recovery after sport

'Get the Edge' on Golfing

Muscle Soreness and Stiffness

using the World Run Recovery System to reduce fatigued muscles

Whether professional golfer or just a weekend athlete there are problems you might aquire while covering the course

For the professional player at major tournaments spread over a number of days, leg muscle soreness and fatigue can can impact on playing skills and concentration

The weekend athlete usually has a much lower fitness level and the soreness and stiffness after a hard weekend of play; this may take most of the next week to recover from and while recovering, any practice they may get in to sharpen their skills may be affecting their swing

Many golfers are still playing into their later years, and it is during these years the body loses flexibiity and the muscles elasticity-so it is then they need a little extra help with recovery, and this carried through the whole golfing career can extend playing time

Using the World Run Recovery System there is no need to be feeling like this during a tournament or after a game of golf

(ok these people have just spent days on a running track, but the cumulative effect of a long tournament or a hard weekend of golf for the less fit can leave you feeling like this)

What has playing golf in common with running around the world?

Whatever the distance covered around a course, one person's short stroll can be another's round the world run and they can suffer just as much as each other if they push things too far

They are not in the same class are they?

Well yes they are when you have pushed things too far and are suffering the after effects of all that golf from the day before because you accidentally went too far and too hard and did your equivalent of a round the world run

Whatever the distance and you go over your limits whether it is the full or short course, you may have problems recovering from that

Recovery after playing

Because everyone is at their own fitness level it is an individual thing-what suits one person many not suit someone else-professional golfers usually have their own recovery regimes but the weekend athletes do not

Most of them still have to earn a living and have family responsibilities-this can be difficult if your occupation involves moving around and generally working and you are tight, stiff, and very sore

Being out there for so long can mean a dramatic decrease in fitness level and increase in possibility of injury with a corresponding increase in length of time of recovery from soreness and stiffness after the game has long finished

The majority go home and lick their wounds in solitude

The closest they would get to a sports recovery system would be while watching their favorite sport (golf) on television-

They may have seen a sports trainer in other sports trying to solve a muscle problem by using deep tissue massage-I have seen it myself and thought that this is the way to fix problems and do some recovery work

Not so!

Using 'enthusiasm' rather than knowledge and working on the muscles this way can impact on recovery, in a not very beneficial way by

To illustrate the problems that can be caused when a heavier type of massage is used below is a quote from Sandra Brown taken from her advice sheet for the Surrey Walking Club.

"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 minimising the risk of harm and maximising the benefit.
Very occasionally I will feel tightness in one or other hamstring, but I am lucky that neither tear has become a real problem. These days I stretch pretty diligently after exercise and am convinced of its value, and my cross-training approach plays a part; I am sure, in keeping me free of overuse injuries. More on stretching another time."

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

What Sandra is saying is that enthusiasm is no subsitute for experience

This is what Sandra says about experience

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 light, 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-Ultra marathon runner

The biggest obstacle to golfing recovery is lack of knowledge-affordability, and practicality

Lack of information

There is unfortunately not too many places the golfer can go to for information on recovery during and after playing-yes I have used a new word here

Affordability

Most weekend athletes are just that-they do not take themselves as serious athletes although they may finish up with the same recovery problems as the professional golfer-the professional may have their own suppor team to help them

The weekend athlete does not and cannot afford a support team-they have to rely on maintaining the support of the long suffering family

In many locations there is a shortage of trained recovery people and what there are it can be expensive to pay them when there is basically nothing wrong with the body

Better you use the money to pay for professional advice on improving the game and sorting out medical problems that might be interfering with your play

Practicality

In the chart of the Colac 1995 six day event below it is possible to see the effect fatigue, stiffness and soreness can have on performance and recovery-it also reflects the difference in the change of approach from working on the muscles to working with them

It also shows that there is nothing wrong with the muscles when they are fatigued so there is nothing to actually fix-the body recovers itself but it recovers faster with a little assistance

It does not need working into the muscles to help recovery-it needs light work

Stiffness-soreness and uncontrolled fingerforce

Stiffness and soreness is part of the recovery process-to work at trying to physically overcome them using 'uncontrolled finger force' on the muscles breaks into this process leaving the body to heal all over again

To recover quickly without interfering with the body's natural recovery ability the stiffness needs to be reduced without using the force of the fingers into the muscle tissues

Working with the muscles overcomes stiffness without breaking into the recovery process-it enables the muscles to move freely without causing them further traumatic stress and further injury to recover from

How easy is it to do this and how does it affect the golfer?

