Active Recovery or Sofa?

Training doesn’t make us fitter – recovery from training does. So, how do we recover? An easy jog or spin, or a lazy day on the sofa, asks Beate Stindt, chartered physiotherapist at Six Physio

- Beate Stindt

Recovery can be either active or passive. Passive recovery is just that; total rest. A passive recovery day should not include any training. On these days you should rest and recover, which means no spring cleaning and no walking around the shops for the whole day.

An active recovery session usually involves your usual sport, be it running, swimming, cycling or yoga, but at an easy to moderate intensity.

Active recovery has been likened to a short nap – the aim is to feel better at the end of your workout than you did at the beginning.