NCDS: Mike Dunlap, Asst. Coach - St. John's ("Recovery Philosophy")

The big buzz word in sport today is "Recovery". What it really means is that the coach is trying to get the athlete to recover in shorter periods of time so we can train harder the next time we meet.  In taking a closer look, Recovery includes the following:

A.      Nutrition

1.       Food is fuel. Because of the way we train, we must closely monitor the eating patterns of our athletes. We weigh the players once a week; this often shows us where they stand.

2.       Additionally, we periodically test their body fat as a measure of diet quality. We constantly attempt to educate our players on the importance of a proper
diet.

B.      Vitamins

1.       There are certain vitamins that assist in recovery. We have our players take vitamin C, B, E, a multivitamin, and Iron daily

2.       I do not believe in excessive amount, but one of each daily will assist in a quicker recovery.

C.      Sustagen Drink

1.       This is a protein and high carbohydrate drink that restores the energy lost during a workout.

2.       After any hard training, an athlete has a twenty minute window to replace protein and carbohydrates to get a "quicker" recovery. We give them this drink once they enter the locker room.

3.       The sustagen drink keeps their weight on and restores lost energy quicker.

D.      Stretching

1.       We believe that proper warm-up and stretching before practice greatly decreases the likelihood of injury.

2.       Stretching after practice

a. Good for muscle recovery. Specifically, getting the lactic acid out of the muscles.
b. Prevention of fatigue related injuries.
c. Added flexibility, which improves quickness and strength.

E.       Massage

1.       According to the medical personnel at the sports institute of Australia, we should be deep massaging our players' legs two times a week. Why? It rids the legs of a lactic acid build up and actually prevents the potential tearing of muscles.

F.       Sleep Patterns

1.       We stress that breaking from sleeping patterns leads to sickness (e.g. colds, flu, etc.).
2.       Moreover, sleep is a time for muscle recovery. Sleep time blocks should be fairly regular.

G.     Trainer

1.       The maintenance of the player's health is vital to our success.
2.       Their responsibilities include

a. taping
b. medical appointments
c.  medical records on each player
d. Organization of our recovery program (e.g. vitamins, massage treatment, stretching, and intake of fluids).

H.     Pool Work

1.       Hydrotherapy is another cornerstone to our program.

a. Quicker recovery from injury
b. Increased flexibility
c. Non friction bearing workout
d. Variety
e. Teach players how to control breathing
f.  Increase oxygen capacity

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