Reflections - by Sundeep: 2016

Sunday, 27 November 2016

The pursuit of 1:29:xx

As I anxiously stood at the start line of the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon (ADHM) 2016, a myriad of memories flashed through my head. I thought about several occasions on which I missed the sub-1:30 mark, I thought about the 4:00am wake-up routine over the last several months, I thought about the fun training moments spent with my close friends over the past few weeks, I thought about the final taper week, I thought about the pasta lunch I had with my close friends a day ago…It felt like a lot passed through my head. Before I could think of anything else, the ‘mad-rush’ started..

The background

Before I describe the journey (or the pursuit of 1:29:xx, as I love to describe it) a bit of a background on how it started. About two years ago, when I had started running I had very limited understanding of what half-marathon is all about. It had started almost out of my whimsical desire to try something new. Why? Because, I had known a few other people doing it. At that stage, I had a simple discussion with a friend at work about what a good finish time looks like for half-marathons. The discussion progressed like a typical conversation between strategy consultants:

Sundeep: “What’s a good finish time for a half-marathon?”

Friend (after a bit of thought and consideration): “It depends.”

Sundeep (with visible exasperation): “OK – that doesn’t help much. Go on...”

Friend (unperturbed): “It depends on factors like your age, body conditioning, how long you have been running etc. etc.

Sundeep (still not happy with the answer): “OK – so for a physically fit runner who has been running for a few years and who is around as old as me…and you can make some intelligent assumptions...– what would be a good half-marathon finish time?

Friend: Officially, if you do it in 3 hours, it is regarded as a formal half-marathon finish; Kenyans can do it in 1 hour. If one does it in within 90 minutes it is considered quite a decent pace”

Grossly overestimating my physical abilities, I told my friend that I intend to do my first half-marathon in 1 hour 29 minutes and a few seconds. The friend had an amused smile. Without saying anything explicitly he dismissed what I had said as an ignorant remark. It didn’t take me long to understand why.

On 12^th October 2014, I did my first half-marathon in 1:47
On 23^rd November 2014, I did my first ADHM in 1:43

About a year later, I was able to finish three half-marathons where I came within striking distance of my aspirational timing:

ADHM 2015 (Nov 2015): 1:31:20
NDM 2016 (Feb 2016): 1:31:00
Fastest running and living HM (Mar 2016): 1:30:40

The gap may have appeared just about a minute or so. However, it was good 60 odd seconds which would just refuse to go away. With that started a serious desire to do 1:29:xx.

3 months training period: Sep – Nov 2016

It was around September 2016, when the training for ADHM 2016 started in all earnestness. By this time, I had gathered sufficient understanding of what a typical training cycle looks like. However, there still were a few gaps which had to be addressed. In particular, there are three things which I was not doing correctly. I am sharing the same below and hope that it might be helpful for runners with similar aspirations.

Mileage is not everything, but it still matters – probably more than most other things!

I have always been a firm believer that strength training has a huge role to play for any long distance running (and I continue to believe that). However, earlier I often underestimated the importance of clocking mileage and my typical weekly workout schedule would look like 3 – 4 days strength training and around 2 days running. The turning point in my understanding came when I had a chat with Shiv Gahlot, our local Boston Qualifier (once again, if you are reading this – thanks buddy!). Besides sharing some serious training tips, Shiv suggested reading a book on Advanced Marathoning by Pete Pfitzinger.

This has been massively helpful and I highly recommend this book to any serious runner. Since reading this book, my weekly workout schedule comprises of 1 – 2 strength training sessions and around 4 runs. Once again, in no way undermining the importance of strength training (and it is critical to avoid injuries), but just highlighting how running is important to improve as a runner!

Each training run has a purpose – got to respect it!

My weekly workout schedule now comprises of 4 runs a week – an interval run, a tempo run, a medium long distance run and a long distance run. The beauty and finesse lays in understanding what is the right pace to run each of these runs. Earlier, my tempo run used to be an effort to run 10K as fast as possible. The interval run used to be an effort to do some sprint repetitions. Occasionally, I would also do a 5K and try to achieve my PB without realizing where it really fits into the overall training plan for half-marathon. A lot of these misunderstandings got addressed after reading the book by Pete. The three months leading to ADHM days comprised of very specific runs – to be run at a particular pace (not faster, not slower!) with a specific objective. More on this subject on some other day.

