How To Recover Faster For The CrossFit Open

The CrossFit Games are an exciting time of the year! Athletes are amped, adrenaline is going, goals are reached, and egos are crushed. It’s humbling for us and occasionally we may not get the score we wanted or like. Who knows…maybe we came out too hard in the paint, or not with requisite intensity, or we fizzled out at the end. That said, are we going to back down… NO. Absolutely not! We are going to pick ourselves up by our bootstraps and get after it again. What’s the best way to get back in the metaphorical and physical game then? I like a combination of time, active recovery, and mental preparation to get my game face back on. And, of course, our NormaTec system for some compression therapy.

I like a combination of time, active recovery, and mental preparation

Lindsay recovered her legs and gave it two thumbs up!

Time, the perennial truth maker. You need two to three days for max recovery after a full on effort like a Games workout. That doesn’t mean rest. That means focus on recovery eating, lots of protein, amino acids, healthy fats, vegetables, and water! Get all your macros, vitamins, and minerals that way your body has the right components to build back up. Then get after some active recovery.

You need two to three days for max recovery after a full on effort like a Games workout.

What is active recovery? Why is it important? I could go through the whole physiological processes, hormone up-regulation, cell build up and muscle recovery… oh wait, are you asleep now? Active recovery is a concept in the fitness and sports world that is built on the idea that we need to keep moving to flush out all of the lactic acid and metabolite build up that congests our muscles after intense physical exertion. What does this mean?? It means for you to keep moving. Don’t go crazy. Focus on the light impact cyclical loading (e.g. bicycling, rowing, etc.), body weight exercises, and lighter bouts of intensity to flush the bad out and get all of the good back in. Next, focus on exercises and movements that the workout had it to ingrain motor patterning and control into your system so they are unconscious, keep it light and use it to highlight areas you need to work, either mobility or technique. And lastly, get a game plan for round two, redemption round.

It isn’t in my intention to write a whole game plan for you to approach the workout. This is in between you and your coach but you need to come up with a plan. How you are going to approach it, where you can make up time, breaking up sets and reps.

Get some input, create a plan and stick to it.

Lace loved her hip recovery. Two thumbs all the way!

Lastly, come by and get some NormaTec compression at Sports Performance! NormaTec is a state-of-the-art systematic compression therapy designed to help flush out all that icky that’s creating soreness and stiffness that you are feeling after that nastiness that is the Open.

Now go crush it!