Recovery: Best practices in football

Recovery in football

Anyone who has played football or just exercised in general whether this is at the park or in the gym knows the star of the process is performing. Most even understand the process of preparing for that engagement such as stretching or consuming caffeine or creatine for those tricky lifts in the gym. Exercise and performance though, is half the battle. To learn, to grow, to be great goes through something widely unknown or rather oversighted. This is the aftermath of training, the moment of truth where all the magic happens. This process of healing or progress is called recovery.

Performance puts stress on the body to the point of actually breaking down affecting major human responses such as anatomically (muscle fibres tears), neurologically (mental and/or neuromuscular fatigue) or metabolically (loss of fluids through sweat or hormonal response). Adequate post-exercise replenishments are the key factors to growth, strength and endurance. They come in many forms and each have a significant impact of their own: nutrition, sleep/rest, meditation, light exercise/massage, cold therapy or relaxing/socialising.

It is post-exercise protein and carbohydrate intake which contribute to muscle repair and glycogen stores being rebuilt. Research suggests the timing and to a lesser extent the dosage what’s most effective regarding protein intake. Sleep is the ultimate recovery tool as the body shifts into an anabolic mode repairing tissues, energy stores and optimizing hormonal balances. Meditation/relaxation methods reduce stress enabling the body to enter into the parasympathetic state or rest-and-digest allowing faster recovery; they also improve concentration and mental resilience.

Light exercise as a recovery method is frequently overlooked though research has determined that the day after a football match, low-intensity training exercises along with stretching and mobility drills truly aid recovery. Alternative measures such as massage or cold therapy/contrast baths are ideal as a first step towards recovery as their impact involves reducing inflammation and muscle soreness preparing the body to optimally perform the next session.

Last but not least, socialising and relaxing, though simple, can have a huge impact on recovery, stress levels and overall athletic performance. Actively planning to spend time with teammates, friends or family can boost certain hormones which in turn, help reduce muscle soreness and stress. Also, a strong support system prevents burnout and maintains peak motivation levels.

Without adequate recovery, training would lead to further breakdown increasing the risk of injury considerably rather than adaptation and growth. It is the optimum coordination and prioritization of all these factors which accelerate recovery and ultimately, enhance performance. It is crucial to dissolve the outdated way of thinking that ‘gains’ happen in the gym which many sceptics or youth athletes still hold on to. Instead, it is important to convey that recovery practices are a vital component in their training directly impacting performance, well-being and overall enjoyment of football. After all, even professional athletes follow structured recovery protocols thus reducing injury risk and maintaining high performance throughout the season.

Within NYSA, these recovery practices are strictly followed by our international football athletes, who carry the responsibility to choose and prioritize when to apply them. As their schedules are somewhat different, each has to identify which recovery strategy is most appropriate to their current situation and follow through. NYSA and P3RFORM as there to support and guide them through their busy schedule with best practices such as nutrition workshops, group yoga/meditation sessions or 1 to 1 mentor sessions.

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