Recovery is an important process to implement in training programs for athletes at all levels in order to prevent injury, reduce fatigue, and enhance athletic performance. Immediately after a practice or competition, athletes should actively cool-down and recover using certain methods. All recovery techniques are valuable for athletes at any level, however there are some unique methods that should be emphasized at the collegiate level. Intense college training demands more specific recovery methods. As athletes shift from high school to college, heavy weight training becomes a top priority to enhance athletic performance. Athlete recovery at this stage should focus on repairing muscles.

Muscle soreness is a familiar and dreaded companion for competitive athletes in training. Ice baths, also known as cold water immersion or cold water therapy, can be an effective recovery method to flush out lactic acid, diminish muscle soreness, and leave athletes feeling fresh for their next training session. This recovery method is common amongst collegiate and professional athletes across a variety of sports.

Athletes are regularly pushing their body to the limit with intense training and competition. After practice athletes must re-fuel their body and incorporate a variety of recovery methods. Below is a list of five specific recovery tips that athletes can do in their daily routine that will help accelerate recovery and enhance athletic training. 

Recovery is an important process to implement in training programs for athletes at all levels in order to prevent injury, reduce fatigue, and enhance athletic performance. Immediately after a practice or competition, athletes should actively cool-down and recover using certain methods. All recovery techniques are valuable for athletes at any level, however there are some unique methods that should be emphasized at the youth level.

Recovery is an important process to implement in training programs for athletes at all levels in order to prevent injury, reduce fatigue, and enhance athletic performance. Immediately after a practice or competition, athletes should actively cool-down and recover using certain methods. All recovery techniques are valuable for athletes at any level, however there are some unique methods that should be emphasized at the professional level.

Playing goalie in water polo is all about reactive speed and quickness. Defending the goal requires a solid foundation so athletes are ready to block the ball, regain balance to react to multiple shots on cage, and be in good position to make an accurate outlet pass. Dryland training is crucial to not only setting a good leg base to stay high in the water the entire game, but also for balance, flexibility, and injury prevention. Check out this article about building a dominant water polo dryland program.

Preseason strength and conditioning programs prepare athletes for their grueling upcoming season. In particular, building a strength foundation is important for improving skills, preventing future injury, and quickly enhancing overall fitness. In the offseason, athletes are resting to mentally and physically recharge for another year of competition. Although preseason strength and conditioning is challenging, it helps athletes transition into high-intensity training and keep them strong throughout their competition season.

Strength training, stability, flexibility, and mobility are inextricably intertwined; an athlete cannot excel at one without the other. Greater stability, flexibility, and mobility ensure that athletes maintain proper exercise techniques and reach their full range of motion in order for target muscles to fire and strength to improve.

Every day we hear championship stories about how BridgeAthletic's strength training software is helping coaches and athletes achieve their goals and overcome obstacles. By making coaches more efficient, the department more connected, and athletes' development more accessible, the BridgeAthletic strength training software takes athletic programs to the next level. These stories motivate us to build better athletes in all sports around the world. Featured in this #BridgeBuilt Series is James Krumpos, the University of Arizona’s Assistant Athletic Director for Performance Enhancement, who talks about how his team of performance coaches use BridgeAthletic’s platform to enhance their program.