Week 1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Day 4
[NL] Local Active Recovery DAY (weekday)
LLT
LMT
ULT
UMT
GPR
GAR
LPR
LAR
HISS
HIIT
SISS
SIIT
Work-In
Recovery Day
Recovery Blocks
[NL] Self-Massage Hips & T-Spine
Circuit x 1
Self-Massage: Quadriceps
Set time intensity
1 2 minutes per leg RPE 3-5
Self-Massage: Adductors
Set time intensity
1 2 minutes per leg RPE 3-5
Self-Massage: Glutes
Set time intensity
1 2 minutes per side RPE 3-5
Self-Massage: T-Spine
Set time intensity
1 2 minutes RPE 3-5
Self-Massage: Foam Roll Lat
Set reps intensity
1 2 minutes per side RPE 3-5
[NL] LAR Hip and T-Spine Mobility
Circuit x 1
[NL] Foam Roll – Rub and Scrub – Pelvis
Set time Tempo
1 5-10 s per area fast
Rub and Scrub Rib and Cage
Set time Tempo
1 5-10 s per area fast
Supine Slide Hip Decouple
Set reps intensity Tempo
1 10 Light controlled
Split Squat with T-Spine External Internal Rotation
Set reps intensity Tempo
1 10 Light controlled
Prone Atomic Frog T1 HpDC
Set reps intensity Tempo
1 10 Light controlled
Prone T-Spine Rotation
Set reps intensity Tempo
1 10 Light controlled
Alternating Pigeon
Set reps intensity Tempo
1 10 Light controlled
[NL] Rock Mat/Walk on Rocks
Horizontal
Recovery: Stone Mat / Rock Garden Walk
Set time intensity
1 3-10 minutes Light
[NL] Precovery Protocol - Sleep Routine
Horizontal
[NL] Precovery – Sleep Routine
Set time
1 8-10 hours
[NL] Bodyweight Strength & Metabolic Flexibility – SISS, SIIT, HIIT, LAR, & LPR Day 4

[NL] Local Active Recovery DAY (weekday)

Work-In
Recovery Day
LLT
LMT
ULT
UMT
GPR
GAR
LPR
LAR
HISS
HIIT
SISS
SIIT

The mentality of "go big or go home" and the current ethos in the fitness community believing we should always be doing "high-intensity training" to see improvement, are both fallacies.

What ultimately limits the results you get from your workouts is often not the exercises, sets, reps, or weight you lift in the gym. It is the other 23-hours in the day when you are not in the gym. That is because your body does not get stronger, more fit, leaner, or better conditioned while you are training. The changes you want to see only happen through the process of recovery, which takes place in the hours and days after your workout is over.

Similarly to training, recovery programming needs to follow a systematic approach whereby the prescription chosen best helps put our body in a position to accept the next training load.

With that being said, today's local active recovery (LAR) day is pertinent to your overall training program, and should be considered another important piece in the puzzle, for improving your overall health and performance.

Recovery Blocks

[NL] Self-Massage Hips & T-Spine
Circuit x 1

Having a morning routine that includes a self-massage with a few myofascial release tools (i.e. foam roller, tennis ball, TriggerPoint MB1's, etc.,) is a great way to start everyday (not just on your recovery day!).

Self-Massage can help the nervous system recover (i.e. improve parasympathetic tone; therefore, allowing the muscles to 'relax'), increase hydration to the surrounding tissues, and feel less tension and stress to the areas targeted.

LAR
Self-Massage: Quadriceps
time 2 minutes per leg
intensity RPE 3-5
"How-to" self-massage for the Quads
Set Time Intensity
1 2 minutes per leg h:m:s RPE 3-5 RPE

Maintain a neutral spine throughout the rolling. Have a slight core engagement to prevent the low-back from sagging.

Keep breathing as you roll - encourage more oxygen to the muscles and tissues.

When rolling the lateral quadricep - roll on the outer edge without rolling directly on the IT Band.

LAR
Self-Massage: Adductors
time 2 minutes per leg
intensity RPE 3-5
"How-to" self-massage for the inner thigh
Set Time Intensity
1 2 minutes per leg h:m:s RPE 3-5 RPE

Self-massage should not be painful. If you are holding your breath, or tensing up during the movement, you need to lessen the pressure by using a softer tool (e.g. tennis ball versus the Trigger Point MB1 or a Lacrosse ball).

LAR
Self-Massage: Glutes
time 2 minutes per side
intensity RPE 3-5
"How-to" self-massage for the glutes/posterior hip.
Set Time Intensity
1 2 minutes per side h:m:s RPE 3-5 RPE

Maintain a neutral spine throughout the rolling.

Keep breathing as you roll - encourage more oxygen to the muscles and tissues.

Self-massage should not be painful. If you are holding your breath, or tensing up during the movement, you need to lessen the pressure by using a softer tool (e.g. tennis ball versus the Trigger Point MB1 or a Lacrosse ball).

