28. Recovery Hacks, Part One: Worth the Time and Money?

Forget the intensity of your workout, are you tough enough to embrace the horrors of the recovery methods?! 

Forget the subtle spa music and gentle Swedish kneading, would you grimace through a pummeling sports massage if it meant your aches and pains would disappear more quickly?

Would you forgo soaking in those lovely warm bubbles, for 15 freezing minutes if it meant your muscle stiffness would melt away?

Seen those Olympians proudly displaying their cupping badges of honor? Would you embrace those same heated glass cups, if it meant a return to full strength in time for the weekend pick-up basketball game?

In this first of two episodes on recovery methods, our WTYT? duo take a look at cupping and various types of massage before considering the raging debate around “getting cold” in next week's part two.

episode resources:

Despite a ton of research proving otherwise, the myth that lactic acid is the main source of muscle soreness persists. Check out this article to discover the true villains responsible for those pesky post-exercise aches and pains.

For a Harvard medical school review of cupping, check out this link.

Here’s that big, meta-study of 22 studies investigating the use of massage to aid recovery (and where you’ll find those numbers quantifying the amount of performance imporvement!).

For a good overview of the different types of massage, how they might work and a discussion of the possible risks of this type of treatment, try this article.

For an insight into conflicting data about the use of rollers post-exercise, check out these articles for, and against, their use.

Interested in the use of intermittent pneumatic compression devices aka compression boots? Studies in cyclists, triathletes and strength athletes all suggest, don’t waste your pennies!

and finally, sometimes it’s just really important to embrace the negative. Read more about Why science needs to publish more “negative” aka “we found no effect” studies!