Race day planning matters - Break it into smaller components.

21.1K is a fairly long distance and a lot can go wrong if one doesn’t plan the run. This is where an honest introspection of one’s own physical abilities (body conditioning, nature of flagging during training runs, level of fatigue, typical pace limiting factors etc.) close to the race day is critical. Equally critical is to plan the big day race based on a clear understanding of these factors. A simple race day plan could look like:

For me to finish 21.1K in a given time, I need to do 14K in x minutes. For that to happen, I need to finish 10k in y minutes. For that to happen, I need to do 5K in z minutes…

...and more importantly - understanding if x, y and z are really achievable with the current level of body conditioning.

It often helps to have a close friend critique this and keep you honest in such an assessment. This is where my running buddy Rahul Dhanda really helped me through innumerable discussions close to the big day. The plan for me was simple:

21.1K in about 89 minutes, 14K in about 59 minutes, 10K in about 42 minutes, 5K in about 21 minutes – and yes, we did believe it was achievable.

The big day: 20^th November 2016

When one attaches too much importance to something, it is bound to put undue pressure. I was no exception. The race day almost felt like JEE day or like CAT day for me. Standing at the start line, I was not sure if cracking JEE / CAT was more difficult or if finishing 21.1K in the next 89 odd minutes would be more difficult.

As I anxiously stood at the start line, a myriad of memories flashed through my head. I thought about the previous edition of ADHM, I thought about several occasions on which I missed the magical sub-1:30 mark about a year ago, I thought about the 4:00am wake-up routine over the last several months, I thought about the fun training moments spent with my close friends over the past few weeks, I thought about the taper week that had just gone by, I thought about the pasta lunch I had with my friends a day ago. It almost felt like an eternity before the race started and each passing moment was adding to the anxiety. I kept casually jumping on the spot to keep the body warm.

At 7:10am the race started, and how relieved I was to be able to switch from vertical jumping motion to the linear horizontal motion! The race commenced as per the plan: 5K in 20:10, 10K in 41:09, 14K in 58:30…and finally, yes finally 21.1K in 1:29:39.

It was a moment of joy, joy that can be felt but not expressed..

What next? - Time to briefly cherish the moment and start a new pursuit!

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Sundeep Singh

+91 - 98181 19794

About the Author: By background, Sundeep Singh is a Mechanical Engineer from IIT Delhi and holds an MBA from IIM Kozhikode. Given his flair for mechanics and passion for running, he loves to analyze and write about the finer nuances of running techniques / strategies. Sundeep’s best run till date is ADHM 2016, which he completed in 1:29:39.

Wednesday, 31 August 2016

All it takes is ALL you got...and at times a bit more!

As I boarded the flight to Hyderabad, I continued to think about the big event (AHM 2016 – Half Marathon) on the following day. In the months leading to the event, I had done fair amount of training and was confident of a sub-100 mins finish on the hilly course of Hyderabad. However, I had those pre-race day anxious moments where I kept thinking – maybe I should have done some more hill runs, maybe I should have done a bit more strength training for legs and what not. This article describes the beautiful memories from the point I boarded the flight to the point I crossed the finish line on the following day.

I realized that thinking about the event on the following day was only adding to anxiety. As the plane took-off, I put on my headphones and listened to music to divert my thoughts. As always, music helped – though only for a short duration on that particular day, and I was soon back to my dream world where I continued fantasizing about crossing the finish line in less than 100 minutes.

About half an hour into the flight, the air hostess arrived with refreshments. I was not going to take a chance with any outside food a day before the race and was carrying my own food. I carefully got up and grabbed my bag in which I was carrying 6 different meals that I had planned to have through the day.

…The first meal to go down my throat was a healthy fruit salad

…shortly thereafter, I had a bowl of pasta

…and just before the plane landed, I managed to finish the idlis too.

I did notice the gentleman sitting next to me quizzically staring at me and (probably) wondering – “this Sardar ji eats like crazy!” But it was all a part of the pre-race Carb loading plan, which we runners are well aware of.

