Daniel's Notes

Dr. Andy Galpin: Maximize Recovery to Achieve Fitness & Performance Goals | Huberman Lab

14 min read

Description

In this episode 5 of a 6-part special series on fitness, exercise and performance with Andy Galpin, PhD, professor of kinesiology at California State University, Fullerton, he explains how to optimize post-training recovery and how to avoid overtraining in order to better achieve your fitness and exercise goals. He explains the cellular mechanisms of muscle soreness and pain, why adequate recovery is essential for all physical adaptations, and how to enhance recovery using breathwork, thermal, movement, and pressure-based techniques. He describes how overtraining impedes exercise progress and how to assess if you are overreaching or overtraining, by using specific biomarkers and indicators. Like other performance metrics, recovery is a skill that can and should be trained, and that can be learned. This episode provides an actionable toolkit for how to monitor and improve your exercise recovery abilities, which will improve your overall mental and physical health.

Thank you to our sponsors AG1 (Athletic Greens): https://athleticgreens.com/huberman LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/huberman Eight Sleep: https://eightsleep.com/huberman InsideTracker: https://www.insidetracker.com/huberman Momentous: https://www.livemomentous.com/huberman

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Dr. Andy Galpin Academic Profile: http://hhd.fullerton.edu/knes/faculty… Website: https://www.andygalpin.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/drandygalpin Instagram: https://instagram.com/drandygalpin YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe3R2e3zYxWwIhMKV36Qhkw

Articles Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal: https://bit.ly/3xleMHI Altered brown fat thermoregulation and enhanced cold-induced thermogenesis in young, healthy, winter-swimming men: https://bit.ly/3YuoDa4

Other Resources Carbon Dioxide Tolerance Clip (Galpin Guest Series Episode 3): https://youtu.be/oNkDA2F7CjM SHIFT Breathwork Assessment: https://shiftadapt.com/breathwork BMJ tool for visualizing the variability of lab test results: https://www.bmj.com/content/368/bmj.m149/rapid-responses

HubermanLabRecoveryScience

Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac - https://www.blabacphoto.com

Disclaimer: https://www.hubermanlab.com/disclaimer

My Notes

00:00:00 Recovery

  • This is the fifth in a six episode series on fitness, exercise, and performance.
  • exercise is when we trigger adaptation in our body (e.g. increasing muscle mass), but it is not when the adaptation actually happens. It happens during recovery.
  • 02:23: In order to improve, our recovery must outpace our stressors or else we will actually regress.

00:04:17 Exercise & Delayed Muscle Soreness, Pain

  • ❓05:20
    1. What is muscle soreness?
    2. What does it mean if we are sore?
    3. Why is muscle soreness often delayed? (DOMS)
      • 07:03: Traditional explanation: We’re sore because we have micro tears in the muscles.
        • It is true that there can be micro tears but this is not the cause of soreness.
  • These three questions are interrelated.

00:11:35 Muscle Spindles, Reduce Soreness

  • 14:31: Takeaway: Theory: Stretching during recovery could actually make recovery more sore
    • 14:52: Takeaway: We do already know that low level movement is effective at reducing acute soreness.
      • 15:21: Light level cardio during recovery (the next day after a workout) could alleviate soreness quicker than simply lying around inactive.
  • 17:02 Free radicals are the opposite of anti-oxidants
    • If free radicals “leak out” then that leads to the inflammatory response.

00:18:56 Exercise, Homeostasis & Hormesis; Blood Test & Fitness Level

00:30:20 Recovery Timescales, Adaptation & Optimization

  • ⭐ Some measurements may look terrible immediately after exercise, but in the long run will produce better overall fitness.
    • KEY TAKEAWAY: Do not forget to recognize context.
  • 32:00: Differentiate between adaptation and optimization.
    • If you are optimizing for the current moment, you are most likely compromizing longterm improvement.
    • 32:43 For recovery we are balancing immediate gratification vs. delayed gratification.
      • e.g. Ice packs can reduce soreness now, but they impede the body’s natural ability to heal. i.e. they produce immediate gratification (pain relief) but reduce delayed gratification (performance gains). This is a tradeoff.

