The Importance of Recovery in Athletic Performance

In this episode, we sit down with John Wakefield, the managing director of Science to Sport and performance coach with the Bora-hansgrohe World Tour cycling team. John, from Cape Town, South Africa, shares his insights from years of coaching and an advanced training facility in Girona, Spain. Understand why recovery is the key to progression and how ignoring it can impede an athlete's performance, no matter their level.

John believes recovery is the critical element in athlete training. He shares details about a routine 'sub-max test' he utilizes with his athletes, whether pro or amateur. He can document progression and shape optimal training by using power and heart rate data in concert with subjective feedback from an athlete on wellness factors like sleep, stress, and mood.

Recovery isn't just about easy days or days off. John breaks down other factors to consider in recovery protocols, like stretching, nutrition, massage, and mindfulness, to fulfill the "Three Rs:" refuel, rebuild and rehydrate. He also takes us inside a team bus to learn some of the cyclists' critical recovery strategies while competing in a Grand Tour. 

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