On landing, I immediately went to the expo to collect the bib. I had promised myself that I wouldn’t spend much time socializing with friends and would get to the hotel room as quickly as I can. After catching-up with a few friends, I headed back and was in the hotel room by 1:00 pm. I had all the time in the world to sit alone and relax before the race day. On most occasions it is a good thing, but it can also lead you to over-think and can add to anxiety. For me, I think it was the latter on that day. I went-off to sleep at around 6:30 pm. At around 3:30 am I had a dream (rather nightmare!) – I saw that somehow the length of my shoelace has become unmanageably long, about a meter long, and I just couldn’t manage to tie a knot even after the race started. It was one of those terribly ‘real’ nightmares. I got up with a shudder and immediately picked up the shoe lying next to my bed, ready to be worn and taken around the hills of Hyderabad. I was relieved to notice that the shoelace length was exactly what it was supposed to be!

…so, there I was ready and raring to hit the road, standing and warming-up at the start line. The much awaited moment had arrived! If there were any butterflies in the stomach, it was soon a thing of past. The run started well and it got better as it progressed…

05 km – 00 : 22 :43 mins
10 km – 00 : 45 : 58 mins

15 km – 01 : 10 : 17 mins

20 km – 01: 34: 21 mins

While crossing the 20^th km mark, I was fairly certain that I would manage the sub 100 mins finish that I was so keen to achieve on this hilly course. My chest swelled with pride as I continued to march along the final km of the run. In a moment of (pre-mature) self-glorification, I remembered the title of the blog I had written exactly a year back after completing the same race –

“All it takes is ALL you got!”

What I didn’t realize was that the run was not over yet and half-marathon distance is 21.097 km (good 97 meters more than 21 km). The sub-100 mins finish was slowly but surely slipping away, without my realizing it.

Around 20 meters from the finish line, I noticed the watch cross 01: 40 mark. It was disappointing to not finish sub – 100 mins after getting so close. As I crossed the finish line, I thought –

“All it takes is ALL you got…and at times a bit more!”

On the brighter side, every moment from the plane taking-off from Delhi to crossing the finish line was worth it. These are memories to be cherished forever.

What next?

Airtel Delhi Half Marathon (ADHM 2016) is not far – very keen to find that “bit more” ahead of the mega event...

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Sundeep Singh

+91 - 98181 19794

Saturday, 6 August 2016

Back strength for runners

When it comes to strength training, some runners tend to overly focus on the lower body workouts (squats, lunges etc.) and in the process lose out on strengthening some of the other equally important muscle groups – back strength is one such area. This article provides some simple yet effective exercises that one can perform to strengthen the back.

Why is back strength important for runners? To understand this, visualize the onset of fatigue towards the ending stages of a marathon and a common image that one would think of is that of dropping shoulders and a bending back. When that happens, the body starts dissipating (leaking!) energy in the form of extra effort needed to support tiring upper half and unnecessary body movements. The body ceases to be in the state of fluid and seamless motion that may have been possible in the initial stages. This is partly what may happen due to weak back muscles. Back strength is important as it helps to keep the body poster firm and upright by stabilizing spine and pelvis. This helps in eliminating any unnecessary energy dissipation, thereby improving running economy.

So, what are some of the simple workouts that one can perform to strengthen the back? There are many but listing below some of my favorite ones (thanks to my gym instructor Daljeet Singh for sharing these).

1. Back extensions

I like this one for its sheer simplicity. It’s a work out that can be performed just about anywhere with little or no equipment. To perform this exercise – just lay down on a floor or mat with the belly facing downwards. Pressing your pelvis into the floor, try to lift your upper body (head, chest, shoulders, and arms).

2. Dead lifts

This one is probably one of the most effective exercises to achieve strong core strength and works on multiple muscle groups – lower back, hamstrings and quads being the most prominent ones. This involves pulling the weight off of the floor and then standing with back & legs straight and shoulders back. (Note: correct form is of utmost importance for this exercise as it can easily lead to back injury, if done incorrectly).

3. Chin-ups / Pull-ups

This one is an ever-green and one of the most effective workouts for overall body conditioning. It probably has been in existence for much longer than the fancy gyms of today. It involves raising oneself with one's arms by pulling up against a horizontal bar fixed above one's head.

4. Barbell rows / Dumbbell rows

To perform this - bend over and grab a bar of appropriate weight, pull the bar against the lower chest while keeping the back horizontal. Another effective variant of this workout can be performed by using dumbbells.

