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Recovery After Exercise - What’s the Right Approach?

After exercise, recovery starts with the first thing you put in your mouth. Many people don’t fuel their bodies properly, and as a result don’t get the type of benefits they should expect from their hard training routines. You don’t have to be a world-class athlete to benefit from proper postworkout “re-fuelling”.

Dehydration and electrolyte loss saps your cardiac efficiency; exercise causes micro-tears in muscle tissue and drains your glycogen stores – your most efficient exercise fuel source. You need a nutritional plan to help repair and refuel your body for your next workout.

Research on this topic has been hot and heavy, and in 1988 researchers from the University of Texas identified the glycogen window – a one hour period immediately following intense exercise when athletes have the best chance of replenishing lost glycogen.

What’s more, they found that consuming carbohydrates and proteins in a four-to-one ratio (carbs to proteins) during that window makes the athlete (you) up to four times more efficient at synthesizing carbs into glycogen. Take the right kind of food or drink immediately after exercise and you can replace the energy you’ve lost and come back strong again the next day for another workout. Here’s what the researchers found works best:

A. Immediately after an intense workout: down between one cup to one litre (depending on your body size and the intensity of your workout) of a drink which supplies the appropriate four-toone ratio. There are many sport supplements on the market, however your best choice (and cheapest) is chocolate milk. Dr. Dean Kriellaars of the University of Manitoba indicates chocolate milk is the recovery “drink of champions”. Check the label and you’ll see for yourself how it stacks up in carbs, proteins and fat.

B. Recovery meal two to four hours after your workout: Follow your recovery drink in the glycogen window with a meal consisting of 60 - 65% carbs, 20% fat and 15% protein (sound familiar - it’s Canada’s food guide for healthy eating). Don’t get bogged down with the numbers, just follow the general guidelines in the food guide and you’ll be on your way to healthy eating and proper nutritional recovery - just watch your portion sizes.

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EXERCISE UPDATE

Summer Schedule Starts May 19th!

We’re shifting to our Summer Schedule for the Victoria Day weekend. May 10th is the last Sunday Boze’s will be open until September. Boze’s will be open on Sunday, May 10th (1:00 pm - 4:00 pm) but will be closed on Sunday May 18th and Monday, May 19th for the Victoria Day holiday. Regular hours resume Tuesday, May 20th.

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Boze's members save at Sports Traders in Dauphin.

Show a valid Boze's membership card at Sports Traders in Dauphin and save 10% on footwear and workout clothing.
Sports Traders will reduce regularly priced footwear and workout clothing prices by 10% for all Boze's Bodyshop members. Drop by Sports Traders in Mall off Main and see Dave Campbell or any of the friendly staff and save on your next purchase of workout clothing and footwear.

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The 5-Minute Core Routine

Do you ever find yourself unable to squeeze in a full workout but with a few minutes on your hands?
If so, why not try this simple yet extremely effective 5- minute core routine. Better yet, add this 5-minute routine to your regular workout and see the amazing improvements in strength and tone you’ll achieve. Try adding these simple movements to your workouts and see what happens.

5-minute core program: (The goal of this program is to work towards holding each exercise for one minute - at the beginning start with 20 or 30 second reps - then increase as you can until you can hold each move for 1 minute.)

Plank - lie flat on the floor - lift your body up off the floor using your elbows/forearms and toes for support - try keeping your body rigid and straight (no butt up in the air). As you get stronger move your feet closer together and/or extend up onto straight arms (imagine holding a push-up in the “up” position). Try to stay rigid but remember to breath!

Side-Plank Right - similar to the Plank, except you roll onto your right side (body weight on right elbow/forearm). Stack your legs so they are on top of each other. Lift your body off the floor and hold it as straight as you can for 1 minute. (Start with 20-30 second reps until you can hold it for 1 minute). Breath while you hold the move.

Side-Plank Left - same as Side-Plank Right except you support your body weight on the left side. (Non weight bearing arm can either be crossed over chest or held tightly to side of body that is elevated.)

40 Twisties - Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet together (Similar to the “up” position in a situp). Lean back slightly with the upper body until you feel the urge of your feet lifting off the floor - Stabilize yourself in this position - now hold a ball (or weight or medicine ball) in your hands and repeatedly touch it on each side of your body until you complete 40 repetitions. Keep your feet stable while you twist from side to side.

Beginners might not want to use any resistance - more advanced technique involves lifting the feet off the floor. Slow Controlled sit-ups (the biggest mistake made during sit-ups is going too fast, thereby getting momentum involved in the movement. In this version, start in a typical sit-up position by lying on floor, knees slightly bent, back “flat” on floor with arms at your side. Slowly curl up, reaching hands and arms forward (use hands under thighs to help pull yourself up if you can’t do the movement slow enough). With your arms sliding forward reach until chest touches knees, then slowly return to start position.
Continue as slowly as you can for one minute. As you get stronger you can move your feet further from your body - but still be able to maintain low back contact with floor and an absolutely glacial pace - SLOW. This core workout is simple, but effective when done properly.

Ask any of Boze’s trainers for the proper technique to these classic core exercises.

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