Every picture tells a story-

When I went to look after the Danish team at the 2007 24 hour world championships in Montreal, the airline mislaid all all my clothes, tent and everything else, except for the few things I carried on board with me.

The equipment for the whole event consisted of a chair for eating sleeping and working on-above in the foreground is the very chair that occupied the whole 'Sports Institute of Hard Knocks'!

How does this affect the golfer out on the course during a game?

There are tmes out on the course when you are waiting to tee off-instead of just sitting down to rest the legs you can do the World Run Recovery System on yourself!

All it needs is a strap!

What level of skill is required to do the World Run Recovery System?

Unlike other methods of recovery, very little skill is needed

The World Run Recovery System works with the muscles not on them-because it uses the 'snowshoe' effect of spreading the load, weight and pressure of the hands and fingers it does not stimulate pain receptors or produce friction or heat-therefore it can be done 'on demand' or as often as required

• No disrobing

• Needs no oil

• Works with the muscles

• Uses the flat hand

• Does not need equipment

• Needs only minutes to learn

• Needs only basic understanding of what you are doing and why

Only 4 basic movements

Only 1 depth-that is light

The secret to recovery is to reduce input/output required through being-

• Non invasive-working with the muscles not on them

• Simplicity-easy to understand

• Predictability-By not changing information fed into the brain all responses become automatic

• Consistency-conditions the muscles by repetition

The World Run Recovery System tested trusted oil free alternative

Why is the World Run Recovery system oil free?

Conventional methods need oil provide lubrication between the hands and skin as they rely on the skills of the practioner at working on the muscles to be of use

The World Run Recovery System only uses the hands and the knowledge of using them effectively

This gives the unsupported athlete the independence from unknown recovery assistance who may have the belief that it is them doing the recovery-not the body itself

Some basic points on recovery that tend to be overlooked

• Stress on top of more stress increases recovery time

• The body recovers itself!

Self-Maintenance

Self-maintenance is an option for those whose capacity to pay for or access to massage therapists is limited-but information on how to self-maintain without getting into the technical aspects of 'petrissage' and 'rowing stroke' is also limited

It is also generally assumed that the people have the financial ability to be able to afford the care and services of the therapist-it is unfortunate that the therapists mostly live in or around larger centers and cities and are unavailable to people who live in more isolated regions

Lack of financial reserves-ability to study-facilities such as massage schools and teachers for learning the handskills required for modern massage techniques impact on the benefit that flow from massage were it available

If you can afford the costs of having ongoing manual therapy-and have no problem accessing the services of a massage therapist in your area, you are lucky-if not tough

Affordability

To do a full course in recovery systems will cost hundreds of dollars in fees, there is also the time needed to study physiology, anatomy, and the hand skills needed to do it.

And then it may not be suitable for the athletes needs because it may not be portable, you will also have to carry oil, massage table, towels, or effective enough.

It may be beyond the talents of many people and to hire someone to do it for them is very expensive and this makes it unaffordable.

It would be cheaper and more effective to pay me for the knowledge I have because I am the one who developed and tested the World Run Recovery System over many years.

Unfortunately I am not available for hire, because I am going on the next world run which is on now www.worldrun.org

Win Win!

It is very difficult for everyone to win a race, but in this situation everyone does; with your support I get to on the World Run and the fun runner gets the very same recovery system I will be using on World Run 2!

US$20.00 ebook PDF format

References and citations

PubMed

Manual massage and recovery of muscle function following exercise: a literature review.

PMID: 9007768 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

The mechanisms of massage and effects on performance, muscle recovery and injury prevention.

PMID: 15730338 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

http://www.webmd.com/content/Article/92/101950.htm

SOURCES: Hinds, T. Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise, August 2004; vol 36: pp 1308-1313.

Golfing Recovery

Contact Michael michael@aching-legs-relief.com