5. Lats Pull-Down

I like this one especially during the monsoon season when out-door works outs tend to get impacted due to rains. To perform this – just keep your chest tall, keep your elbows pointed straight down, squeeze your lats and pull-down the bar to your chin or just below.

(Note: As with all work-outs, proper form is critical to derive health benefits and avoid injuries. Please make sure to consult your gym trainers for proper form.)

Sundeep Singh

+91 - 98181 19794

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Sources:

Inputs from gym trainer – Daljeet Singh
ChiRunning Book by Danny Dreyer and Catherine Dreyer
http://www.runnersworld.com/health/exercises-for-a-strong-back
http://www.bodybuilding.com/content/10-best-muscle-building-back-exercises.html
http://www.wikihow.com/Do-a-Deadlift
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/ridgely14.htm

Thursday, 30 June 2016

Airtel Hyderabad Marathon (AHM) – Are you ready for it? (Part 2)

When it comes to hill running, most runners tend to focus on training for up-hills. After all, it is on the up-hills that one faces significant fatigue and slowdown in pace. Downhill running is perceived to be easy as it doesn’t leave the runner gasping for breath and in many cases actually helps gain pace. However, understanding the right ways to run down-hill is equally important as it can be a source of injury. In continuation of the last month’s article, this article continues to explore key elements of hill running – focusing specifically on down-hill running this time.

When running down-hill there are variations with respect to the correct running form depending on the slope of the downhill. For instance, there are downhills of gradual gradient where one can gain pace and then there are steep down-hills where one may actually need to slow down to be able to maintain balance. The following section describes the essential form focuses for down-hill (while also highlighting adjustments needed depending on the slope of the downhill).

1. Adjust the roles of upper and lower body

In the last month’s article, we had observed that while running up-hill the focus shifts to upper body (with upper body accounting for 60 – 70 percent share of the overall work-load). It is just the opposite for down-hill running with the focus more on the lower body.

When one runs down a hill there is a greater impact generated at the time of foot-strike (due to added thrust generated by gravity). This force is significantly more than on the flat surface and can reach up-to ten times the body weight. Also, it puts additional load on the knees and quads. To combat this additional impact, lower body needs to almost act as body’s shock absorbers. For this, it is important to relax the lower body (especially quads and calves) by letting them loose and swing freely. Notice the relaxed and free swinging lower body movement of the runner in the figure below.

While the focus while running downhill is to relax lower body, the role of the upper body is help the body maintain balance. This is especially true when running steep down-hills. One should try to keep the shoulders relaxed and not tuck the arms too close to the chest. This allows the runner to use the arm movement for balancing act.

2. Adjust the lean

When one runs down a hill, the natural tendency of the body is pull the shoulders backwards (thereby causing a backward lean). However, this probably is not the right way to lean on a downhill. The challenge is that the tendency to pull the shoulders backwards shifts the weight behind and puts a curvature in the lower back putting additional pressure on the spine. Moreover, it also results in the feet landing ahead of the body causing the body to land hard on heels (which can cause injury).

According to Chi running technique, when running over a gradual downhill, the runner should focus on keeping the upper body ahead of the foot-strike by maintaining a very slight forward lean. According to another source (www.running.competitor.com), one should avoid the urge to lean back and focus on keeping the body perpendicular to the ground. It’s also important to not lean too forward as it can make the body lose its balance.

The exception to the rule of urging the need to pull back shoulders (i.e. backward lean) happens on downhills with steep slope.

Notice how the runner maintains the body perpendicular to the ground on a gradual downhill (in the left hand pic) and how Danny gets into a vertical stance in the steep slope (pic on the right hand side).

3. Vary your stride length

According to Chi Running technique, when running on a gradual downhill, the runner should try to maintain the same cadence but lengthen the stride length. However, the key question is how should one strive for a longer stride? It should certainly not be achieved by landing the foot far forward. It should be achieved by letting the hip be pulled back every time the leg swings backward. This allows the stride to open behind the runner thereby reducing the impact on knees and quads. (In technical terms, this form focus related to letting the hip be pulled back is referred to as pelvic rotation).

The figure below highlights how a small pelvic rotation can help lengthen the stride without the need to land the front foot far forward.

