Recovery from endurance training has become an overcrowded market of tech and tools all promoting better results.

But it's mostly gimmicks.

Real recovery comes down to 5 key habits: here is your crash course on better recovery.

Good recovery comes from your habits before and after training.

Installing these habits increases your ability to train hard without needing hours and an expensive tool.

Master the basics first.

5 key habits for recovery:

1. Nutrition

2. Hydration

3. Rest Days

4. Sleep

5. Accessory Training

Nail these 5 things and you shouldn't need the latest gadget.

Nutrition

What you eat will impact your training and recovery.

Here are 4 of my principles around nutrition:

• Eat enough protein

• Choose lots of colourful vegetables

• Increase carbohydrates as training increases

• Limit processed foods

Working with a dietician can help you dial this in even more.

That consult will be worth more to you than a pair of compression boots.

Hydration

Drinking enough fluids will impact your training and recovery.

Rule of thumb:

• If you are training for less than an hour you usually only need water.

• If longer than an hour or really hot you will want to add electrolytes.

Rest Days

Taking a break is the best way to recover from training.

Constantly adding more to your training without taking a break will not help you succeed.

At a minimum add one rest day to your week.

You also want to include an unload week where volume is dropped every 3-5 weeks to allow the body to recover more.

Combined these will balance rest with training.

Sleep

Getting good sleep quality and quantity is important for recovery.

This should be your number 1 recovery tool. If you are not sleeping enough you are wasting your time with other tools.

Adults need 7-8 hours of sleep, but athletes may need more to fully recover.

Sleep habits to start with:

• sleep in a cool, dark room

• limit tech (blue light) before bed

• don't work in bed

• have a pre-bed routine

Again no fancy tools are needed. Just small habit changes.

Accessory Training

Aside from your endurance training, you should also include accessory training to balance things out.

There are 3 buckets that help with recovery:

1. Supportive days: easy walk or spin aimed at active recovery.

2. Mobility & stretching: increase flexibility and ability to maintain your training positions.

3. Strength training: increase resilience and strength in the body.

Master the basics of recovery first.

Recovery Checklist:

1. Eat well

2. Hydrate

3. Take days off

4. Sleep well

5. Include accessory training