Recovery jogging: A must!

Recovery jogging, also called scouring or regeneration jogging, is our number one ally to progress when training intensively. This may seem like an insignificant part of training, but it is the last thing to jump into a training plan if you run out of time. I have already talked a lot about the interest in jogging but it is even more important on the recovery aspect. Being serious about recovery jogging by doing it at the right time, at the right pace is even, in my opinion, one of the keys to long-term progress.

Training at a sustained pace generates waste in the body. The purpose of recovery jogging is to help the body recycle this waste. In fact, this recycling is done in all cases, the body does not let all this waste stagnate. But slow jogging speeds up the process by increasing blood circulation. A light activity naturally increases blood circulation and therefore better oxygenates the muscles. Oxygen being the main element that the muscle uses to recycle waste (with good nutrients), providing it with more helps to speed up the process.

The recovery jogging is a jogging like any other so it must be strictly run in fundamental endurance or 75% FCM maximum. In intense times I think that to force oneself to do some very slow footings between 65% and 70% FCM is even ideal to recover from the biggest training sessions. For those who train 4 times a week or more 30 times a week at 35′ very slow jogging the day after the key sessions is ideal.

 

Even if the pace may seem very slow, boring some would say, this is the best way to recover. The important thing is to run in a fluid, relaxed way, with the lightest possible stride to help the body put the focus 100% on recovery.

The basic principle is to always insert at least one recovery jog between each intensity session. This is the best way to do your basic endurance quota and recover well for the next session.

 

But recovery jogging is much more than that. It is also practiced within the training sessions themselves. When doing split training, inter-fraction recovery must be done by jogging.

 

A good habit is always an intense workout by 10 at 15′ of slow jogging to immediately start activating the recovery process of our body. Stopping abruptly after training is letting the body get rid of the waste generated by training "alone" when these extra few minutes at a very slow pace will greatly help the process.

I often talk about cross-training and its interests, I even wrote a full article on the subject here. Recovery jogging is by far the easiest way to integrate cross training. I did it last winter and the results were super positive! Instead of your 30 at 45′ for recovery jogging, do 1h to 1h15 by bike or 30 at 45′ for swimming for example. Carried out at a slow pace, it is very effective: the effects on recovery are the same as a jog without suffering the shocks of the race. Ideal to avoid injuries.

 

And of course, although recovery jogging is the most effective method to recover, you shouldn't forget all the other recovery techniques (my 10 tips for a good recovery are here) ! ????