00:35:10 Adaptation & Biomarkers Levels

00:40:36 4 Recovery Levels, Enhance Recovery

  • 1. Overload (40:50-41:19):

    • Sign/Symptom: Fatigue, acute performance reduction.
    • Recovery Period: Minutes to Days.

  • 2. Functional Overreaching (41:14-42:26):

    • Sign/Symptom: Performance enhanced after recovery. The “golden target”.
    • 41:54Functional here means that your performance is enhanced.
    • Recovery Period: Few days to a week. (often achieved by “tapering” before a competition)

  • 3. Nonfunctional Overreaching (42:24-43:54):

    • Sign/Symptom: No performance benefit after recovery, return to baseline.
    • Non-functional here means that there is NOT a positive benefit in this area.
      • 43:24 This can lead to a vicious cycle.
    • Recovery Period: Weeks.

  • 4. Overtraining (43:50-45:02):

    • Sign/Symptom: Requires MONTHS to recover to baseline. Very rare!
      • If you take 3 or 4 days off and you felt better, then you are probably not overtraining.
    • Recovery Period: Months.

  • Address the Cause, Not Just the Symptoms (45:57-46:05): Acute soreness often results from training program issues (volume, intensity increases too quickly). Address the underlying cause instead of solely focusing on symptom relief.

00:47:28 AG1 (Athletic Greens)

00:48:19 Overreaching vs. Overtraining

00:52:53 Tool: Acute Overload & Recovery, Breathwork

01:03:39 Tool: Alleviate Acute Soreness, Compression Clothing

01:08:27 Tool: Acute Soreness, Massage, Temperature

01:14:21 Cold & Heat Contrast, Cold Shower vs. Immersion, Sauna & Fertility

01:20:44 InsideTracker

01:21:46 Combine Recovery Techniques

01:24:34 Monitoring for Overreaching & Overtraining

01:31:33 Overreaching/Overtraining, Performance & Physiology, Sleep

01:45:41 Overreaching/Overtraining, Biomarkers, Cortisol

01:50:45 Cortisol, Daily Levels & Performance; Rhodiola Supplementation

02:01:25 Carbohydrates, Cortisol & Sleep

02:05:05 Tool: Stress Biomarkers, Heart Rate Variability (HRV)

02:15:07 Tool: “Acute State Shifters”, Stimulants, Dopamine Stacking, Phones

02:25:04 Mirrors & Resistance Training

02:29:01 Tool: “Chronic State Shifters”

02:32:43 Training Recovery & Resilience; Bowling Alley Analogy

02:39:45 Trigger Adaptations & Stress Recovery

02:42:41 Tool: Measure Recovery; Blood Biomarkers

02:50:06 Libido & Sex Hormones, Supplementation Caution

03:00:08 Tools: No-/Low-Cost Recovery Measurements

03:03:45 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube Feedback, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, Neural Network Newsletter

Transcript

Take interactive transcript notes on youtube-transcript.io

Insights and Takeaways (AI Generated)

I used AI Studio by Google (Gemini 2.0 Flash Experimental) to extract the following takeaways.

I. Introduction (00:00-02:00)

  • Recovery is Where Progress Happens (00:27-01:33): Just as neuroplasticity occurs away from learning experiences, fitness adaptations (strength, endurance, etc.) happen during recovery, not during workouts themselves.
  • Stress + Recovery = Adaptation (02:19-02:28): Adaptation (improvements in muscle function, metabolism, etc.) only occurs if you can recover from the stress of exercise.
  • Recovery Needs to Outpace Stress (02:30-02:45): You need to ensure that your body is able to keep up with the amount of stress your body is under. If your body can’t keep up, you’ll start losing performance.
  • Goal: Increase Rate & Degree of Progress (01:45-02:00): Enhancing your ability to recover will directly improve your rate of fitness progress.