4. Look down the hill and not at your feet

When one runs on a downhill, there is a natural tendency to look to look down (towards the feet). Looking down can inhibit the action of hip extensor muscles (glutes, hamstrings, back muscles) which help in keeping the body upright and neutral. This can increase the risk of falling down. There are research studies that indicate that gazing few meters ahead results in a better running form.

I hope you find the principles of downhill running captured here helpful in improving your running form over hills.

Sundeep Singh

+91 - 98181 19794

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Sources:

ChiRunning Book by Danny Dreyer and Catherine Dreyer (Page 180 – 185)

http://running.competitor.com/2014/07/training/perfect-your-downhill-running-form_52804

http://www.rockcreekrunner.com/2015/08/27/downhill-trail-running-technique/

http://running.competitor.com/2014/07/training/perfect-your-downhill-running-form_52804#4ROeObWUESQ4hfYY.99

Tuesday, 31 May 2016

Airtel Hyderabad Marathon (AHM) – Are you ready for it? (Part 1)

With AHM - 2016 just about 3 months away, most of us have started preparing for the hill runs in all earnestness. Rolling hills, after all, are the essence of AHM and make the challenge a little more pronounced than a typical run over a plain stretch. This article highlights some of the simple techniques (as prescribed by Chi Running) which can help one overcome the challenge of hill runs. These techniques differ depending on the terrain (i.e. up-hill vs. down-hill). The article focuses on the important form elements that a runner may follow while running an up-hill of moderate gradient.

What exactly does the AHM terrain look like?

Before we turn our attention to the techniques of up-hill run, here is a simple view of the AHM terrain. The half-marathon profile for the 2015 run comprised of a series of up-hills and down-hills:

As evident from the terrain, more than half the distance of the overall 21.1km stretch comprises of gradual to steep uphill. Clearly, practicing hill run is critical for anyone aspiring to finish strong at AHM.

Simple principles of efficient up-hill run

One of the key features of ChiRunning is that it lays emphasis on the specific roles of upper and lower body in efficient running. The principle states that on a plain stretch, the body should be thought of as a team of two – upper body and lower body – and each part should ideally take up 50%-50% share of the work load. More interestingly, ChiRunning principle states that over a light to moderate hill, the share of workload between upper body and lower body should shift to 70% - 30% distribution. This may sound counter-intuitive; however, deploying right technique may actually reduce the workload on legs when running up-hill.

Here are some simple principles that one may keep in mind while running up-hills.

1. Lean into the hill

When one runs into a hill, the natural tendency for the upper body is to feel ‘thrown back’ (due to the incline of the hill). To counter this, the runner may need to lean into the hill in a way that the upper body feels ahead of the feet. The key thing to note here is that the incline should come from the ankles and not from the waist.

2. Shorten the stride length

Maintaining the same stride length over a hill (as the one on a plain stretch) can put undue pressure on the hamstrings. To counter this, the best remedy is to shorten the stride length till the feeling of fatigue in hamstrings fades away. A simple heuristic to follow is that while running up a hill, one should try to keep shoulders ahead of hips and hips ahead of feet (again, without bending at the waist).

3. Relax the lower body

Trying to maintain fast pace over an uphill may exert additional pressure on the calf muscles and result in a feeling of fatigue. A good rule of thumb when one is running over rolling hills is to maintain the same level of effort across the entire stretch (this would obviously imply switching to a lower gear over the up-hill and increasing the pace over plain or down-hill stretch). We have already seen one of the ways to keep the lower body relaxed (i.e. to shorten the stride length). The other important technique that one may use over a hill of moderate gradient is to keep the heels down on the ground during the support phase of the stride. There is a natural tendency to land on the forefoot when one is trying to run fast over an up-hill. Overcoming this tendency may help alleviate the build-up of fatigue in lower legs.

4. Adjust the arm swing

We started the discussion by observing that ChiRunning propagates an increased use of upper body while running up a hill. We have already seen one of the ways in which the upper body plays a key role (i.e. by leaning forward). The other prominent form focus that one may need to adjust while running up hill is the movement of arms. While running on a plain stretch, the ideal movement of arms is back and forth. A good mental image to keep in mind on a plain stretch is to imagine that with each arm swing one is trying to hit someone standing behind with the elbow. This changes when one is running up a hill of moderate incline. Out here, the runner should try to focus on swinging the arms forward and upward. A good mental picture to get this form right is to imagine that the runner is trying to punch his / her own chin with each forward arm swing.

