Football is very physically demanding and places all different types of stresses on the body, as well as causing mental fatigue that can be overlooked.
Whether you are a professional playing 2 matches a week or an amature who needs to be able to get ready for work the next day, making sure you recover after a game is vitally important and coaches should do all they can to implement strategies to aid players in their recovery.
In general, there are a number of methods that can be used as part of a recovery strategy. Here is a list of those methods that will help a player recover as quickly as possible:
- Cool down
- Nutrition
- Cryotherapy
- Sleep
- Active recovery
- Mental recovery
Whilst some of these might seem simple, it is important to use these methods correctly and at the correct time in order to increase their effectiveness, which is what we will look at in this blog.
Cool down after the football match
As soon as the game has finished, the benefit of participating in a cool down can not be overstated. During a match, there will be a build up of lactic acid in a players body, due to the intense exercise.
This lactic acid causes muscle soreness and even though this is temporary, it can be greatly reduced and therefore speed up the recovery time for players that take part in a cool down.
Aims of a cool down
To lower the heart beat and return it back to its original state (or as closely as possible) before exercise, reduce the amount of lactic acid in the muscles, diminish stiffness and to start the recovery process.
How to cool down after a football match
The best way to cool down is to start with a 5 minute jog, that can include some light side stepping and skipping, and gradually decrease the speed until you finish with a period of walking.
The next step is to perform a number of static stretches. Now, there are various static stretching methods that could be used, such as a standard static stretch or Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) stretching.
Static stretching is the most commonly used as PNF stretching requires a partner with some knowledge and experience of performing this type of stretch on a partner.
At least all the major large muscles should be stretched after a game which include:
- Quadriceps
- Hamstring
- Glutes
- Gastrocnemius and soleus
Scientific evidence
Whilst there is not enough evidence on whether a post match cool down is effective in regaining an athlete back to his or her’s standard performance level for the next game, there is substantial information that a post match cool down will help relieve short term muscle soreness.
Nutrition
Nutrition is probably the most important part of a player’s recovery. Without replacing those important nutrients, lost during the game, all the other recovery methods would be done for nothing.
After a match, players need to replenish the carbohydrate and protein lost due to the intense exercise. There is a window of 40 minutes from the end of a game to the intake of these nutrients for optimal recovery.
How much and what types of food should be consumed?
Regarding how much should be consumed, this is different for every individual. However, a general rule is to consume 1.5grams of carbohydrates per every Kg of bodyweight, to be repeated every 2-6 hours after, and 0.2grams of protein for every Kg of bodyweight.
The best food you can consume after a game is a chocolate milk drink. Now, whilst many athletes like to use a protein powder for this (if you decide to use protein powder I would recommend the whey protein as this is consumed by the body quicker than casein), you do not need to buy any fancy or expensive drinks. A simple scoop of Nesquick is more than adequate for your body to top up it’s glycogen levels and to enhance muscle recovery.
Post match meal
Depending on if you are playing at home or away, the distance you are traveling from the game back to your home will have an impact on what you can realistically eat and not eat.
Preparing in advance is vital. If you are playing away and have a long journey then relying on the short stops at the service stations to buy your recovery meal might not be a good idea.
So here are some ideas of what you should eat, up to 2 hours after a game, and is easy to prepare in advance of the journey home.
- Chicken or ham sandwich
- Salad
- Fruit
- Energy bar
If you only have a short journey home then making a meal that contains any of the following is ideal:
- Pasta
- Rice
- Soup / purees
- Chicken, ham
- Boiled potatoes
- French omelette
- Fruit or juice
- Flan, custard
(avoid fat and alcohol)
Cryotherapy
I was first introduced to cryotherapy in 2001 when I went to play in the U.S, and from a totally anecdotal point of view I found it very beneficial and often used it when I returned to the U.K.
There are various forms of cryotherapy, but, probably, the most accessible form is cold water immersion. This is simply immersing a body part or the whole body into cold water. Whilst customised cold water immersion equipment is expensive, players can replicate this by simply filling a bath of cold water and adding ice.
In terms of scientific evidence, there is a mix bag regarding the optimum temperature and immersion time but much of the research suggests 8-15ºC for a minimum of 10 minutes.
The benefits of cold water immersion may include:
- Reduction in inflammation
- Regulate heart rate
- Decrease the feeling of fatigue (placebo effect)
- Reduce muscle damage
Sleep
I understand that this is quite an obvious one but it cannot be ignored. From my own experience I can remember, after night games, having difficulty getting to sleep. This was probably due to the physical and mental demands of each match and having the game being repeated in my head over and over. So getting enough uninterrupted sleep is probably not that simple for many players.
Tips to deal with this:
- Take on board the correct nutrients after the game, without having a big meal (for a night match)
- Well hydrated
- Spend a little time doing something non football related (read a book)
- Make the bedroom as dark as possible
Active recovery
Active recovery is where an athlete will participate in a low intensity exercise with the aim of stimulating the blood flow to aid muscle recovery. Even though the cool down could be included in this, many teams dedicate a full training session to active recovery, either the following day or the second day after the game.
A typical session would be a 15 minute low intensity jog, football tennis and a period of stretching.
In contrast, for coaches who adopt the tactical periodisation methodology of training, such as Jose Mourinho, training will still have a large focus on practicing a tactical situation but at a low intensity.
Mental recovery
Recovering from mental fatigue should be considered on top of physically recovering. The reason that the tactical periodisation model has a day off the following day is due to the recognition that the players need to recover mantally. This is also carried on into the second day after a game in which training, whilst still tactical, is not very mentally challenging and low key.
Having a bit of time away from the game, doing something non football related can rejuvenate players so that they are ready when they do come back to training.