Post by McLifter on Apr 28, 2008 17:54:07 GMT -5
Excerpt from Dan John’s Book “From the Ground UP” p. 38
danjohn.org/bp.pdf
Recovery: The Next Generation!
Recently, at a workshop, Doctor Lonnie Lowry noted that we need to learn to
“Quantify” recovery. Simply, we need a daily reminder…a daily checklist…to make sure
we are balanced in our fitness goals.
Since this workshop, I have been having my athletes use a simple ten point scale:
Nutrition: Two points for a good breakfast, one point for two snacks, one point for two
additional meals…for a total of four points. (Breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner is a
four point day.) I think “good” choices…the superfoods…are the key, but I will accept
just about anything from an athlete who is just learning that success is more than just
dinner and soft drinks each day.
Sleep: 8 hours is two points. More is three, less is one or none.
Relationships: Things were good today: one point. Fights, stress, break ups…none,
maybe even negative points.
“Alone” time: If the athlete had some time during the day to collect their thoughts and
relax without any time or work or school issues…you get a point. You need to figure 15
minutes at least…but that is not on the internet, phone, or a car, either!
Play time: If the athlete found some time in his or her day to simply laugh and enjoy
themselves in the company of others…not with a television on nor a phone nor the
internet…you get a point. Table conversation is the best, followed by old fashioned
games.
Tally this up each day. You should strive for “tens” across the board. If you increase your
training load from walking to full-time Olympic lifting, you need to really look at these
five areas. Lowry also recommended comparing and contrast your training profile to your
recovery profile.
For an athlete doing one thing, you could have a chart from one to ten. Even if
you do nothing, be sure to consider that a three or four point day (out of ten). An
exhausting workout would be a ten and you can gradually get a feel for workouts from a
“four” to a “ten.”
Athletes doing two things, for example, sports training and general conditioning,
you should break each workout into five point clusters. Although you may have a sports
workout of an easy nature, tactical preparation or game planning, an exhausting workout,
perhaps some of the crossfit.com’s Workout of the Days, would tally up to an eight or
nine day. “Practice” might be easy, but your conditioning was very hard.
So, for the single sport athlete…an Olympic Lifter…a day’s breakdown might look like
this:
Nutrition: 4 Made my snacks the night before…good idea
Sleep: 2 Watched some T.V., up by 6:00
Relationships: 1 Nice talk with an old friend today
Alone Time: 0 Never a moment to myself
Play: 1 Whipped everybody in Stratego
Recovery Total: 8
Workout Level: 9 Another day of nailing big Cleans after Max Front Squats…sore!
This athlete is in a recovery “deficit,” with a “nine” workout, but only an “eight”
recovery. Maybe not a big deal, but if you do this for three days or longer, you might
find those nagging injuries and other issues showing up. Some argue that it might take up
to two months to fully deal with overtraining! Maybe a little foresight early might save
some issues later.
For the athlete who has an athletic practice AND a conditioning practice (or whatever
you may call it), the workouts tallied together:
Nutrition: 2 No time for breakfast today…made up for it all day.
Sleep: 3 Slept in…still a little tired
Relationships: 0 Really tired of my significant other’s family
Alone Time: 0 Not really
Play: 1 Does watching T.V. count?
Recovery Total: 6
Practice 4 Not the toughest ever, but I was off my game
Workout 5 Crossfit WOD just about killed me.
This athlete is in trouble. A minus three deficit is obviously going to take its
toll…and soon!
Maybe this exact formula won’t work for you, but try to “quantify”
recovery and I can guarantee you will feel better and enjoy athletic success much faster.
"The Bruce" and I were talking about this the other day so I found the excerpt and posted it here with the link to Dan John's book as well. It is a good idea and the book is an excellent source of information. I'm half way through it right now.
McLifter
danjohn.org/bp.pdf
Recovery: The Next Generation!
Recently, at a workshop, Doctor Lonnie Lowry noted that we need to learn to
“Quantify” recovery. Simply, we need a daily reminder…a daily checklist…to make sure
we are balanced in our fitness goals.
Since this workshop, I have been having my athletes use a simple ten point scale:
Nutrition: Two points for a good breakfast, one point for two snacks, one point for two
additional meals…for a total of four points. (Breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner is a
four point day.) I think “good” choices…the superfoods…are the key, but I will accept
just about anything from an athlete who is just learning that success is more than just
dinner and soft drinks each day.
Sleep: 8 hours is two points. More is three, less is one or none.
Relationships: Things were good today: one point. Fights, stress, break ups…none,
maybe even negative points.
“Alone” time: If the athlete had some time during the day to collect their thoughts and
relax without any time or work or school issues…you get a point. You need to figure 15
minutes at least…but that is not on the internet, phone, or a car, either!
Play time: If the athlete found some time in his or her day to simply laugh and enjoy
themselves in the company of others…not with a television on nor a phone nor the
internet…you get a point. Table conversation is the best, followed by old fashioned
games.
Tally this up each day. You should strive for “tens” across the board. If you increase your
training load from walking to full-time Olympic lifting, you need to really look at these
five areas. Lowry also recommended comparing and contrast your training profile to your
recovery profile.
For an athlete doing one thing, you could have a chart from one to ten. Even if
you do nothing, be sure to consider that a three or four point day (out of ten). An
exhausting workout would be a ten and you can gradually get a feel for workouts from a
“four” to a “ten.”
Athletes doing two things, for example, sports training and general conditioning,
you should break each workout into five point clusters. Although you may have a sports
workout of an easy nature, tactical preparation or game planning, an exhausting workout,
perhaps some of the crossfit.com’s Workout of the Days, would tally up to an eight or
nine day. “Practice” might be easy, but your conditioning was very hard.
So, for the single sport athlete…an Olympic Lifter…a day’s breakdown might look like
this:
Nutrition: 4 Made my snacks the night before…good idea
Sleep: 2 Watched some T.V., up by 6:00
Relationships: 1 Nice talk with an old friend today
Alone Time: 0 Never a moment to myself
Play: 1 Whipped everybody in Stratego
Recovery Total: 8
Workout Level: 9 Another day of nailing big Cleans after Max Front Squats…sore!
This athlete is in a recovery “deficit,” with a “nine” workout, but only an “eight”
recovery. Maybe not a big deal, but if you do this for three days or longer, you might
find those nagging injuries and other issues showing up. Some argue that it might take up
to two months to fully deal with overtraining! Maybe a little foresight early might save
some issues later.
For the athlete who has an athletic practice AND a conditioning practice (or whatever
you may call it), the workouts tallied together:
Nutrition: 2 No time for breakfast today…made up for it all day.
Sleep: 3 Slept in…still a little tired
Relationships: 0 Really tired of my significant other’s family
Alone Time: 0 Not really
Play: 1 Does watching T.V. count?
Recovery Total: 6
Practice 4 Not the toughest ever, but I was off my game
Workout 5 Crossfit WOD just about killed me.
This athlete is in trouble. A minus three deficit is obviously going to take its
toll…and soon!
Maybe this exact formula won’t work for you, but try to “quantify”
recovery and I can guarantee you will feel better and enjoy athletic success much faster.
"The Bruce" and I were talking about this the other day so I found the excerpt and posted it here with the link to Dan John's book as well. It is a good idea and the book is an excellent source of information. I'm half way through it right now.
McLifter