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Allot of athletes think the secret to getting fit is who can train the longest/ hardest. This is not always the case. Hard training leads to sore damaged muscles. The athlete that can train hard and recover quickly to be able to train hard again will have the edge. With that in mind here are my top 5 recovery tips:

#5 Hydration- Its more than just drinking water. If doing a long training session weigh in before and after. The difference between weigh in amounts is water loss. I have lost three pounds on a three hour ride. One L of water weighs a Kilo (2.2 lbs). make sure that you replace the fluid but also minerals (you can add electrolyte to your water with products like Elyte or by adding a pinch of organic sea salt). Don’t use Gatorade etc, has too much fructose, food coloring and is highly acidic.

#4 Nutrition- Anti-Oxidants prevent free radicals from forming, preventing soreness. I use Proflavonol made from grape seed extract, but there are lots of sources. Blueberries are a tasty addition to your post workout recovery drink. Have a post workout shake with a 4:1 ratio of protein to carbs and high in anti oxidants. You have a half hour window post exercise to prevent further tissue breakdown. I prepare mine in advance so its ready to go.

#3 Stretching- Most people do a few half ass stretches right after training and forget about it. Try dedicating one hour weekly to your flexibility and you will feel better and recover quicker. It takes 3 minutes of stretching a muscle to get into the connective tissues (tendons) and the ligaments supporting the joint. Try a Yin yoga class they hold the poses that long and you feel great release.

#2 Myo-fascial Release-  Fascia covers  muscle and is often tight and cannot be stretched. You will need to get a specific myo-fascial release massage and supplement with foam rolling. Using a foam roller you can release the tension in the fascia (and therefore the muscles below). I would recommend blocking 5-10 minutes immediately after your training session to foam roll the affected areas.

#1 Sleep- the most overlooked aspect of training and recovery. Your body repairs between 10 pm- 2am, no exceptions. After that it is on to mental repair. If you are not getting a deep sleep between these hours your body will not recover to 100%. I recommend avoiding caffeine at all times (it stays in your system for a long time preventing a deep sleep). Also, make sure you are in bed by 11 latest otherwise you will not  be in a deep sleep and your body will not repair. Track your training volume and sleep hours. Make sure as you are training more and harder you are allocating time for more sleep.

Craig Boyd is one of Vancouver top personal trainers, nutrition coaches and bootcamp instructors. Check out his websites at  http://Precisionathletics.ca and  http://precision-bootcampvancouver.com .