I hope you find the ChiRunning principles of up-hill running captured here useful for your preparation for the AHM run. Do note that just like there is a proper way to run an uphill, there are principles that one needs to follow while running down-hill (but that’s for another blog).

Sundeep Singh

+91 - 98181 19794

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Sources:

ChiRunning Book by Danny Dreyer and Catherine Dreyer (Page 175 / 176)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XmHrYkobkU
http://running-sundeep.blogspot.in/2015/09/ahm-2015-all-it-takes-is-all-you-got.html

Saturday, 30 April 2016

Rest & Recovery - an integral training component

As I started putting down my next quarter’s training plan for the Hyderabad run in August , I was all charged up to put my best foot forward - I enthusiastically thought about spending more time in the gym, increasing the intensity of strength training, achieving greater running mileage, doing more hill runs and what not. My chain of thoughts was suddenly interrupted by the realization that doing all of this would really depend upon how quickly I can recover between the workouts. The last thing I want to do in my enthusiasm to ‘do more’ is to work-out when the body hasn’t fully recovered (read fully benefited) from the previous work-out. In this article, I talk about possible ways to achieve quicker and effective recovery between the workouts.

First things first – before we look at the ways to recover faster, let’s understand why exactly it is important to recover well between workouts? The answer really lays in understanding the mechanics of strengthening. In a nut-shell, physical workouts result in the microscopic rupturing of muscle fibers, which leads to muscle soreness. This soreness can peak within 1 – 3 days post the work-out, a phenomenon often referred to as DOMS (Delayed Onset of Muscle Soreness). Now, it is during the time of rest and recovery that body ‘rebuilds’ the ruptured muscle fibers which are stronger (and at times larger) than the original muscle.

In this sense, the actual strengthening of muscles takes place outside the gym hours. During the physical work-out, one only lays the foundation for muscle strengthening by actually rupturing the muscle fibers (as counter-intuitive as it may sound!). This is the reason why rest and recovery should be an integral part of one’s work-out. In fact, one should not consider the work-out complete till one has fully recovered and reaped the benefits of the strenuous work-out.

Let us now turn our attention to the next important question - how could we recover faster and more effectively? Following are some common principles that seem to work well.

1. Get sufficient sleep

It is interesting to note the typical stages in a human sleep cycle:

(i) Stage 1: This is simple dosing off stage where eyes are closed but the body is getting ready to sleep.
(ii) Stage 2: This is the light sleep stage. This stage is characterized by a drop in body temperature and slowing down of heart rate.
(iii) Stage 3: This is the deep sleep stage where the body processes slow down even further. Moreover, at this stage the brain is in a state of rest due to which supply of blood to muscles increases. From recovery perspective, this is the most important stage as bulk of the physical healing and muscle repair happens at this stage!
(iv) Stage 4: This is the deepest phase of sleep and is often referred to as Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep. This is the stage of sleep where one starts dreaming.

For our context, there are two important points that one should note here:

Quality of sleep is important – It is during the deep sleep phase of non-REM sleep (i.e. stage 3) where healing and recovery takes place.
For most adults the body needs around 7 to 9 hours of daily sleep to function efficiently. The demands of heavy work-outs may necessitate an even longer sleep duration to ensure proper recovery.

For me personally, this is the most critical recovery factor and is also the one which is the hardest to achieve. If I am ever faced with a need to choose between cutting down on workout hours vis-à-vis cutting down on sleep hours, I choose the former over the latter.

2. Keep yourself well hydrated

Water plays a vital role in regulating body temperature as well as facilitating proper muscle and heart function. Lack of appropriate water level in body can result in a drop in blood plasma (liquid component of blood that suspends blood cells) volume due to which muscle cells don’t get the required nourishment. This tends to retard muscle recovery thereby leading to prolonged soreness of muscles.

So, the next question is how much water intake should one target in the days following a heavy workout? There is no specific answer for this – however, research indicates that as a rule of thumb one should target daily water intake around 0.7 ounces for every pound of body weight. In other words, one should target a daily intake of around 45 ml water for every kilogram of body weight. For a person like me (76 kgs), this corresponds to around 3.4 liters water every day.

