Browsing: Recovery

Cortisol is a hormone produced during stressful situations, active physical activity, or during fasting. High cortisol increases adrenaline levels and also makes glucose more available for metabolism – preventing blood sugar from dropping to critical levels.

In the world of powerlifting, the peaking block is a crucial phase of training that aims to maximize performance on the competition platform. To truly understand the effectiveness of the peaking block, it is important to explore the underlying scientific principles that drive its success. This chapter will dive deep into the concepts of supercompensation and neural adaptation, shedding light on the physiological processes that occur during the peaking block and contribute to peak performance.

Unleashing the Beast: Dominating the Platform with the Peaking Block

In the context of powerlifting, a peaking block refers to a specific phase of training leading up to a competition where the focus is on maximizing strength and performance. The purpose of a peaking block is to allow powerlifters to reach their peak strength levels on the day of the competition. During this phase, the training intensity is typically increased while volume decreases.

Myofascial Release (MFR) is a special massage to relieve stiffness in a specific area of ​​the body. The term is derived from the words “myo” (muscle tissue) and “fascia” (connective tissue). All muscles, tendons, organs, and neurovascular bundles are covered with a dense sheath (fascia) that holds tissues together – this ensures the interconnection of the body.

To speed up muscle recovery after a workout, both massage and stretching exercises, as well as moderate cardio and an active recovery technique, will help. It consists in carrying out light and short strength training on rest days. The main task will be to flush out toxins and improve the nutrition of muscle tissue.

The relationship between lactic acid and muscle fatigue is not as clear-cut as it is commonly believed. On the one hand, the characteristic burning sensation in the muscles 2-3 days after training is not associated with the accumulation of lactic acid – it is usually excreted from the body in a few hours.

Many are sure that the more workouts, the higher the volume of loads, and, ultimately, the faster the result. However, from the point of view of physiology, everything is not so simple. For example, exercising every day is good for increasing stamina, but not for pumping muscles.

The recommendations of doctors say that an adult needs to sleep at least 6 hours a day – and the norm is 7-8 hours. If you sleep less than 5 hours a day, then the metabolism is disrupted – in particular, the level of hormones decreases and the body’s ability to burn fat worsens.