"The Importance of Sleep for Recovery"(12.9.2014)

Training, Recovery, And The Importance of Sleep
by
Mike Kesthley
An element of recovery that most folks will under-estimate is SLEEP.  An athlete can have everything dialed: nutrition, training, preWO/PWO intake, but if sleep is not there, all progress is halted, and recovery suffers.  I’ve even seen this in athletes on aggressive PED/AAS cycles.  THAT’S how important sleep is.  But why?
Hormonal regulation and secretion of cortisol, melatonin, serotonin, dopamine, DHEA, testosterone and growth hormone, to name just a few, are all dependent on quality sleep.  Many studies have been done on sleep deprivation, and from 20 years of personal experience, I can tell you the effects are acute and drastic.  Couple mixed-modal training + sleep debt, and you massively and chronically hammer on your endocrine system; this leads to an accelerated phase of over-reaching, possibly overtraining, and potential adrenal dysfunction.
Key Points & Strategies for Optimizing Sleep:
  • Shoot for 8 hours; prioritize this, make time in your life.  Training increases this need.  Google “How Much Sleep The Pros Get” for a quick infographic.  Avg = 8-10hrs.
  • Alcohol affects stages of sleep; while it’s a CNS depressant and can help you FALL asleep, it reduces SWS (slow wave sleep), aka Stage 4, where the most gH (growth hormone) is released.
  • Bright sun exposure during the DAY will improve sleep quality at night by maximizing endogenous melatonin secretion.
  • Bedroom = Cave.  Dark, cool, quiet.  Blackout blinds, white noise can help reduce REM sleep, and lower body temps help induce sleep.
  • Reduce electronic use 1hr prior to bed.  iPhones, computers, TVs are all back-lit with blue-wavelength light—the same as the morning sun.  This suppresses melatonin production.  If you have to use a laptop, install F.Lux to alter the hues of the screen to more red-wavelength tones.
  • Naps: Hard to fit in, but worth every penny (minute) you can get.  Brief naps, <30min, can be restorative mentally and emotionally; you cannot “make up” sleep debt. 5hrs sleep plus a 3hr nap (who can even do that?) is not equal to a solid 8 hrs. Why? Length and completeness of sleep cycles.
  • Naps, Part 2:  Naps have the potential to speed recovery, based on the fact you naturally release gH (growth hormone) as you sleep, and naps will improve immediate performance in sleep-deprived athletes. We know that sleep extension improves performance and recovery; I don’t think it’s a stretch to hypothesis adding naps to an already optimal sleep-wake timeframe (8hr) will also improve recovery.
  • Reduce Caffeine; half-life is approx. 5-7 hours.  Cut-off for intake should be early afternoon.
  • Supplementation:  Complex topic, the above ALL needs to be in order, but items like ZMA, GABA, Glycine, Melatonin, L-Dopa can all help.  This needs to be individualized on a case-by case basis by someone familiar with these supplements.

success-and-failure-sign

I. Dynamic and Mobility Prep Warm-Up:
3 minutes of z1 work
+
3-5 minutes of dynamic work
Coach Option
+
3-5 Minutes of the following:
Banded Shoulder Stretch x 90 seconds/each side
II. Phases Strength and Conditioning:
A. Lifestyle Phase
Maximum Aerobic Power Sessions(Testing Workout) + Core/Core
6 Minutes of the following:
10 Kettlebell Swings
6 DB Strict Press
Row 150 Meters
+
Rest 3 Minutes
+
6 Minutes of the following:
20 Walking Lunges(10/each side)
20 Jump Rope Singles
Row 150 Meters
+
Rest 3 Minutes
+
6 Minutes of the following:
10 Box Jumps
6 Burpees
Row 150 Meters
+
Rest 3 Minutes
+
6 Minutes of the following:
Row @ 85% effort-Compare November 25th Row Effort(We did 5 minutes)
B. Fitness Phase
High Sets Maximum Aerobic Power Sessions
10 Minute AMRAP of the following:
10 Calorie Airdyne
10 Hand Release Push-Ups
10 Box Jumps
+
Rest 5 Minutes
+
6 Sets of the following:
Airdyne 45 Seconds, rest 90 seconds @ aerobic effort
C. Competition Phase
Gymnastics Skill Prep Work + Clean Moderate + Press Work(Behind Neck) + Single Leg/Horizontal Pull
A. 4 Rounds for quality of movement:
1. Handstand Push-Ups to Depth(Men 25-45 lbs plates)(Women Regular Depth), 6-8 reps or Clusters of 2.2.2.1.1—
2. Legless Rope Climbs(No Jumping), 1 climb +1 Rope Climb with Legs
3. Strict Ring Dips, sets of 8-12 reps, or clusters of 2.2.2.2
B. Clean Deadlift(2 reps) + above knee power clean(1 rep) x 4 sets- 70%-75%
C. Close Grip Bench Press @ 30×1, 4-6 reps x 4 sets, rest 2 minutes between sets.
D. DB Split Squats @ 22×1, 6/each leg x 4 sets, rest 1:30 minute, rest 2 seconds in bottom-focus glute activation.
Post Comments to Group Page.