Page 10 - NGA NATURALmag 2020 WINTER Issue

Winter 2020
An Athlete’s leAding downfAll NegligeNce with RecoveRy aNd Mobility
BY CHAD ADAMOvICH CSCS WWW P4PMUSCLE COM MOFIGHTER19@HOTMAIL COM Do you you want a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a really fast way way to to to to bring progress to to a a a a a a a a a a a a a a dramatic halt? How about potentially ending your career as an athlete? The best way to to do this is is to to neglect recovery and and mobility work As a a a a a a a a a professional in the the field and and and even as an an an an athlete myself I know recovery and and mobility work isn’t the the most excit- ing ing ing thing to do but it it must be be taken as as as seri- ously as as as the the other aspects of of training because your risk of of injury will continue to to rise if you you don’t Injuries are are are bound to to happen especially if you are are are a a a a a a a a a a a competitive athlete athlete There are are are many high-level athletes that have some sort of injury or or nagging issue they are dealing with which you don’t typically hear about This is is is due to the the high demand of sport and and training while trying to to accelerate their career However because it it is a a a a a a a a a a a common occurrence it’s an an an important topic to learn and talk about Unfortunately it’s the the norm for for athletes espe- cially in in in in in in the the bodybuilding community to to continue to to to train hard without focusing on on on injury prevention joint health recovery etc Athletes need to to to to learn that continuing to to to press the the the pedal to to to the the the medal with no no break in in in in between is not the the the answer for improvement There are times where letting off the the gas actually increases your performance It’s a a a a a a a a a a a a a a hard fact for for for a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a lot of o athletes to accept because for for for many taking the the the the the foot off the the the the the gas is the the the the the last thing they want to to to to do The best way to to to to understand the the the the the the neces- sity in in in in giving the the body body time to to to to recover is to to to to think
of your your body body as a a a a a a a car car Driving your your car car without ever getting an an oil change tire rotation etc will eventu- ally cause the the car to break down or or or not perform like it it it it should Your body works in in the the same way You You have to take care of of it it it it even if it’s not as as exciting as as other forms of of training Recovery is is a a vast topic to to discuss so where do we start? Sleep and mobility work areas that are are controllable will dramatically impact an an an an an athlete’s performance and health This means that in in in most cases an an an an athlete is is in in in control of of of getting enough
of of of of each These two areas will will be be some of of of of your best returns of of of of investment I will will discuss the science and application of of of each to hopefully assist an an athlete in in this area of of their career SLEEP/REST
One of the many variables that can affect results is your sleep and rest It doesn’t matter if are trying to to gain lean mass mass increase performance or or lose fat mass mass your rest and sleep are going to to affect you you It sounds simple but life can really throw us some curve balls that will lower our sleep duration and and quality That is is why it it it is is imperative to set a a a a a a a a a a a a goal and and schedule it it it just like you you would a a a a a a a a a training session It needs to to become part of your routine if progress is going to to to to happen and injuries minimized Make it part of your your routine to to to to to get to to to to to bed at a a a a a a a a a a certain time every night or or set an an alarm on on your your phone to to to to stop and and relax 30 minutes before bed Also minimize blue light and and caffeine in in in in in in the the evening which can go a a a a a long way to getting the the recovery your body deserves What does the science say about sleep? If we we don’t get enough
sleep sleep we we see decrements in performance not only physically but mentally as well Decrements in in sleep have widespread nega- tive effects on cardiovascular endocrine immune and neuromuscular systems to name a a a a a a a a a a few When mental awareness is is lower risk of injury goes up We have seen maximal force output drop in in lifts by 15-20% just after after two nights of of low low sleep sleep and decrements after after even even one night night of of of low low sleep sleep sleep (6 hours or less) Lack of of sleep sleep has even even shown base- line testosterone levels to to to drop significantly along with increased inflammatory markers Eight hours of sleep has shown the the best results based on the the research but you should aim for at least 7 hours to 10 NGA NATURALmag