RECOVERY: THE HIDDEN ENGINE OF PERFORMANCE & WHY IT MATTERS MORE THAN YOU THINK

At ALTIUS, we love pushing limits — training harder, jumping higher, running faster. But there’s a side of performance that often gets overlooked: recovery.

Without proper recovery, training becomes stress without adaptation. Think of your body like a high-performance car: you can floor the accelerator all day, but if you never refuel, change the oil, or let the engine cool, performance crashes — and eventually, so do you.

Here’s how to build a recovery system that keeps your “engine” firing at peak efficiency. Please note that these are in no particular order, as all are critically important.

1. SLEEP: THE ULTIMATE RECOVERY TOOL

Sleep isn’t just rest — it’s active repair.

• During deep sleep, your body releases growth hormone, a key driver of muscle repair and tissue growth.

• Research consistently shows that athletes who extend their sleep (e.g. 8–10 hours per night) experience better sprint performance, improved accuracy, and faster reaction times.

• In the famous Stanford Basketball study, players who increased sleep improved shooting accuracy by 9% and sprint times by 5%.

• Conversely, sleep deprivation increases injury risk, stress hormones (cortisol), and slows tissue healing. Studies suggest that sleep deprivation increases risk of injury by up to 70%...this means it is not a matter of "if", but "when".

Tips for better recovery sleep:

• Stick to consistent bed/wake times — even on weekends.

• Avoid late-night training sessions. This amps up the central nervous system and makes it difficult to find quality sleep.

• Sleep hygeine: Avoid screentime band lue light prior to bedtime. This also amps up the Central Nervous System. Instead, build pre-bedtime routines that include reading (from a real book), journaling, bible studies, or meditation.

• Keep your room cool, dark, and quiet.

• Add a short nap (20–30 min) during heavy training blocks.

  
  

SLEEP IS THE FOUNDATION OF RECOVERY!

— if you want results, you can't train like an athlete but sleep like a college student.

2. NUTRITION: FUEL LIKE A FERRARI

If you want to run like a Ferrari, you must fuel like a Ferrari. Your nutrition — especially protein intake — determines how well your body rebuilds muscle and adapts to stress.

The Old ProteinStandard: 0.8 g/kg — Built for Survival, Not Performance

For decades, the RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance) for protein was 0.8 grams per kilogram of bodyweight — roughly 0.36 g per pound.This number was never meant for athletes. It was designed to prevent deficiency, not to maximize recovery or muscle adaptation.

At that intake, even modestly trained individuals can fall into negative nitrogen balance — meaning more breakdown than synthesis.A 175 lb athlete eating the RDA would only consume ~63 g of protein per day — barely half of what’s needed for recovery, tissue repair, and immune function.

The Modern Reality: 1 g per lb — Built for High Performance

Modern sports nutrition has flipped that script. Research now supports 1.6–2.2 g/kg (≈ 0.73–1 g per lb) as the optimal range for strength, muscle maintenance, and recovery.

• The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) recommends 1.4–2.0 g/kg for most athletes.

• Many elite coaches and performance dietitians use 1 g per pound as a simple target — especially for those training hard or in a calorie deficit.

• Studies show that beyond ~2.0 g/kg, returns begin to plateau, but there’s no harm in staying near that upper edge if it fits your energy needs.

Protein Timing (Kinda) Matters (timing windows are currently a hot topic in research)

• Consume 20–30 g of high-quality protein within 30–90 minutes post-workout.

• Distribute your protein evenly: 3–5 meals/snacks spaced 3–5 hours apart.

• Include a slow-digesting source before bed (Greek yogurt, casein, or cottage cheese) to boost overnight recovery.

  
  

Carbs, Fats, and Micronutrients

• Carbohydrates refill glycogen and keep your training sustainable.

• Healthy fats and anti-inflammatory foods (like omega-3s and colorful fruits/veggies) support hormone balance and immune function.

