The fitness components that go into combat sports include cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility and body composition. Skill related these components include speed, agility, power, balance, coordination and reaction time. Most combat sports require a mix of technique, strength, aerobic fitness, power, and speed. Usually, no single performance characteristic dominates in combat sports [1].
Maximizing performance capacity is not only a matter of training. It also depends on an optimal balance between training and recovery in order to prevent maladaptation to accumulated psychological and physiological stresses induced by the training load [2].
Amateur athletes and casual practitioners of martial arts can be susceptible to burn out or chronic fatigue throughout their training regimen if they aren’t recovering properly. There is a certain pace and balance necessary when it comes to training and recovery that most don’t pay attention to or are not aware of. We will explore what active recovery is and activities to integrate into your day-to-day for a more balanced training regimen.
Benefits of Active rest and recovery
It reduces the buildup of lactic acid in the muscles, minimizing post-exercise stiffness and discomfort.
- Helps to alleviate fatigue and improves mood that typically crash after a workout or event.
- It promotes blood flow to joints and muscles, counteracting inflammation.
- It maintains the heart rate at a more steady state, improving endurance and training volumes.
Combat sports utilizes Aerobic and Anaerobic exercise
Aerobic Exercise: The term aerobic actually means “with oxygen,” which means that breathing controls the amount of oxygen that can make it to the muscles to help them burn fuel and move [3].
Benefits of aerobic exercise
- Improves cardiovascular conditioning.
- Decreases risk of heart disease.
- Lowers blood pressure.
- Increases HDL or “good” cholesterol.
- Helps to better control blood sugar.
- Assists in weight management and/or weight loss.
- Improves lung function.
- Decreases resting heart rate.
Anaerobic Exercise: Anaerobic exercise is any activity that breaks down glucose for energy without using oxygen. Generally, these activities are of short length with high intensity. The idea is that a lot of energy is released within a small period of time, and your oxygen demand surpasses the oxygen supply.
Benefits include:
- Increases bone strength and density
- Promotes weight maintenance
- Increases power
- Boosts metabolism
- Increases lactic acid threshold
- Reduces risk of disease
- Fights depression
- Boosts energy
Our friend Lactic Acid
Lactic acid is a byproduct of carbohydrate metabolism. It is produced in the muscles when the level of physical exertion outstrips your ability to keep up aerobically. Aerobic exercise implies a level of activity in which your oxygen intake is considered ideal to burn the fuel stores in your body (namely glycogen, glucose, and fat). By contrast, anaerobic exercise implies that you are burning fuel in excess of your oxygen intake, eventually leading to muscle exhaustion and failure.
Once you push your heart rate above 80 percent of its maximum heart rate (MHR), you move into an anaerobic state. It is then that production of lactic acid begins to intensify.
By reducing your MHR to below 80 percent, you return to an aerobic state and are able to move the lactic acids from the muscles to the bloodstream more effectively. (Stopping activity altogether simply allows the acids to pool.) Active recovery maintains the heart rate at levels more conducive to lactic acid clearance [4].
Broadly speaking, there are three forms of active recovery.
- One is used during the cool-down phase immediately following a workout.
- The second is incorporated into interval training itself (i.e. 10x10x10)
- The third is used in the days following any competition or event that has placed your body under extreme stress.
Active Recovery Methods
During a workout such as a Muay Thai session which consists of short bursts of high intensity interval training, instead of sitting or standing between rounds, low intensity movements such as 10 sit ups, 10 push ups, 10 squats which are already integrated into XMT workouts can prevent lactic acid pooling.
Various other movements can be incorporated such as skip knees, jogging, mountain climbers, etc. that put the heart rate above the resting rate but lower than 80% of MHR.
After a Workout is one of the most overlooked instances where active recovery plays a role in how an athlete may feel going into the next day. Also considered a cool down phase, this is where we want to keep the heart rate, again below 80% max and above resting.
20-30 minutes of activity post workout will help move lactic acid out of the muscles and through the bloodstream.
Depending on the type of workout, one may consider a few recovery activities:
- Light weightlifting (30 percent less than your usual weight)
- Yoga (less vigorous forms such as hatha, yin, or slow vinyasa)
- Cycling or stationary cycling
- Elliptical or rowing machine
- Swimming, aqua walking, or other aquatic activities
- Hiking, brisk walking, or jogging
- Myofascial release (foam rolling)
- Massage
- Stretching
Morning After and off days can be just as important as the work an athlete puts into a workout. Rather than taking a day or two off following a competition or event, you can use active recovery to mitigate the sluggishness and soreness people often feel after extreme activity. This might include brisk walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, hiking, or range of motion exercises using light weights. Aim for exercises for which your heart rate is less than 50 percent of your MHR.
Stretching and yin yoga can also be useful as they engage the muscles, tendons, and fascia around the joints that typically seize up due to post-exercise inflammation. Massage can also help.
The one thing to avoid during active recovery days is overexertion, assuming that it will either help you lose weight faster or perform better. You need to take a sensible approach and listen to your body. Signs of overtraining include persistent soreness, change in sleep habits, unrefreshing sleep, and a general feeling of malaise (unwellness).
Conclusion
Rest and recovery are vital to the longevity of your workout regimen as a martial arts practitioner. It takes time, effort, and being in tune with your body so you know what it needs to recover and perform optimally. Prevent pooling of lactic acid during your workout by moving between sets or rounds. Post workout stretching, foam rolling, and movement is vital for optimal sleep and how you will feel the next morning. Each morning consider implementing a stretching and movement routine to wake up your muscles, joints, and fascia. Next time we will discuss foods to consume prior to and post workout to maximize performance and recovery.
Daily active recovery routine to get you started
Upon waking:
- Move your body – go for a brisk walk or do 4 sets of 10x10x10
- Stretch thoroughly or participate in a yoga practice mentioned above
- Meditate (20 mins)
- Foam roll as needed
- Fuel your body with natural unprocessed foods
Throughout the day
- Eat well
- Be mindful of your posture
- Walk, jog, swim, stretch or hike. Get out and move!
Post workout
- Light cool down exercises as mentioned above
- Foam roll
- Fuel your body properly
- Stretch
- Ice Bath (within 30 mins of workout for 10 mins min)
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