NEURAL CHARGE: RECOVERY WORKOUTS
The summer is often a time when athletes, especially at the high school level, travel for tournaments, showcases, and endless amounts of workouts. Hopefully, they are managing their recovery (sleep, hydration, nutrition, etc.) as well as participating in a good strength training program to not only stay healthy but stay ahead of the curve. Nevertheless, it’s inevitable that at some point an athlete will feel exhausted and run-down.
One strategy I’ve used in the past to not only help exhausted athletes recover, but also prepare for an upcoming game or showcase, are “Neural Charge” workouts. These are short, explosive training sessions to help athletes get into a potentiated state. You can utilize these days of competition to potentiate a particular training session or game, or as a substitute for an athlete’s regular workout when they’re in a fatigued state.
“Neural Charge” Workout
Here’s how to do it:
Pick 2-4 explosive exercises such as a sprint, jump and medicine ball throw variations. Perform each in a circuit fashion. For example, 3 med ball slams, 1 sprint at 20 yds and 5 med ball chest pass reps.
Isometrics are also a viable option here, as they are great for motor unit recruitment while generally leading to less muscle soreness. Keep yielding variations to 30-60 seconds, while overcoming can be performed for sets of 3-5 seconds.
Rest 1-2 minutes, and repeat that circuit 3-5 total times.
Rest 8-15 minutes prior to activity
Sample Workout
Here’s a sample workout I’ve done with baseball pitchers ~2-3 hours prior to a start. Make sure that you get a full recovery between each exercise. Our aim here is to feel springy and explosive.
A1. Rotational Medicine Ball throw variation- x3/side
A2. Box Jump (Squat jump if no box available)- x3
A3. Sprint- 5-10 yards
The following would be a good substitute for a traditional workout when an athlete is fatigued. Long duration isometrics have been shown to help boost recovery, as well as aid in tendon and joint health.
A1. Lunge ISO Holds- x:30-:60 seconds/side
A2. Bear ISO Holds- x:30-:60 seconds/side
A3. Dead Hang ISO Holds (Pull-up)- x:30-:60 seconds/side