Why Strength Training Is Part of Recovery

When we think about recovery, we usually think about doing less.

Rest. Sleep. Massage. Taking a day off.

So how does strength training fit into that?

Does strength training actually help recovery?

Well... it does, and it doesn't.

A strength session itself obviously isn't recovery. We're deliberately putting stress on our bodies and asking it to adapt.

But that's also the point.

Over time, those adaptations, whether it be through muscle hypertrophy, neural adaptation (for strength) or aerobic capacity, build a stronger, more capable body that's better able to handle the varied demands we place on it.

And that's where strength training fits into the bigger recovery picture.

It's about building capacity

Think about what you actually ask your body to do each day.

Running around with the kids.

Lifting something heavy.

Working a physical job.

Playing sport.

Carrying the shopping.

Or simply being able to get yourself back off the floor after a fall.

All of these things require a certain amount of physical capacity.

Strength training lets us gradually build that capacity in a controlled environment. We expose the body to an appropriate amount of stress and resistance, give it time to adapt, and over time we get stronger.

The result?

The things you did yesterday that were hard, become a little easier.

This is a slow process, but If your body becomes capable of doing more, the same task requires less of a demand on you.

Strength training supports more than just strength

And the benefits aren't limited to lifting heavier things.

Regular resistance training can support our mental health, while regular exercise can also contribute to better sleep.

That's important because sleep and stress management are part of recovery too.

It's one of the reasons I built the recovery hierarchy. We shouldnt look at recovery as one single thing. It should overlap and maximize our recovery so we can adapt and improve, regardless of where you started.

But more isn't always better

There's a flip side.

Training still places stress on us, so yes more of a good thing is not always good

If you're training hard while neglecting sleep, poor diet, dealing with a heap of stress concurrently and generally feeling exhausted, adding more training most likely isn't the answer.

The goal is to find an amount you can recover from and gradually build from there.

Some weeks you'll train hard.

Other weeks work gets crazy, the kids are sick, you've barely slept and life just gets in the way.

Your training should be able to adjust with you.

Doing a little less for a week doesn't undo everything you've built.

So where does massage fit?

Massage and strength training aren't competing with each other. They just have different jobs.

Massage may help reduce pain or tension, help you feel more comfortable and give you an opportunity to slow down.

Strength training helps build your physical capacity so you're better prepared for the demands you're placing on your body.

Neither is the whole answer.

They're both pieces of a much bigger recovery picture.

The takeaway

Recovery isn't always about doing less.

Sometimes it's about gradually building the capacity to do more.

Being stronger won't make you immune to pain, injury or fatigue.

But if we can make our bodies a little more capable, the things we ask them to do every day can become a little easier.

And to me, that's a pretty important part of recovery.