recovery after sport

'Get the Edge'

Badminton Recovery during and after a Tournament

It is estimated that there are 150 to 200 million Badminton players worldwide

At the end of the game, that is 300 or 400 sore fatigued legs that need to be attended to and recovered

With all these tired legs there would only be a fraction of them looked after by someone who knows what they are doing in recovery of exhausted athletes, the rest of them manage the best they can with the little knowledge they do have

Badminton players are like ultra marathon athletes-they have to sustain a certain performance through a season of tournaments and matches and they have to be fit and focussed whether just playing for pleasure or professionally if they want to win matches and reach the top in their game

Matches are won or lost on skill, but in long tournament and matches with players of equal skill, it can come down to the player who has the most stamina or quickest recovery during, in between, and after matches and training

This is the usual schedule of the Badminton player

They train, prepare and compete and recover as best they can in between, but leaving recovery to chance is also leaving their play form to chance because if they don't recover quickly and properly it can affect their performance and lose them games

This is the way their schedule should look

The player who recovers quickest has the 'edge'

An area where the athlete can get an 'edge' over the competition is in recovery

Through recovery they can improve performance because soreness and stiffness issues when going through a season can be minimized; this results in turning up courtside fresher than the competition

The slight edge over the competition may just be enough to win the match and it can be done without resorting to drugs or illegal substances

Performance is the players responsibility-recovery is the body's responsibility

During a match or immediately after competition or training, the greatest need of the athletes muscles is to get rid of the by-products that have accumulated in the muscle tissues after dynamic activity

As soon as the athlete stops dynamically using the muscles , the recovery processes start taking place, the body can be assisted in recovering quicker but it is actually doing the work all by itself

It important to ensure that any external assistance does not interfere or break into the processes while they are taking place-all the muscles need at this time is to be helped in getting rid of the depleted used blood so that fresh blood can enter the muscle tissues and deliver oxygen and proteins to them

Recovery

Recovery after play is divided into phases

Immediate Post Event-the 'Window of Opportunity'

The window of opportunity during and after dynamic activity is when the muscles are still warm and flexible enough to work with; this window is very short, it is estimated that recovery work in the first 30 minutes is most beneficial

The sooner by-products are removed from their legs, the qicker fresh blood can be pumped into the muscles tissues, the faster recovery will be and it is important to do it before the muscles have gone cold and stiffness has set in

Post Event Recovery

Post Event Recovery is usually done at an unspecified time after the event has finished when muscle recovery is well already underway; soreness, and stiffness has probably set in

It can be more difficult because many factors come into its use; it depends on how far the recovery area is situated from the venue, availability of staff, number of people in the line waiting for work, the system they are using, how much time is alloted to each athlete, equipment they need, who is organising it, cost factors and skill of the practitoner with their hands

What are you as a Badminton player going to do about recovery?

• are you going to accept leg soreness, stiffness and the loss of playing edge that goes with it or take some positive action?

• who are you going to get to deal with it?

• do you know anyone who can help you recover the legs and what is their background?

• how close is the help?

• when you are fatigued are they going to come and help you recover?

• how much can you afford to pay for it

• what is their cost and will they be ongoing?

• there is a shortage of experienced people who deal with recovery after sport and you may not have access to any of them when you need it

At this time, conventional recovery are too cumbersome, and take too long, it is also not a good look if a player turns up courtside with masseur, massage table, towels, and bottles of massage oil-to implement it in the time allowed is just impractical and the window closes as the muscles cool

Light Manual Muscle Relaxation solves the problem

it lets you become the expert in recovery-simply do it yourself!