II. Muscle Soreness (DOMS): Understanding the Mechanism (04:06-10:00)

  • DOMS is Not Just Muscle Tears (07:10-07:37): While micro-tears might contribute, delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is not primarily caused by muscle damage. Muscle damage can occur without any DOMS.
  • Inflammation & Immune Response are Key (07:39-08:15): DOMS is more related to the inflammatory and immune response that peaks 24-48 hours post-exercise.
  • Fluid Accumulation & Neural Feedback (09:09-09:59): Immune response causes fluid buildup (swelling), which puts pressure on pressure receptors (not necessarily pain receptors) in muscles, triggering a neural feedback loop perceived as pain. DOMS might be more neurological than muscular.
  • Muscle Spindles and Proprioception Contribute (11:35-14:29) Muscle Spindles sense stretch which triggers pain and the urge to contract. Pressure from swelling could impact the nerve endings of the muscles, causing pain.

III. Actionable Strategies for Soreness (14:53-16:04)

  • Low-Level Movement is Effective (14:53-15:04): Low-level movement or “lighter cardio” helps reduce soreness by pumping fluid out of tissues, relieving pressure.
  • Potential Source of Soreness: Free Radicals from Mitochondria (16:12-17:24): The inflammatory signal might originate from free radicals released by mitochondria during energy production, especially when combined with mechanical tension (weightlifting).
  • Massage is helpful (18:09-18:31): Using tools that provide low-level vibration or massage can help move fluid out of the area, alleviating pressure on nerve endings.

IV. Recovery: Time Scales and Misconceptions (23:15-30:34)

  • Homeostasis & Adaptation (23:31-24:27): Exercise challenges homeostasis. Recovery is the process of adaptation to establish a new, higher level of homeostasis so the same “insult” won’t cause as much disruption next time.
  • Hormesis: Dosage Matters (25:37-26:28): Exercise is a hormetic stressor – a small dose triggers adaptation, but too much exercise becomes toxic.
  • Acute vs. Chronic Responses (30:34-31:12): Acute responses to exercise (e.g., inflammation) might look “terrible” immediately, but they’re necessary for long-term adaptation (lowered baseline inflammation).
  • Adaptation vs. Optimization (31:12-32:05): Optimizing for the current moment (e.g., using anti-inflammatories) can compromise long-term adaptation.
  • Balancing Immediate vs. Delayed Gratification (32:05-33:00): Recovery is about balancing what makes you feel good now with what creates adaptation for the future.

V. Recovery Strategies: Choosing the Right Approach (33:59-35:10)

  • Tool Selection Dictated by Goals (33:59-34:07): The recovery tools you use should depend on your training goals (e.g., competition tomorrow vs. off-season adaptation).
  • Acute Recovery (34:11-34:19): Prioritize acute recovery for immediate performance (competition).
  • Adaptation (34:20-34:26): Prioritize adaptation in the off-season or during phases focused on long-term gains.
  • Be Careful with Anti-Inflammatories & Antioxidants (34:26-34:39): Supplementing vitamin C and E may hinder hypertrophic adaptions.

VI. Distinguishing Training States (40:41-45:57)

  • 1. Overload (40:52-41:19):

    • Sign/Symptom: Fatigue, acute performance reduction.
    • Recovery Period: Minutes to Days.

  • 2. Functional Overreaching (41:19-42:26):

    • Sign/Symptom: Performance enhanced after recovery. The “golden target”.
    • Recovery Period: Few days to a week. (often achieved by “tapering” before a competition)

  • 3. Nonfunctional Overreaching (42:26-43:54):

    • Sign/Symptom: No performance benefit after recovery, return to baseline.
    • Recovery Period: Weeks.

  • 4. Overtraining (43:54-45:02):

    • Sign/Symptom: Requires MONTHS to recover to baseline. Very rare!
    • Recovery Period: Months.

