Recovery is just as important as the actual training method that you choose to employ. There are several issues to keep in mind when dealing with recovery: nutrition, sleep, post-workout recovery, and relaxation. I will mention all briefly, but focus mainly on relaxation.

Nutrition
     There are many people far more knowledgeable about nutrition, so I will keep it very brief. For your muscles to recover, you need protein and lots of it. Supplements like L-Glutamine can boost immune system performance and will also help you recover. You also need vitamins and minerals. I prefer to get mine from fresh fruits and vegetables simply prepared.
     Nutrition does not have to be complicated. Do not neglect nutrition. It is one of the biggest performance boosters in your arsenal.

Sleep
     You need at least seven hours of sleep-probably more. In my experience, the earlier you can get to bed the better. It is practical wisdom among many athletes that an hour of sleep before midnight is worth two hours after midnight. Experiment and see if you agree. To habituate to a new sleep pattern will take at least a week and possibly two, so don't give up too early.
     Make sure you have a calm, dark sleeping environment. Noise and light are the enemy. If you have to hang black curtains then do it-you can thank me later.

Post-Workout
     The concern you give to your post-workout recovery should be proportional to the volume of the workout. If you slaughter yourself, consider some quality protein and a contrast shower. A contrast shower is when you alternate the hot and cold water for two minutes each for a total of four to six cycles, the hot water improves blood flow and the cold water restricts it, this makes for large improvements in circulation for the area that is exposed to the contrast. It is usually a good idea to focus on the lumbar region and any other muscles that have been exposed to the most significant training load.

Relaxation
     What is your heart-rate? How fast are you breathing? Chances are, you are probably breathing high in your chest and your heart rate is somewhere north of 60 (unless you've been dutifully playing with your kettlebells).

     In Pavel Tsatsouline's Beyond Stretching, Judd Biasiotto is mentioned. At a powerlifting meet, he would remain fast asleep and not warm up. Within ten seconds of stepping on the platform, he would have the pedal to the medal-ready to lift and break records. Most of us cannot maintain such composure. We need to re-learn to relax. Once we have the ability to relax, we open ourselves to new levels of athletic performance where we can flow with absolute relaxation and instantaneously change to bone-crushing tension.

     A very important component in training is matching the breath with the force. In grinds, you use high tension breathing-if you breathe at all. In kettlebell lifting, you adopt a rhythmic breathing pattern-with tension. For relaxation, you need to breathe deep. A good way to get started is to use the following method which is used by underwater Special Forces operatives. Of course, the frogmen's version uses a hose and an underwater tank, but the idea is the same.

Straw Breathing
     Find two straws about eight inches long. Tape them together so they are airtight. Now get on the ground and lie on your back. Put the 16 inch new straw in your mouth. Breathe through your mouth. You will find that to inhale, you will need to generate more force from your midsection and you will draw the air deeper into your lungs. Your diaphragm and stomach will expand. Try to draw the air as deep into your lungs as possible, but don't work too hard. Your body temperature should not elevate. The breaths should be long draws and long exhalations.
     Try this deep breathing for a day. As you sit in your office or are on a job-site, take a mental check of your breathing. Now, do some conscious deep breathing for a couple of minutes. Try to keep this new, deeper breathing pattern for the rest of the day. Recheck your breathing every hour and re-set with deep breaths. I promise an unbelievable tonic effect. Let your muscles relax and feel a little more flow in your movement.
     You can also practice deep breathing right before napping or going to sleep. It will put you in a state of relaxation more conducive to rest. Try for five to ten minutes-if you fall asleep or feel a strong desire to do so that is alright. Deep breathing is very effective if you are able to lie down on your back. Let your body just sink to the ground. With every breath out, feel that you are exhaling the tension from your body and that you are sinking into the ground.

The Smile Breath
     Another low-tech way to learn how to get more air into your lungs is the smile breath. This is taught to opera singers as the introductory way to learn to breathe. Simply smile (don't worry, it doesn't have to look good) and simultaneously draw in some air. Be mindful of your diaphragm-the muscle right above your stomach. The air will just sink a little lower. I don't know if the smile aids the deep breathing in melting stress and tension away, but I imagine that it might.