(its easier than you think)

and get 'the edge' over soreness and stiffness

Below is a figurative demonstration of recovery rates as the
Light Manual Muscle Relaxation was developed

The results are read across from each name with the increase result of a change in approach to recovery underlined

If this was a badminton tournament, it could possibly have a different result for the players if one of them recovered faster than the other

The result of minimized stiffness and soreness is being being able to play longer without fatigue; this will give any team or athlete 'the edge' over the competition

The advantages of using Light Manual Muscle Relaxation

• It is Do It Yourself recovery

• No disrobing

• Works with the muscles not on them

• No oil used

• Non invasive

• User friendly

• Easy to learn

Some References

Michael’s methods of massage and blister care helped me to stay mobile throughout the race and to recover quickly afterwards. His techniques are safe and gentle.
Unlike some treatments, which put the runners and walkers at risk of muscle tears or infection, Michael’s techniques are gentle, safe, reassuring, and highly effective. They enhance comfort and flexibility, build confidence, and promote success

This booklet will help others to learn and practice Michael’s methods. It is recommended reading for everyone who walks and runs and who wants to go further, go faster, or just to enjoy life more!!'

SANDRA BROWN 1996 Ladies 1000 Mile World Record Holder 1999 Ladies 100 mile Race walking World Record Holder

“I know that your massage kept a number of competitors in the event. The cold weather of Saturday afternoon and night certainly got to many of the walkers and your prompt action had them back in the race after a short stop.
In years past, that would have ended up as a non-finish. A number of walkers were able to keep going for the full 24 hours on the basis of your expert help.”

Tim Ericson Secretary Australian Centurions Club

'I have known Michael Gillan for many years and have always got quick relief for my aches and pains from the stretching he performs'
CLIFF YOUNG-75-80 24 Hour World Record Holder (150.07 kilometers)

A word from Jesper Olsen World Runner about Light Manual Muscle Relaxation
“If I hadn't had the qualified help from the excellent masseur Michael Gillan, taking several thousands of km out of my legs, I could spare myself the effort!”

“My crew for the current stages, Michael Gillan, has proven to have other talents than the quite taxing job of taking care of all the requirements of a really tired ultra runner!
He has since years back been working on a new approach to stretching and muscle-rebuilding for ultra runners. I have the last two days tried his careful stretch and massage, and a bit to my surprise the muscles are beginning to feel like before the start back in Greenwich, London!!

Usually I doesn’t take massage as the legs of an ultra runner will often be quite sore during the long time events (and especially in an multi-year event like this...), and getting a massage can at times cause more injury and cramping up than good. For example my last massage was some 12 000km ago when I ran the 12-hour competition in Finland. And so far that has been the only one

But Gillan came with best recommendations from my main contact in Australia, Phil Essam, who besides being vice president in the Australian Ultra runners Association has heaps of good knowledge to share. And this new kind of mild massage for ultra runners is definitely one of the good tips! There should be a fair chance that I actually get fresh enough to do some decent running at the 6 Day Race that I have coming up in Colac from the 21.November. I quite look forward to that, even though I can’t expect to make a top class result :-)”

He won! 756.2 kilometers (Jesper holds the record for the longest run in history over 26000 kilometers and the first person to run around the world

Taken from www.worldrun.org

If someone is considering massage by someone they do not know, they should be aware of what is happening; using the example from Sandra Brown to stress how important the correct approach to muscles is

“The second tear (at least I have matching legs with old tears on both sides) was caused, to my great annoyance at the time, by an overenthusiastic physio who was supposed to be helping me to warm up gently before a 24 hour race and got carried away.

I am now more wary of having physio at any time, and make sure that I stay in control, by saying at the outset what I want and don’t want to be done to me. Having never had a persistent injury (my varied training pattern means that any niggles have the chance to heal quickly, rather than get hammered and go critical,) I have never had regular physio or a steady relationship of trust with any physiotherapist who knew me and my needs.

The closest I have come to this was receiving massage from Michael Gillan during the Nanango (Queensland) 1000-mile race in 1996. I had no hesitation in having a massage from Michael again at the end of the Melbourne 100 miles walk in 1999. Michael’s approach is very gentle at all times, and always works with the athlete and puts the athlete in control, thus minimizing the risk of harm and maximizing the benefit.’

(Source:http://www.surreywalkingclub.org.uk/Training?Advice/Articles/training_for_ultras_by_sandra_br.htm#Training/forUltras_SB)

The latest in non-technical, non-invasive 'cutting edge' solutions to fatigued legs relief-Light Manual Muscle Relaxation

Contact michael@aching-legs-relief.com

Copyright 2007 aching-legs-relief.com