Recovery

• alactacid is the fast component of recovery
• The slow component of recovery is lactacid
• Alactacid occurs first and accounts for 10% of EPOC
• The functions of Alactacid

  1. replenishes blood and muscle oxygen
  2. resynthesizes ATP and PC
• EPOC (excess post- exercise oxygen consumption)


  The volume of oxygen consumed post exercise to return the body to pre-exercise state.
• Oxygen deficit


  The volume of oxygen that would be required to complete an activity entirely aerobically.
• Oxygen debt


  A temporary oxygen shortage in the body tissues arising from exercise that must be repaid as a result of exercise.
• Cold therapy / Cryotherapy


  Applying ice or cold to an injury, after exercise for a therapeutic affect, such as reduced swelling.
• At the end of exercise athletes become fatigued because

  • Myoglobin has lost its O2 stores
  • ATP, PC and glycogen stores are depleted
  • Lactate levels may be high
• The aim of recovery is to remove all waste products from the muscle tissues and replenish fuel stores.
• Energy is needed to return the body to its pre-exercise state. This requires continued aerobic energy production in a process called EPOC
• The higher the intensity of the physical activity (the more anaerobic it is) the greater the fatigue and therefore oxygen debt and therefore EPOC will be.
• Alactacid recovery accounts for 10% of EPOC. The volume required to complete the initial part of returning the body to pre-exercise state is 1-4 litres.
• Within 1 minute of EPOC , oxygen re - saturates the bloodstream, combining with haemoglobin to make oxyhaemoglobin.
• It takes approximately 30 seconds to resynthesize 50% of PC stores
• It takes 3 mins for full restoration of PC stores.
• The functions of Lactacid recovery

  • Remove lactic acid and replenish glycogen
  • Provision of energy to maintain ventilation and circulation
  • Maintenance of body temperature
• Post exercise lactic acid is converts back to pyruvic acid.
• Lactic acid is converted back into pyruvic acid and is then either oxidised or converted to glycogen.
• 50-75% of pyruvic acid is oxidised in the mitochondria. ( re enters the kreb cycle and ETC) to produce CO2, H2O and energy aerobically.
• 10-25% of pyruvic acid is converted to glycogen to top up glycogen stores in the muscles and liver.
• Small amounts of pyruvic acid is converted into protein by the cori cycle in the liver and removed by the body in sweat and urine.
• Post exercise, respiratory rate and depth and heart rate remain elevated then decrease gradually.
• Temperature remains elevated after exercise often for several hours.
• Maintaining body temperature accounts for up to 70% of the slow lactacid component of EPOC.
• Lactic recovery uses between 5-8 litres of oxygen
• Alactic (fast) recovery

  • Resynthesize ATP,PC and relinks blood and muscle oxygen (myoglobin)
  • Takes 30 sec for 50% recovery
  • 3 mins for fully recovery
• Lactic (slow) recovery

  • Removes lactic acid, replenishes glycogen
  • Maintains body temperature and provides energy to maintain ventilation and circulation
  • Takes between 1-24 hours for full recovery