3. Enrich your diet with sufficient supply of proteins

The role of nutrition is critical in facilitating quick recovery between workouts. In particular, the intake or proteins is important as proteins are the building blocks of muscles and facilitate repair of damaged tissues.

Nutrition immediately post a work-out: There is ample research that suggests that one should target a post work-out meal comprising of 4 parts of carbohydrates and 1 part of protein (i.e. 4:1 Carbohydrates: Protein ratio) to kick-start quick recovery. Note that immediately post a work-out carb intake is important as carb reserves are depleted due to high intensity work-out and need replenishment. Chocolate milk is a commonly available option that serves this purpose.
Routine protein intake: A healthy human body should consume around 0.8 grams of protein per kg of body weight (everyday). However, for individuals involved in running and heavy workouts there is additional recovery requirement due to which the protein intake should be around 1.2 to 1.4 grams of protein per kg of body weight. This can typically be met with options like egg whites, sprouts, dals, curd and milk (for more details, you can refer to one of my previous blogs published in July 2015 - Fuel your engine with right nutrients!)

In addition to this, one should try to get frequent intakes of protein at regular intervals during a day. Moreover, consuming a relatively large portion of protein just before the night’s sleep is a great option (it provides essential recovery nutrients at a time when the body is best positioned to recover).

4. Try hot turmeric milk for accelerated recovery

As antiquated as it may sound, this always works. So how does this really work? When we undertake intense workouts, our muscles burn the energy stored in the form of glycogen to produce lactic acid. This lactic acid quickly breaks into lactate and hydrogen ions. The hydrogen ions lower the pH of our muscles leading to that feeling of fatigue and burning sensation that we feel after high intensity workouts (or for that matter after speed runs).

To offset the effect of the drop in pH, it is good to consume something alkaline. That’s where turmeric milk is immensely helpful. Moreover, turmeric is also known to have several health benefits due to its anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties.

5. Make foam rolling a regular feature of your training schedule

For starters, the connective tissue in our muscles consists of a soft tissue portion (also called ‘fascia’) that provides support and protection. The fascia often becomes constrained and restricted due to overuse of muscles during heavy workouts, which leads to soreness and inflammation. Now, foam rolling is a simple self-myofascial release (SMR) technique which involves rolling the tender muscle groups over a foam roller for 30 – 60 seconds using one’s own body weight.

This one is my favorite and something that I have adopted in a big way in the last few months. If you want to try out one thing from the list of recovery techniques listed in this article, try this one for 3 months and see the difference. To learn more details around how to use a foam roller, watch this excellent YouTube Video from Gagan Arora:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_KEgKK-9bQ

6. Make stretching a regular feature of your work-out

Stretching after a workout can help in relieving the body of muscle soreness and stiffness. It also helps to flush out waste products from the muscles which facilitate quicker recovery. Additionally, stretching can help improve flexibility, which is critical for any athlete trying to achieve bigger stride-lengths (especially the flexibility of hip flexors, glutes and hamstrings).

In addition to the recovery and flexibility benefits of static stretching, one should also build in active dynamic stretching into the work-out routine. As the name suggests, dynamic stretching involves rapid stretching movements that repeatedly put the muscles to undergo a range of motion. This helps in increasing the suppleness of blood-flow to muscles and also aids in improvement of muscular endurance and anaerobic capacity. Some simple dynamic stretches include exercises such as dynamic lunges, leg-kicks etc.

7. Try compression garments

Compression garments are relatively tight-fitting clothing such as socks, sleeves etc. that provide support during sports activities. Unlike most of the other recovery tips listed in this article, the impact of compression garments is yet to be fully established scientifically. However, there are research studies that indicate that compression garments have a moderate effect on lessening the severity and duration of DOMS.

According to a research published in the British Journal of Sports medicine – 2/3^rd of the athletes who wore compression gears after workouts that cause perceptible muscle damage said that the gear helped in lessening the severity of muscle soreness. The general view is that the external pressure from the compression gear reduces the space available for swelling to occur within muscles, which in turn may lead to feeling less soreness.

Even though the benefits of compression garments are yet to be fully established, it still warrants a try. For me personally - compression socks tend to work very well.

I hope the article provides some useful information for quicker recovery tips and helps you make the most out of your hard high intensity work-outs!

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Sundeep Singh

(+91 - 98181 19794)

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