or possibly leading to an overtraining situation.
An old Marine might be inclined to push harder,
but we now know that this is not the best way to
stay healthy and perform your best.
The solution? If your current program doesn’t
have active rest and recovery built in to it, then it
should. And if it does, now is a great time to learn
more about strategies to monitor and recover
from training loads (the sum of all your stressors
— gym, skiing, life, etc.) so that you can reach
your peak. Hint: If you are a school-aged athlete,
and your in-season program has three or more
on-snow training sessions per week, followed by
a weekend of racing, then you don’t have active
rest and recovery in your program.
I’m not a scientist or researcher, just a ski coach
with a blown-out knee hoping to share practical
and useful information to help you get the most
out of ski racing. Please take some time and
check out the links in the sidebar, read through
this excellent information and incorporate it.
In the following tables (used with permission
from “Recovery and Regeneration for Long-Term
Athlete Development [LTAD]” by Angela Calder
at Canadiansportforlife.com) you can learn about
training and competition fatigues, monitoring
strategies and recovery strategies for athletes by
LTAD age-stages.
There are effective strategies for monitoring how
an athlete feels at all ages, as well as effective
strategies for creating recovery at all ages, too.
These can be as simple as smiley faces for little
kids, diaries for older athletes, and more complex
heart rate, temperature, and lactic acid testing for
elite athletes.
Recovery options are limited only by your imagi-
nation. How many times have we heard about
the famously fun hockey matches of the U.S.
men’s speed group? This is a perfect example
of active rest and recovery. Other examples are
pool work (stretching, resistance, and hot/cold
therapy), sports massage, yoga, spinning, etc.
These are all readily available to nearly any pro-
gram, whether you’re at home or traveling. And
recovery is not just physical — debriefing perfor-
mances with your coaches, mental training, and
relaxation techniques are all part of the process.
Hydration and nutrition are critical components
of recovery, too. I’m always impressed to see ski
racing athletes who keep a bag filled with water
bottles and light snacks at the lift — more im-
pressed when they access it every run.
Lastly, let’s not forget your coaches. Their load
is far greater than an athlete’s, and great head
coaches and program directors have programs
built for their coaching staff that includes rest and
recovery, too.
Table 1: Training and Competition Fatigue
Type of Fatigue Main Causes for Fatigue Expression of this Fatigue
Metabolic Fatigue
(energy stores)
• Training lasting one hour
or more, or
• From several (even
shorter) sessions a day, &
• It can be cumulative when
training or performing over a
number of days
• Athlete fatigues sooner
than is normal for that
athlete
• Athlete struggles to
complete a session or event
Neurological
Fatigue
(nervous system)
Peripheral Nervous
System Fatigue
(muscles)
• After short high
intensity sessions, e.g.
weights, plyometrics,
complex skill execution, etc.
• After long but low
intensity sessions especially
involving repetitive
movements, e.g. steady
state swimming, running,
cycling, paddling, rowing,
etc.
• Reduced localized force
production e.g. slow feet.
reduced acceleration, poor
technique, etc.
• Low blood pressure levels
• High pressured training
session - especially
involving rapid decision
making & reactions
• Poor motivation e.g.
monotony of training,
emotional factors, injury
etc.
• Lack of team or squad
cohesion, personality
conflicts etc.
• Competition pressures,
event venue, residential
conditions, parents, coach,
media, etc.
• Other lifestyle stresses
– home, school exams,
personal relationships
Neurological
Fatigue
(nervous system)
Central Nervous
System Fatigue
(brain)
• Lack of drive
• Lack of motivation
Recovery Strategies
• Rehydrate & refuel before, during
& after training
• Use contrast temperature showers
or pool or spa and cold plunge, or
active recovery activities
• Meal within 1-2 hours of training &
monitor hydration
• Rehydrate & refuel (including
small amounts of protein as well
as carbohydrates) before, during &
after training
• Within 5 – 15 minutes after
training use a spa or shower with
jets focused on the large & fatigued
muscles
• After training or later in the day
– massage large muscle groups using
jostling / light shaking technique
• Steady & regular intake of
carbohydrates during training &
after training to maintain normal
blood glucose levels
• After training – unwind, listen to
music, visualization
• Sauna – contrast hot and cold
• Rest
Psychological
Fatigue
(emotional, social,
cultural)
Environmental &
Travel Fatigue
• Athlete looses self-confidence or self esteem
• Poor interaction &
deteriorating communication
with other athletes & staff
• Athlete’s body language,
increased signs of anxiety,
negative attitudes, etc.
• Quality of sleep is poor
• Focus on process rather than
outcome performance measures
• Debrief by identifying 1-3 things
that worked well and 1-3 that need
more work
• Take mind off training with
escapist or funny movie, TV, book,
or socialize with family & friends
• 10-15 minutes before bed switch
off from the day by using relaxation
techniques
• Disruption of normal
routines, especially
biological clock
• Disruption to sleep, waking
and meal times
• Sedentary & limited body
positions on long journeys,
i.e. 30 minutes or more
• Adapting to different
climates and time zones
• Athlete takes longer to
warm-up, are slower to start
• Unforced errors in the first
15 minutes are well above
normal
• Athletes fatigue sooner
than normal
• Preparation planning will minimise
fatigue
• Stay hydrated and refuelled
• Stay cool in the heat - use a pool,
shade, iced towels, etc.
• Keep moving as much as possible
on long journeys
• Minimise visual fatigue by wearing
sunglasses outside & limiting time
on computers & play stations
