Recovery Options

Recovery (regeneration)

Recovery is hugely important if players want to make progressive gains with their training. Rugby games and rugby trainings take a huge toll on the body and players will become very fatigued because of it.

If players do not perform adequate recovery measures then the body will stay in a fatigued state until their next session and no improvements will be made to their conditioning. Recovery methods include cool downs, ice baths, good nutrition, good hydration, sleep, swimming pool sessions and active rest.

A cool down is a group of exercises performed immediately after training to provide a period of adjustment between exercise and rest.

Its purpose is to improve muscular relaxation, remove waste products, reduce muscular soreness and bring the cardiovascular system back to rest. Static Stretching is often combined with the cool down. Ice baths can be simple to perform - just a matter of filling a wheelie bin up with water and ice and have players stand in it.

 

Player's nutrition is important after games. Carbohydrate should be the main nutrient consumed as carbohydrate during games and trainings is the main energy source. A good amount of protein is essential also as protein helps with growth & development of the body.

During exercise players lose fluid through sweat. As a result of lost fluid the blood flow becomes slower and oxygen supply around the body becomes depleted. Players should be drinking around 500ml of water or sports drinks within an hour of completion of a game or training. Players must avoid drinking a beer straight after exercise!

Sleep is one of the most important forms of rest and provides time for the player to adapt to the physical and mental demands of rugby. Other forms of passive rest include reading, listening to music and flotation. Swimming pools provide an excellent environment in which to conduct a recovery session. Water provides buoyancy and resistance properties that allow you to complete training with minimal impact on the body.