and mechanisms of compression garments is limited
at this stage. Further research is needed.”
• Recovery Strategies:
- Psychological Strategies e.g Relaxation
“Relaxation is a positive recovery strategy that can be used
following application of many of the other strategies already
discussed. Physical recovery is important and letting the mind
wind down will assist the body to relax. This will assist in finalising
the repairs and restoring energy levels within the muscles.
Physiologically, relaxation involves a decrease in breathing rate,
heart rate, muscle activity and oxygen consumption. In contrast,
brain-wave activity and skin responses are increased. All these
physiological changes lead to a faster and more complete
recovery, which will assist athletes in their preparation for the
next training or performance.”
“Psychologically, many athletes will mentally replay many
aspects of a performance once it has been completed. This can
lead to increased levels of anxiety if the performance was poor
or, if the performance was good, the reflection can create
excitement. These psychological changes lead to physical
changes in the body, such as increased heart rate and muscle
tension. This will hinder the ability of the body to finalise recovery,
which happens during periods of extended rest, such as sleep.
Athletes can use several relaxation techniques to assist in their
recovery. These techniques include progressive relaxation,
autogenic training, meditation and biofeedback.”
“Elite athletes and coaches often identify sleep as the most
important component of the recovery process. Sleep deprivation
is one of the major reasons athletes report high levels of fatigue
and possibly overtraining. When athletes are sleep deprived they
can have a very large decrease in performance. Also their ability
to concentrate, focus and make decisions may be decreased,
which can be very detrimental to performance in team sports in
particular.
Recommended ways to promote sleep are:
• Maintain a regular sleep–wake cycle.
• Create a comfortable, quiet, dark and temperature-controlled
bedroom.
• Avoid alcohol, caffeine, large meals and large volumes of fluid
prior to bedtime.
• Utilise a ‘to-do’ list or diary to ensure organisation and
unnecessary over-thinking while trying to sleep.
• Investigate relaxation/breathing techniques.”