Section A: Exercise and Sport Physiology

5. The recovery process

Syllabus

• Returning the body to its pre-exercise state• The oxygen debt/EPOC• The alactacid and lactacid debt components• Replenishment of myoglobin stores and fuel

stores, and the removal of the carbon dioxide• Implications of recovery process to be

considered when planning training sessions

Recovery Process

• Aim – restore body to its pre-exercise state

• HR and BF remain elevated during recovery

• EPOC – (Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption)

EPOC (oxygen debt)

• The amount of oxygen consumption, above the resting level, during recovery required to restore the body to its pre-exercise state.

• EPOC has 2 components– Alactacid debt (fast)– Lactacid debt (slow)

• This oxygen debt will occur when:– Exercised anaerobically (high intensity / 3 min)– Anaerobic threshold exceeded

EPOC

ALACTACID DEBT • Elevated BF helps restore

muscle ATP and PC

• Restores myoglobin and haemoglobin with O2

• 30sec – 50% restored • 60sec – 75% restored • 3min & 3L of O2 – fully

LACTACID DEBT • 7L of O2 • Takes btwn 1 hr and 24hrs

• Removal of LA• Reconversion of LA to:

– Pyruvic acid – Glycogen

• Need to support elevated metabolic functions:– High body temp (CO remain

high to reduce temp)

CO2 Removal

• Elevated BF and HR help

• CO2 is carried:– Blood plasma as Carbonic acid – Haemoglobin

Glycogen Replenishment

• A large percentage of glycogen can be replaced up to 10 and 12 hours after exercise

• Complete recovery can take up to 2 days

• Glycogen restoration – almost complete recovery – high CHO diet within first 2 hours

Implications of Recovery Process for Planning Physical Activity Sessions

• If you understand the recovery process it will help you plan training sessions

• A) you’ll be able to optimise work intensity • B) you’ll be able to optimise recovery intervals

• In INTERVAL TRAINING this is called the work-relief ratio

Use of Work-Relief Intervals for Specific Energy System Training

AIM OF TRAINING

Improving speed using ATP-PC

system

Work ratio may be less than 10 seconds and relief ratio is typically longer (1:3) to allow time for ATP and PC stores to fully recover (2-3min)

Improving body’s tolerance

to lactate to improve speed

endurance

Work ration less than 10 seconds but decrease duration of relief ratio (1:2). 30 seconds relief only allows 50% ATP-PC restoration.Alternatively, increase the duration of the work ratio which increases lactate production and overloads LA system

Improving VO2 max using the aerobic system

Relief ratio is typically shorter (1:1) which helps reduce OBLA and delay muscle fatigue and therefore prolong the aerobic system adaptations.

What’s Good About Interval Training?

• Can train for a longer distance• Can train at a lower average VO2 max• Can train with a lower blood lactate level

• This is compared to continuous work• Continuous work sees exhaustion after only 4

to 5 minutes!

TRAINING AT THE SAME INTENSITY COMPARE CONTINUOUS TO INTERVAL TRAINING

Work-Relief Ratio Total Distance (m)

Average O2 uptake (L/min)

Blood Lactate Level (mg/100ml blood)

4 min continuous to exhaustion

1422 5.6 150.0

10s:5s (20min work in 30min session)

7294 5.1 44.0

15s:30s (10min work in 30min session)

3642 3.6 13.66

Effects of Active Recovery on Lactic Acid Removal

0 20 40 60 80 100 1200

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

PassiveActiveResting Level

Recovery (min)

Bloo

d La

ctat

e (m

mol

/L)