Recovery: How to Fill Your Cup

I often get asked, “What’s the best thing I can do for recovery? What should I be doing to recover better? What do I need to buy for recovery?” Recovery has become more of an activity or task than a state of being. Don’t get me wrong, I use a few tools and tricks myself, but I’ve come to realize we are getting a bit lost in the trees and not seeing the whole forest.

We’re all busy, so adding another element of having to “do” your recovery can be a slippery slope to feeling more run down. I’ve thought about this and like to equate it to the analogy of filling a cup.

Picture this: You want to fill a big cup to the max, to the most full extent. You have sand, bits of gravel, and some bigger rocks. You start with a ton of sand and little pieces of gravel thinking you’ll just pack it in. Then, you try to add the big rocks and, well, they don’t really fit. Then you have a bunch of wasted space and yet still have stuff left over… 

To get the most “full cup”, or to get the most out of it, you have to start with the big rocks first – the most important pieces. Then, throw in some gravel bits and, lastly, pour sand in and watch it fill in around it all, taking up the rest of the space.

Okay, where am I going with this? 

Don’t pile the little things on top of what matters the most. When you do, you run out of space for the big things, the ones that really move the needle.

If you fill your cup with a lot of small “busyness”, and recovery activities, those things will soak up all your time and room. This may be your foam rolling, e-stim, sauna + cold immersion, etc. 

Start with the big stuff first. Prioritize sleep, fuel your workout (and follow it with a good meal), schedule a full day off, and manage the tasks stressing you out. Even just setting aside time to lie down, put your feet up, and breathe can make a big difference. Put the big rocks in your cup first, then if time allows, fill in the gaps with things you feel you need and have room for.

Then, we can find use for the rolling, boots, massage tools, stretching and more.