  • Address the Cause, Not Just the Symptoms (45:57-46:05): Acute soreness often results from training program issues (volume, intensity increases too quickly). Address the underlying cause instead of solely focusing on symptom relief.

VII. Enhancing Acute Overload Recovery (52:55-56:27)

  • Kickstart Recovery Immediately (52:55-54:11): Begin the recovery process right after your workout to maximize results. You have a limited window to maximize results.
  • Slow-Paced Music (54:11-54:47): Slow-paced music may enhance recovery compared to fast-paced music.
  • Down-Regulation Breathing (54:48-56:27): 3-10 minutes of focused, relaxed breathing can accelerate recovery:
    • Example: Box Breathing (55:21-55:48): Inhale (3-8 seconds), hold (3-8 seconds), exhale (3-8 seconds), hold (3-8 seconds).
    • Alternate: Cyclic Sighing (57:06-57:29): Two inhales through the nose, followed by an extended exhale to lungs empty through the mouth.
    • Consistency (56:08-56:13): Three minutes is better than nothing, but aim for longer.
    • Location (56:15-56:27): Lay down in a quiet, dark area. Do it in the shower if you are resistant.
  • Respiration’s Potency on the Nervous System (58:28-58:33): Respiration techniques shift the nervous system function away from stress.

VIII. Additional Tools for Alleviating Acute Soreness (64:11-70:01)

  • Compression Gear (64:11-65:28): Wearing tight-fitting clothing can reduce soreness.
  • Pneumatic Compression Devices, Massage & Bodywork (68:43-69:26): These are believed to work by moving fluid in and out of tissues, potentially enhancing blood flow and nutrient delivery.
  • Cold Water Immersion (69:31-70:01):
    • Effective at reducing muscle soreness, but can blunt hypertrophic adaptations.
    • Consider if the goal is immediate optimization vs. long-term growth.
    • 40-50 degree water for north of 15 minutes, or sub-40 for as little as five minutes.

IX. Important Considerations About Cold and Heat Exposure (71:10-77:09)

  • Eease Into It (71:41-71:44): Not immediately go to 35 degree cold water if they’ve never done it before.
  • Effective Temperatures and Times for Cold Water Immersion (71:09-71:22): Use moderately cold water (40-50°F) for 15+ minutes or sub-40°F water for as little as 5 minutes.
  • Contrasting Cold and Heat (73:12-73:21): Combining cold and hot (contrast therapy) can be an option. There are few rules.
  • Personal Preference (70:26-70:27): “You want to be really really cold for a short amount of time or do you want to be like kind of cold for a longer amount of time”.
  • Thermal Capacity (73:23-75:36): Dr. Susanna Soberg’s research suggests 5-7 minutes/week of heat, 11 minutes of cold.
  • Pain Perception (75:55-76:09): Pain is subjective.
  • Cold Shower Limitations (77:09-77:30): Cold showers may not be as effective due to difficulty controlling water temperature and body coverage.
  • Water Movement (78:55-79:14): Cold water with movement provides a different level of cold exposure.
  • Heat & Fertility (79:25-80:04): Sauna or hot tubs limit sperm count for 60 days.

X. Combining Recovery Strategies (82:46-83:20)

  • A physical approach and a breathing approach are the most important to combine (83:12-83:19)

XI. Preventing and Managing Overreaching/Overtraining (84:22-91:21)

  • Three-Pronged Approach (84:22-84:26):
    • 1. Preventative Strategies: Follow program recommendations from previous episodes and monitor warning signals (3-part approach) to assess if it’s happening.
    • 2. Performance Metric (87:54-88:07): Times are going down, squat numbers are dropping, power is going down, etc.
    • 3. Physiology (88:07-88:23): Resting heart rate changes, biomarker shifts, HRV drops, etc.
    • 4. Symptomology (89:04-89:14): Am I getting symptoms of overreaching?
  • The Myth of “Adrenal Fatigue” (91:53-91:59): Adrenal insufficiency does exist, but overtraining does not cause adrenal burn out.

