Outside Magazine has a look at recovery techniques, and why we might not need them like we think we do.
In case you're too lazy to click over, the basic gist of it is that recovery techniques (ice bath and compression are cited, in particular) work to, duh, improve how quickly your muscles recover after a hard workout. However, improvement in exercise comes from the body learning how to repair itself after being torn down. So in our haste to "recover," we're inhibiting our progress.
The take home of the article: I now have an excuse to never again take an ice bath if I don't want to.
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Next, there's a fascinating post in a NYT blog about the intersection between addiction and exercise. The article cites a study wherein mice were given liquid cocaine and then access to a wheel. The study shows that the mice who had previously had access to the wheel - mice who were already addicted to exercise - were slow to break their addictions to cocaine.
But the article also notes, almost in passing, that the mice who were given a wheel for the first time only after their cocaine was cut off found it "relatively easy to break the habit" - by developing a new habit, namely exercise.
This is something I've long suspected: how many of us have known someone who healed themselves after a drug or alcohol addiction in part by using exercise? And how many of us have watched that person then become compulsive - dare I say addicted - about their exercise?
I'm not criticizing, mind you. But call it what it is: an exercise addiction. This person is not a cured addict; this person has just traded an unhealthy addiction for a healthy one.
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In case you're too lazy to click over, the basic gist of it is that recovery techniques (ice bath and compression are cited, in particular) work to, duh, improve how quickly your muscles recover after a hard workout. However, improvement in exercise comes from the body learning how to repair itself after being torn down. So in our haste to "recover," we're inhibiting our progress.
The take home of the article: I now have an excuse to never again take an ice bath if I don't want to.
--------------------------
Next, there's a fascinating post in a NYT blog about the intersection between addiction and exercise. The article cites a study wherein mice were given liquid cocaine and then access to a wheel. The study shows that the mice who had previously had access to the wheel - mice who were already addicted to exercise - were slow to break their addictions to cocaine.
But the article also notes, almost in passing, that the mice who were given a wheel for the first time only after their cocaine was cut off found it "relatively easy to break the habit" - by developing a new habit, namely exercise.
This is something I've long suspected: how many of us have known someone who healed themselves after a drug or alcohol addiction in part by using exercise? And how many of us have watched that person then become compulsive - dare I say addicted - about their exercise?
I'm not criticizing, mind you. But call it what it is: an exercise addiction. This person is not a cured addict; this person has just traded an unhealthy addiction for a healthy one.
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Tomorrow: what else can I talk about to avoid having to talk about how my running is going lately?
I *am* too lazy to click over. Also too lazy to do ice baths. Those are awful.
ReplyDeleteExercise is definitely addictive. In my case, I think crack or heroin would be better for my body though. Seriously, I can do some damage with my exercise addiction.
ReplyDeleteHow has your running been going?
ReplyDeleteI actually like ice baths... on a hot summer day. When they are in a lake. And don't have ice.
Have you seen that running the Sahara movie? I cannot remember the name (probably something really obvious like "Running the Sahara") but I think two of the guys in it got in to running to replace (imo) other addictions. I definitely think there is a relationship there.
YES YES YES YES YES YES That Running the Sahara movie was EXACTLY what led me to this conclusion! Such addicts.
DeleteCamille Herron did a nice post on the whole ice bath conundrum too: http://camilleherron.com/2011/07/21/do-ice-bathsicing-really-work/ (I feel like I pimp her blog out all the time but I can't help it. It's too good not to share. I also love the part in the comments where she talks about taking it really, really easy on recovery runs... kind of want to take that comment and show it to the entire overeager garmin-addict running blog world)
ReplyDeleteAs for the second article, hm. Interesting stuff. I'm finding myself a little disillusioned by scientific research lately (and the way it tends to be irresponsibly reported by the media)... but taking the study findings at face value, isn't it kind of neat that they found the runner/addict mice had double the new brain cells and an increased capacity to learn compared to the other mice (and what they learned was to crave the drug)? Now THAT could provide for some compelling discussion...
That blog on ice baths is AWESOME. And I cannot agree more about the recovery runs and the garmin addictions... (Seriously. I think that's but one of the ways that this garmin craze has been so detrimental to running. No one ever listens to their body. Faster is always better.)
DeleteAnd agreed about the findings, and also about the disillusionment. It gets so watered down any time it's reported (in order to make a snappy headline) that I just feel bad for the scientists. But the exercise/addiction/brain connection is a fascinating one.