4 Essential Recovery Tips for Every Runner Wanting to Improve

Ever wondered if massage guns, stretching, or hand-held devices actually make a difference? This video dives deep into the science-backed methods that can truly help you run faster and further. We'll unveil the secrets of the Recovery Pyramid, a strategic approach to enhancing your performance without succumbing to overtraining or injury.
🏃‍♂️ Run Faster with Smart Recovery 🏃‍♀️
You've heard the saying "You cannot fight your physiology," and it couldn't be truer when it comes to improving your running speed. We all want to push our limits, but matching your training intensity with effective recovery is the key. Join us as we explore insights from Professor Shona Halson, an expert in the field, and reveal a tailored approach to recovery that's designed just for runners of any ability.
🔝 The Recovery Pyramid: From Hype to Science 🔝
We'll guide you through the four tiers of the Recovery Pyramid, separating the hype from real science. Learn why some methods are just flashy marketing, while others, like active recovery and proper nutrition, play pivotal roles in your journey to optimal performance. And yes, we'll finally address whether massages truly release knots or if they're more about relaxation.
💤 Sleep: The Ultimate Game Changer 💤
Turns out, the most powerful tool for recovery is right under your nose: sleep. Christie Aschwanden's wisdom reinforces the importance of quality sleep in your athletic pursuits. Discover how insufficient sleep can hamper your performance, and why prioritizing downtime, meditation, and parasympathetic activities can help you transition from the stress of workouts to true recovery mode.
If you're ready to transform your running game and unlock your true speed potential, hit that play button and let's dive into the Recovery Pyramid together. Remember, smart recovery is the secret sauce to achieving running feats you never thought possible. 🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️
🔔 Stay tuned for more expert tips and insights on the Run Smarter channel. 🔔
Video Resources:
Paper 1: Effects of foam rolling on performance and recovery: A systematic review of the literature to guide practitioners on the use of foam rolling www.sciencedirect.com/science...
Paper 2: Effects of stretching before and after exercising on muscle soreness and risk of injury: systematic review pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12202...
Paper 3: Sleep Interventions Designed to Improve Athletic Performance and Recovery: A Systematic Review of Current Approaches link.springer.com/article/10....
Paper 4: Chronic Lack of Sleep is Associated With Increased Sports Injuries in Adolescent Athletes journals.lww.com/pedorthopaed...
Website Links:
Pain Science & Massage Guns: www.painscience.com/articles/...
Pain Science & Massage Therapy: www.painscience.com/articles/...
00:00 Reality of Running Faster
00:30 The Recovery Pyramid
01:08 Science Behind Massage Guns
02:15 Foam Rolling for Runners
02:45 Stretching for Muscle Soreness
03:30 Active Recovery
04:23 Nutrition & Hydration for Runners
04:58 Relative Energy Deficiency
06:10 Massages for Recovery
06:50 The Benefits of Sleep
07:55 Napping for Runners
08:22 Downtime to Run Faster
09:22 Avoiding Training Overload
Book a Free 20 Minute Injury Chat calendly.com/runsmarter/injur...
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[@daaknait]

I'm glad I found your channel. Probably the best channel for running tips. I'm training for a marathon PB and the info is invaluable. Thanks!

[@RunSmarterwithBrodieSharpe]

Amazing 🤩 thanks for the kind words. Looking forward to seeing how your marathon goes. Good luck with your training 💪

[@bev9708]

What an awesome summary of all those discussions in your Recovery Month podcasts, way back at the end of 2020... I just listened to them all a couple of weeks ago on your suggestion, running along the Orge River!! I finally completed the entire river from its source to where it flows into the Seine River, what a great adventure that one was too, I just love doing challenges like that, and ALL once again to your voice Brodie😂 I just loved that conversation you had recently with Joel Tobin-White too, listened to that podcast twice in the last couple of days, AND love all your podcast re-runs too btw! THANKS Brodie!!

[@RunSmarterwithBrodieSharpe]

Always love hearing your thoughts and how your training is going. You sound in a real groove!! Glad you enjoyed the new pro runner segment 👏

[@bev9708]

@@RunSmarterwithBrodieSharpe IF possible Brodie, I would love to request Liam Adams for your Pro Runner Spotlight one day, please!!! I'm sure Joel was thinking of him when he spoke of runners who do manual labour for a living and STILL try to train and run in world-class events ... he is a fascinating runner and has been around for a long time!!

[@travisbooth78]

Thanks Brodie. I have found an active recovery works best for me. I try to avoid foam rolling for the first 2-3 days after high intensity workouts and races instead walking or even an easy stationary bike ride for 30 minutes does the trick. Foam rolling does have a place but its down the list

[@RunSmarterwithBrodieSharpe]

Thanks for sharing mate!

[@Kelly_Ben]

Another great video! Sadly I have a broken circadian rhythm, so sleep is the tippy top of my pyramid, and all the tricks and pills in the world don't help. As far as active recovery, I'm a farmer, so every day has a low intensity 3-5 hour strength session- including the day before and after my marathons and 50ks. 😫 Funny enough, I think it helps my DOMS quite a bit after a race, though I'm hating every minute! And I'll have to go check out that link on massage. I have degenerative disc disease (probably from a life of farming), and sometimes I'll get agonizing knots that will last for weeks despite muscle relaxers, heat therapy, etc- until I get 2 massages and the knots release. I usually put it off because of the cost, and my husband does his best, but sometimes a professional massage or two is the ONLY way to stop weeks of agony.

[@RunSmarterwithBrodieSharpe]

You’re amazing Kelly 🫣 you have a lot on your plate. Sleep is a tricky one. Perhaps substitute with deep breathing exercises/meditation/yoga nidra etc while in bed to counter that?

[@alanshrimpton6787]

Totally but I can not say enough about percussion guns. I use to always feel my calf muscles when running and now I incorporate percussion gun into my warm ups. 30 strokes on each leg and butt area including my soles of feet and I don't even know I have calf muscles anymore. I use to foam roll them but that made no difference for me.

[@RunSmarterwithBrodieSharpe]

Individual response plays an important role. This is an excellent example. Maybe some great research on massage guns will come out in the near future 👏

[@MichaelLoweAttorney]

Other than sleep, strength training is the best recovery tool.

[@RunSmarterwithBrodieSharpe]

Curious to hear your thoughts on this. What type of strength training? Because strength training puts more load on the body so what be the opposite to recovery. Unless our definition of recovery is different?

[@MichaelLoweAttorney]

@@RunSmarterwithBrodieSharpe strength training for runners shouldn’t be a strain similar to a running workout. Most strength training exercises for runners are relatively easy. Exercises like slant board calf raises, seated calf raises, KB RDLs on foam pad, hamstring curl with sliders, lateral step ups, Peterson step ups, Bulgarian split squats, ATG splits squats, slant board Asian squats, sled pulls, and various ab exercises. A lot of these movements lengthen and strengthen muscles and tendons. The benefits to run economy are clear from the research. Most runners do strength training the same day as hard workout or hard long run. Strength work moves a lot of fluid to joints and muscles after a hard run workout. It’s the best recovery tool, IMO.

[@lydiagould3090]

The type of strength training I do isn't good recovery. As a Masters athlete I need to lift heavy, and I don't think most strength excersises for runners are necessarily easy. But I see the point you are making and agree the excersises you mention done without weights could be fine. Personally , I would rather go for a little walk ,or do the jobs at my horses field.@@MichaelLoweAttorney