Active recovery involves low-intensity exercise after high-intensity training to aid in restoring the body to a resting state, minimizing soreness, and increasing stamina and strength. It also has positive effects on mood and cognitive ability.
In exercise, active recovery is the process of using low-intensity exercise as a cool-down after some form of training. One approach to this type of active exercise occurs immediately after completing the most intensive regimen of exercises that are directly related to training. A different strategy is to engage in exercises that are considered low intensity for two to three days after completing the workout. Both approaches to the post-exercise period have been shown to provide physical and emotional benefits.
The structure of active recovery will vary, depending on the individual’s fitness level and the type of high intensity training just completed. In general, the effort required to participate in the exercise series that is part of the recovery will not be more than half that of the most active training. Simple exercises like stretching, toe tapping, and brisk walking help ease the transition from vigorous activity to rest, a phenomenon many people find very good for mind and body.
When the active recovery process takes place immediately after completing a sports competition or round of exercise, the blood lactate level decreases at a faster rate than if the individual begins to rest. This actually aids in the process of restoring the body to a resting state, helping the heartbeat gradually return to a normal range and allowing muscle groups to retain more of the benefits of the workout itself. As a result, the individual begins to enjoy a greater sense of stamina and strength during subsequent workouts.
There are also some benefits associated with active recovery over the course of the days following high-intensity activity. This is particularly true for people who are participating in a competition that requires a large amount of physical activity, such as a race. Lower-intensity follow-up activity, spaced out over two to three consecutive twenty-four-hour periods, has the effect of minimizing soreness in the muscles while helping to maintain the tone and strengthening that took place as part of the effort.
If the active recovery process involves low-grade activity immediately after a workout or low-intensity activity over several days, the strategy has a positive effect on the individual’s mood. Athletes and others who regularly use active recovery report an increased sense of well-being that lasts for a significant amount of time after the combination of intensive training and an active cool-down period. Graduating from vigorous activity to more moderate activity appears to help the brain continue to release endorphins and other neurotransmitters that support a balanced mood and increase general cognitive ability.
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