LAR
Self-Massage: T-Spine
time 2 minutes
intensity RPE 3-5
"How-to" self-massage for the Thoracic Spine (mid-upper region of back).
Set Time Intensity
1 2 minutes h:m:s RPE 3-5 RPE

Self-massage should not be painful. If you are holding your breath, or tensing up during the movement, you need to lessen the pressure by using a softer tool (e.g. tennis ball versus the Trigger Point MB1 or a Lacrosse ball).

Maintain neutral spine, and avoid your lumbar spine going into extension, by keeping your core slightly engaged.

ULT
Self-Massage: Foam Roll Lat
reps 2 minutes per side
intensity RPE 3-5
Set Reps Intensity
1 2 minutes per side RPE 3-5 RPE

[NL] LAR Hip and T-Spine Mobility
Circuit x 1

Around midday, take 10-15 minutes to focus on creating space and adding mobility around the hips and thoracic spine.

ULT
[NL] Foam Roll – Rub and Scrub – Pelvis
time 5-10 s per area
Tempo fast
FLUID DYNAMIC - Intended to be used to move fluid (blood, lymph, water) in order to set the right internal body conditions to optimize tissue behaviours. Use these strategies as part of an effective warm-up, or as part of a structured recovery day.
Set Time Tempo
1 5-10 s per area h:m:s Fast
Rub and Scrub Rib and Cage
time 5-10 s per area
Tempo fast
Set Time Tempo
1 5-10 s per area h:m:s Fast
LAR ULT
Supine Slide Hip Decouple
reps 10
intensity Light
Tempo controlled
Set Reps Intensity Tempo
1 10 Light RPE Controlled
LAR UMT
Split Squat with T-Spine External Internal Rotation
reps 10
intensity Light
Tempo controlled
Dynamic Stretch to prepare the hips and Thoracic Spine.
Set Reps Intensity Tempo
1 10 Light RPE Controlled
LAR UMT
Prone Atomic Frog T1 HpDC
reps 10
intensity Light
Tempo controlled
T1= Threshold 1
Set Reps Intensity Tempo
1 10 Light RPE Controlled
UMT
Prone T-Spine Rotation
reps 10
intensity Light
Tempo controlled
Set Reps Intensity Tempo
1 10 Light RPE Controlled
UMT
Alternating Pigeon
reps 10
intensity Light
Tempo controlled
Set Reps Intensity Tempo
1 10 Light RPE Controlled

[NL] Rock Mat/Walk on Rocks
Horizontal Loading

Walking barefoot on different surfaces is great to help mobilize the foot, and to increase proprioception which can help stimulate the autonomic nervous system (i.e. improve recovery of the nervous system).

In the evening, take 3-10 minutes to use a rock mat (i.e. in the kitchen while preparing dinner or in the bathroom while brushing your teeth), or to go outside and walk barefooted over different sized rocks.

UMT
Recovery: Stone Mat / Rock Garden Walk
Use the stone mat or rock garden walk to stimulate the bottom of the feet.
Set Time Intensity
1 3-10 minutes h:m:s Light RPE

[NL] Precovery Protocol - Sleep Routine
Horizontal Loading

Although this is not a Local Active Recovery strategy, I feel this is always beneficial to include on a recovery day, to remind you that getting adequate sleep is the foundation for optimal health and performance. Remember, any recovery strategies are lost without adequate sleep and nutrition.

GPR ULT
[NL] Precovery – Sleep Routine
Getting adequate sleep is an essential component to optimizing your health and performance. Sleep is the most anabolic (e.g. building muscle tissue, adding new mitochondria) time there is. The Canadian Society of Exercise Physiology recommends adults get 7-9 hours of sleep per night. Having more sleep (i.e. >7 hours per night) increases your ability to fight the common cold virus. Not getting enough sleep can lead to: - greater susceptibility to sickness - reduced physical and psychological performance - reduced motivation, learning ability, and memory - increase in anxiety, irritability, and mistakes - increase in body fat percentage -poor judgement of distance, speed and/or time -increased risk of injury and reduced pain threshold Ideas to get a restful nights sleep on a consistent basis: - Set an alarm in the evening to indicate it is "time to get ready for bed" (a consistent bedtime is key!). - Avoid any screens 1-hour prior to bed (i.e. phones, computers, tablets, etc.,). - Avoid consuming caffeine in the afternoon/evening. - Limit food intake up to three hours prior to bedtime. - Try doing something calming and relaxing (e.g. reading, meditation, gentle stretching, writing down your agenda on paper for the following day, etc.,). - Use blackout blinds/curtains to have the room dark as possible. - White noise can help. - Have the room at a cooler temperature (e.g. under 19 degrees C). Sleep and nutrition are the two fundamental elements critical to the recovery process. Take the time to build a healthy sleep routine, and couple it with sound nutrition, and you will never look back!
Set Time
1 8-10 hours h:m:s