recovery

• EPOC - the volume of oxygen consumed post-exercise to return the body back to its pre-exercise state
• fast alactacid component of recovery - initial stage of EPOC where oxygen consumed within 3 minutes re-saturates haemoglobin and myoglobin stores and provides energy for the ATP and PC re-synthesis
• fast alactacid - accounts for 10% of EPOC (1-4 litres of oxygen)
• fast alactacid

  • replenishment of ATP and PC stores
  • replenishment of blood and muscle oxygen
• fast alactacid: replenishment of ATP and PC stores

  • during exercise ATP and PC stores are depleted to fuel the ATP/PC system
  • can be replenished by consuming 4 litres of oxygen within 2-3 minutes of post exercise
  • 30 seconds to restore 50%
  • 3 minutes for full restoration
  • no lactic acid removal at this stage
• fast alactacid: replenishment of blood and muscle oxygen

  • during exercise oxygen dissociates from the haemoglobin and myoglobin to fuel aerobic glycolysis
  • within the first minute of EPOC, oxygen is reloaded into the myoglobin
  • within three minutes myoglobin is restored with oxygen
• slow lactacid recovery - second stage of recovery, approx 5-8 litres of oxygen required to complete the more complex and time consuming return to pre-exercise state. Provision of energy to maintain ventilation, circulation and body temperature. Removal of lactic acid and replenishment of glycogen
• slow lactacid recovery

  • ventilation and circulation
  • body temperature
  • removal of lactic acid and glycogen replenishment
• slow lactacid recovery: ventilation and circulation

  • during exercise - respiratory rate and heart rate increases and stays elevated then decreases so that it maximises oxygen delivery and removes by products
  • there is an energy cost of continued aerobic energy production of 1-2% of EPOC
• slow lactacid recovery: body temperature

  • for every 1 degrees rise in body temperature, metabolic rates increases by 13-15%
  • post exercise the elevated temperature remains the same, potentially for several hours post vigorous exercise, accounting for 60-70% of slow lactatic recovery
• slow lactacid recovery: removal of lactic acid and glycogen replenishment

  • lactic acid accumulates in muscles causing OBLA and muscle fatigue
  • post exercise, lactic acid is readily converted back into pyruvic acid and is either oxidised or converted into glycogen
• Slow lactacid recovery: removal of lactic acid and replenishment of glycogen

  1. approx 50-75% of pyruvic acid is oxidised in the mitochondria and reenters krebs cycle
  2. approx 10-25% of pyruvic acid is converted into glucose through gluconeogenosis and glycogenosis to be stored in the muscles and liver
  3. small amounts of pyruvic acid are also converted into protein by the Cori cycle in the liver and removed by the body in sweat and urine
• slow lactacid recovery - removal of lactic acid and replenishment of glycogen

  • Buffering capacity in the blood, which neutralises its effect
  • hydrogen carbonate ions produced by the kidneys absorb hydrogen ions released by lactic acid and form carbonic acid
  • carbonic acid can be broken down to form carbon dioxide and water for removal at lungs
  • lactic acid removal takes on average 1 hour but can be up to 24 hours dependent on the intensity of exercise
• gluconeogenesis/glycogneogenesis - formation of glucose/glycogen from substrates like pyruvic acid
• warm up:

  • increases heart rate, respiratory rate and metabolic rate (BMR), accelerating use of aerobic system
  • reduces oxygen deficit
• active recovery (cool down)

  • maintains heart rate and respiratory rate
  • speeds up removal of lactic acid and reduces length of slow lactacid
  • 40-60% of vo2 max
  • may reduce temperature and metabolic rate, diminishing energy cost of EPOC
  • little benefit for aerobic athletes who achieve steady state oxygen consumptions (no lactic acid to remove)
• cooling aids:

  • lower muscle and blood temperature to resting levels
  • reduce metabolic rate (BMR) and demand on the slow lactacid
  • speed up lactic acid removal
  • reduce muscle damage and decrease delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMs)
• intensity of training

  • monitored using heart rate to ensure training is specific

  high intensity training will increase muscle mass, ATP and PC storage, boosting efficiency of fast lactacid

  high intensity training will increase tolerance to lactic acid, increase buffering capacity and delay OBLA, reducing demand of the slow lactacid component

  low-moderate intensity training increases aerobic capacity and respiratory and cardiovascular efficiency. minimises lactic acid build up, delays OBLA and maximises oxygen delivery post exercise
• work:relief ratios:

  ATP/PC system = 1:3

  Glycolytic system = 1:2

  Aerobic system = 1:1 or 1:0.5
• strategies and tactics:

  • look to delay/pause the commencement of play to allow 30 second relief intervals for 50% ATP and PC replenishment.
  • e.g substitutions, changing equipment, time out or fake injury etc
• nutrition:

  • maximise fuel stores, delay fatigue, reduce lactic acid accumulation and speed up recovery

  PC stores - may load creatine, phosphagen and protein, increasing efficiency of the ATP/PC system

  Glucose/glycogen - carbohydrate load, pre event, during event and post event meals and snacks, maximising efficiency of systems.