• Micronutrients like vitamin D, magnesium, and zinc all play crucial roles in recovery and repair.

At ALTIUS, we remind athletes daily:

“You can’t out-train a bad diet, and you can’t recover on fumes.”

Fuel your body like the high-performance machine it is.

Shop our high-quality NSF-Certified Sport Thorne Supplements online or in-store!

3. HYDRATION & ELECTROLYTES

Hydration affects every cell and system involved in recovery — from circulation and nutrient delivery to muscle contraction and brain function.

• Recommended water intake is higher than you may think (2/3 your body weight in ounces).

  • To determine your daily water requirements start with your weight in lbs and multiply by 2/3 (~0.67). For a 190-pound person, that would look like 190 x 2/3 = 127 ounces of water daily.

• Even a 2% drop in body water can cause decreased endurance, higher heart rate, and slower reaction time.

• Sweat isn’t just water — it contains sodium, potassium, magnesium, and other electrolytes essential for nerve and muscle function.

• Rehydrating with electrolytes post-training replaces what’s lost and prevents cramping and fatigue.

Stop by and pick up LMNT Electrolytes from ALTIUS!

Pro tips:

• Don’t wait until you’re thirsty — sip water consistently through the day.

• It is extremely difficult to catch up on hydration. Plan ahead and ensure that you taking care of hydration in the days leading up to intense training sessions, competition, games or high-heat exposure.

• Add electrolytes during long or hot sessions.

• Replace 120% of fluid lost post-training (weigh before and after sessions to estimate).

4. MOVE! ACTIVE RECOVERY BEATS PASSIVE REST

When you’re sore, sometimes the last thing you want to do is move — but it’s exactly what your body needs.

Active recovery (like light cycling, walking, or mobility work) can play a massive role in recovery because it:

• Increases blood flow to sore muscles.

• Flushes metabolic byproducts like lactate.

• Maintains range of motion and reduce stiffness.

You don’t need necessarily need or want to crush another workout — just 20–30 minutes of gentle movement can accelerate recovery dramatically.

Try this:

• 10–15 min light cardio (bike, walk, row)

• 10 min mobility or foam rolling

• 5 min breathing or stretching

Movement is medicine — and sometimes the easiest prescription to overlook.

5. BONUS RECOVERY TOOLS

For those pushing at high levels, consider these evidence-based recovery aids:

• Cold immersion / contrast therapy: may reduce inflammation and soreness.

• Compression / massage: helps circulation and perceived recovery. ALTIUS sells awesome medical grade graduated compression gear!

• Mindfulness / breathwork: regulates cortisol and improves sleep quality.

• Wearables: track HRV and readiness, helping you adjust intensity intelligently.

• Deload weeks: strategic rest phases every 4–6 weeks prevent burnout and overtraining.

THE ALTIUS RECOVERY BLUEPRINT

Timeframe	Focus	Actionable Strategy
Night / Sleep	Deep repair	8–10 hr sleep; consistent schedule; pre-bed protein
Post-Workout	Rebuild	Protein + carbs; rehydrate + electrolytes
Between Sessions	Reset	Light mobility or walk; foam rolling
Daily	Hydration	Sip water throughout day; add electrolytes
Weekly	Recovery phase	Deload / low-load day; contrast or mobility
Ongoing	Mind-body balance	Track HRV; mindfulness; adapt training loads

THE TAKEAWAY: RECOVERY ISN'T OPTIONAL

You can outwork many people, but you can’t out-recover poor habits.

When your recovery pillars — sleep, nutrition, hydration, and movement — are optimized, you’ll:

✅ Reduce injury risk

✅ Recover faster

✅ Train harder, more consistently

✅ Perform at your peak

At ALTIUS, we don’t just train or treat pain — we build resilient, high-performing athletes of all ages. For this to happen, there needs to be a reframe that recovery isn’t only what you do after the work… it’s what makes the work work.