I am a swimmer and am currently training for a long distance swim.?

Question

The problem is that i am not having time to recover, and thus feel that i need to use a recovery product to help sore shoulders and general muscle fatigue. Thought about Maximuscle Recovermax/Promax. Any suggestions on quick effective recovery?

Answer 1

Eat eat eat eat! Key to recovery is food and good rest. Taking recovery products are good too BUT talk to your instructor or coach first. Make sure it's alright and it won't interfere with your workouts. But there shouldn't be any problems.

Answer 2

The sore shoulders can probably be fixed by altering your stroke.  Let your arm be a little straighter on the recovery, it should feel nice and relaxed as the arm comes forward.  Other than that, ice after every workout for 20 minutes.  As for general fatigue, make sure your eating a balanced diet with plenty of carbs and fresh fruit.  Try to eat within the first 30 minutes of ending your workout as this is when the body is most efficient in processing nutrients.  Also be sure to be drinking plenty of water (8-12 pints) a day.  If you do that you should be able to recover adequately from one training session to the next.

I'm not a fan of the 'recovery' products other than the basics like Gatorade etc.  While such products can be very effective if used properly, I find most people don't use them properly.  They aren't getting enough nutrition and water under normal circumstances so the recovery product works as a crutch instead of an aide.  Also the quality control and regulation on these products isn't that great.  There have been numerous athletes who have tested positive for banned substances after taking products that allegedly did not contain banned substances.  Manufacturers put in just enough steroid (or other performance enhancement substance) to avoid having to list it on the ingredients.  I strongly suggest that you try changing your eating/hydration habits first, and then if necessary go to the artificial products.

Answer 3

keep stretching, those recovery products should help, but the best way to recover is always sleep.