Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 12:02 am
Just got back this morning from Hawaii and am pretty tired, so my post will be kind of brief.
Recovery is a very complex topic. One thing to remember is that recovery time is dependent on many variables, such as individual differences in genetics, weight, diet, muscle mass, type of activity, etc. etc.
If I could simplify the types of recovery from a lay person standpoint, I would say that there are three types of recovery: metabolic recovery, structural recovery, and neuroendocrine system recovery. Metabolic recovery is usually the quickest, and consists of recovery of the energy stores, primarily carbohydrates in the form of muscle glycogen, that were utilized during the activity. Structural recovery is recovery of structural microdamage (we're not talking injuries here) that occurs during high force activity, such as lifting weights, more strenuous climbing, and downhill walking or running. This is primarily muscle oriented, but can also, if the activity was too prolonged and high force, involve stress fractures of the bones. The final recovery is neuroendocrine system recovery, and is a more complex recovery that becomes important during very high force activity, extremely prolonged activity, such as an ultra marathon, and activities involving a high degree of stress and/or technical skill that occurs over a prolonged time.
Which recovery process is involved is dependent on what the nature of the activity and the level of training and nutritional status. All things being equal, and assuming a good training and nutritional status, a hike that is primarily on fairly level trail would stress primarily the metabolic system and thus this would be more important. A peakbagging trip that involved class 3-4 would also stress the structural system more, and class 3-4 peakbagging for 2 or 3 days in a row would bring neuroendocrine system recovery more into play.
So put very simply, what activity you engage in will weigh heavily on your recovery time. They will also impact on the recovery strategies you utilize as well (a bodybuilder does NOT use the same recovery regimen as a marathoner, for example).
Recovery is a very complex topic. One thing to remember is that recovery time is dependent on many variables, such as individual differences in genetics, weight, diet, muscle mass, type of activity, etc. etc.
If I could simplify the types of recovery from a lay person standpoint, I would say that there are three types of recovery: metabolic recovery, structural recovery, and neuroendocrine system recovery. Metabolic recovery is usually the quickest, and consists of recovery of the energy stores, primarily carbohydrates in the form of muscle glycogen, that were utilized during the activity. Structural recovery is recovery of structural microdamage (we're not talking injuries here) that occurs during high force activity, such as lifting weights, more strenuous climbing, and downhill walking or running. This is primarily muscle oriented, but can also, if the activity was too prolonged and high force, involve stress fractures of the bones. The final recovery is neuroendocrine system recovery, and is a more complex recovery that becomes important during very high force activity, extremely prolonged activity, such as an ultra marathon, and activities involving a high degree of stress and/or technical skill that occurs over a prolonged time.
Which recovery process is involved is dependent on what the nature of the activity and the level of training and nutritional status. All things being equal, and assuming a good training and nutritional status, a hike that is primarily on fairly level trail would stress primarily the metabolic system and thus this would be more important. A peakbagging trip that involved class 3-4 would also stress the structural system more, and class 3-4 peakbagging for 2 or 3 days in a row would bring neuroendocrine system recovery more into play.
So put very simply, what activity you engage in will weigh heavily on your recovery time. They will also impact on the recovery strategies you utilize as well (a bodybuilder does NOT use the same recovery regimen as a marathoner, for example).