Physical Techniques for Relaxation
     The following are shared graciously by Scott Sonnon; they appear in his excellent book Clubbell Training for Circular Strength. Vibration drills are an excellent way of relaxing the muscles. When doing them, make sure to stay mindful. Another tip is that you want all of the residual tension in your muscles to go away. To do this, do a body check as you do some deep breathing and feel all of your muscles relax. Pay particular attention to the face and hands. Also, as you prepare to do the drills, think of each of your limbs and your entire body as being very, very heavy. Almost as if you have cinderblocks dangling from each arm. You want your structure to be holding you up, not excessive muscular tension. Use the above tips if you want to improve your daily breathing and relaxation.

From Clubbell Training for Circular Strength by Scott Sonnon:

     The basic version of a Vibration Drill comprises the following (focus on developing skill with one performance goal, then cycle to another, until you can accomplish all simultaneously):

The Sag: Standing, let your head hand forward and your forehead, jaw, and lips relax. Your arms hang dead at your side. Your pelvis tilts upward, and shoulders roll slightly forward. You hunch over slightly, but not too much that your alignment compresses your lungs greatly.

The Anchored Jump: Repeatedly jump without your feet leaving the ground. This technique looks like you try to lightly push off the ground, but your feet remain glued.

The Shrug: The above step adds the stimulation for allowing your shoulders to shrug from the motion. The higher you can cause your shoulders to slide, the better.

The Nod: Step 2 will further cause your head to nod, though never back so high that you stand erect; always sagging.

The Pulse Breathing: Pulse Breathing involves constant, but intermittent exhales, like a series of pulses from a strobe light. These are light, intercostal to diaphragmatic exhalations. You will not need to consciously inhale. The negative back pressure created from the motion and alignment causes the exhalation out. The upward motion releases the structure to "suck" air back in.

The Jelly Arms: Allow your arms to hang like you have no skeleton supporting them. It is very important to avoid controlling the motion of your arms.

The Shake: You will notice that your torso leans slightly forward. Here, the Anchored Jump and Jelly Arms cause the torso to shake as if a mild twitching. Allow this positive motion to even increase.

The Dead Hang: At the final ¼ of your Vibration set, hang dead balanced on your legs. There will be necessary stabilizing tension in your ankles, knees and hips to keep you standing. Do the Dead Hang while thinking only that your body is very warm and heavy, nearly impossible to stand erect.

The Flatfoot Squat: A more advanced version of the Dead Hang is to continue to do the Shake all the way down, removing your hips backwards, and keeping your knees perpendicular to the ground. This is an advanced technique and requires practice. Go as far as you can and if the Shake stops, then just Dead Hang.

-"Scott Sonnon, Clubbell Training for Circular Strength"

     The shrug is excellent for relieving built up tension in the neck muscles, a common site of stress tension in many people. These vibration drills can be done daily or whenever you feel tense. The more you practice them, the more effective they will be. They are worthwhile to have in your toolbox.

     Learning them at first might be a little tough. Just remember to keep your breathing relaxed and think of your body as being heavy and passive in space. It is easier said than done, but if you apply the mind to the idea you will acquire the skill in short order. With relaxation, the effort is in letting go-not actively pursuing an objective.

Recap
     That's about it. The most important aspect to recovery is to recognize that it is an important component to the overall training picture. Steroids are mainly effective because most steroids shorten the recovery cycle which means that an athlete that is using can train more often and apply more training stress to the body. If you take recovery seriously, you will also find a large improvement in your work capacity. The physical skills, such as breath control and the ability to relax, are also worthwhile to master in and of themselves-particularly if you practice a martial art or sport. Good luck.

Christopher Muscarella is a student and an athlete. If you have questions or comments post them on the DragonDoor Forum or e-mail him at m@christmasgorilla.com. You can also visit his web-site at http://www.christmasgorilla.com/training/

Resources

Pavel Tsatsouline. Beyond Stretching. Dragondoor Publications, 1997.
http://www.dragondoor.com

Scott Sonnon. Clubbell Training for Circular Strength. RMAX.tv Productions, 2002.
www.clubbell.tv

Charles Staley. Science of Martial Arts Training. Multi-Media Books, 1999.
http://www.myodynamics.com

T.S. Wiley. Lights Out: Sleep, Sugar, and Survival. Pocket Books, 2001.