Help your CNS recovery

Your central nervous system (CNS) plays a key role in determining how well you sprint, hurdle, jump, etc. High numbers of reps in the weight room or high numbers of sprints on the track can cause the CNS to fatigue. That's OK, but it takes time and proper care to recover. If you don't take time and steps to recover, you won't run as fast in your next high-intensity session.

CNS recovery is needed whenever you lift heavy weights or sprint your fastest. To lift and sprint well, your CNS must be in an excited state to maximize performance. Too much CNS excitement causes CNS fatigue. Some people have more excitable CNS than others. That's why some athletes can generate more power and knock out fast reps repeatedly while others may struggle at times.

CNS recovery mostly takes time -- about 48 hours typically is enough. Sometimes more is needed, sometimes less. The best ways to aid recovery are sleeping and relaxing. I often remind you to sleep. Without it, you won't run your fastest. Lots of things can keep you away from sleep: social media, online video games, late-night movies, friends and studying to name a few. Eight hours of sleep are needed for CNS and muscle recovery. Don't cut it short and expect to perform well. The more relaxed and calm you are, the faster your CNS recovers.

When you are not training, you should be actively looking to reduce your excitement levels the rest of the day. Meditation and massage are two good ways. Listening to relaxing music, doing yoga, a warm bath and stretching are some others.

Nutrition is another way to achieve a more relaxed state. Certain foods contain vitamins and minerals that help put you into a relaxed mood. Turkey for example is high in tryptophan which encourages the production of serotonin, which helps you sleep. Herbal teas, such as camomile, can also help you relax, and a zinc, magnesium and B12 complex (called ZMA) is a supplement that helps you relax and achieve a better quality of sleep. I have used this for many years and can attest to its effectiveness.

Removing the things in your life that are stressing you out can aid your CNS to recover. For example some highly stressful events are moving to a new residence, exams, deadlines, bad relationships, family losses, and other events that take you out of daily routines. Routines help you better manage your life better and give you time for things that are not routine, such as hobbies and sports (including training and recovery).

Developing good routines with your diet, sleep and training are all great ways, believe it or not to assist your rate of recovery. If your life feels chaotic, then the chances are your body is constantly in a heightened state of readiness. This is not good if you want to train and perform well.

Planning is another way to avoid stress because it helps you get things done while avoiding last-minute, stressful situations. Eliminating the unnecessary hassles in your life will go a long way to improving how much you get out of your work on the track.

CNS recovery plays a huge role in determining how much you gain from your training efforts. Take the steps and see immediate and measurable differences in your performance. If you are up late reading this, I hope you turn of your computer right now and go to bed.