XII. Understanding Overtraining Mechanisms (91:21-107:01)

  • Early Findings: Catecholamine Changes (94:59-95:32): Increased epinephrine and norepinephrine levels were observed in overtraining studies.
  • Receptor Downregulation (96:45-97:16): Over time, receptors for androgens and glucocorticoids can be downregulated, reducing sensitivity.
  • Significant Drop in Power (98:57-99:04): It is much harder to preserve speed than strength. Power declined by 35%
  • Nacturnal Epinephrine (103:21-104:01): Elevated nighttime epinephrine and diminished REM sleep disrupt emotions.
  • Other Physiological and Body Signals (106:15-106:27): Changes to resting heart rate, HRV decreases, decreased body weight.

XIII. Measuring Stress - Biomarkers (107:01-111:11)

  • SHBG (111:12-111:46): Sex Hormone Binding Globulin may increase to bind up testosterone.
  • Cortisol: DHEA Ratio (111:09-112:13): You don’t want this number to be too high or too low. 0.09 is a good ratio to strive for.

XIV. Carbs and cortisol (113:39-113:48)

  • Try to schedule carbs appropriately to help increase and then decrease stress.

XV. A Word of Caution About Chronic Supplementation (112:25-113:00)

  • Supplements Are Not Foundational (112:37-112:39): Make sure it is clear that there is nothing listed above as baseline.
  • Cortisol as an Energy Signaling Molecule (123:42-123:46): Remind yourself that cortisol is energy. There is no benefit to be found in constantly suppressing it!
  • Blood Analysis (113:59-114:13): It is good to do blood analysis and then determine plan of action.

XVI. Using Supplements Strategically (114:57-115:05)

  • Test often (114:57-115:00): It is a good idea to measure stress levels often throughout the day.

XVII. Light Is Important (115:45-115:49)

  • Be Diligent About Light Exposure (115:45-115:49): Bright lights is a factor that positively affects mood, immune system function, energy, etc.

XVIII. Actionable Tips - Lower Cost/No Cost Metrics

  • Use Them In Tandem (134:55-134:56) It’s useful to take subjective and objective data in tandem!
  • 1. CO2 tolerance test (116:39-116:52) A good way to measure system stress without using technology
  • 2. Mood (116:52-116:55) Pay attention to how you feel
  • 3. Libido (116:55-117:09) Are you having libido issues?

XIX. What if You are Already in a Hole? Acute Shifting & Power Poses

  • If So, Exercise (137:07-137:11): Move the stress around
  • Breath Work (137:11-137:14): If down regulation, do the opposite (hypoventilation)
  • Mindset Games (137:32-137:34): Play mindset games, such as reciting motivational quotes.
  • Establish a “Why” (137:45-138:20): Work on purpose and have a system ready when you’re not where you need to be.
  • Brain Games (141:57-142:27): Play some brain games to engage in some thing you won’t be regretting.
  • The Threshold Line (142:01-142:36): Designate a place for you to assess.

XX. Distractions from the Work at Hand (142:52-144:27)

  • Phone Distractions (143:13-143:35): View phones as second brain that distract you from the performance at hand.

XXI. Is Muscle Memory a Real Thing? (144:27-145:27)

  • To an extent, it is real! Muscle memory can affect movement learning.

XXII. Mirrors - Do Or Do Not? (147:52-147:55)

  • If it’s to enhance movement learning, mirrors may be detrimental.
  • If it’s for hypertrophy, it may be advantageous.

XXIII. Pulling Out of the Hole (149:56-152:21)

  • 1. Assess/Re-asses (150:00-150:01) Evaluate your practices.
  • 2. Thermal Stress (150:04-150:18) It immediately makes your sympathetic response worse, however over a long term you will see the benefits.
  • 3. Brain Stuff (151:17-151:24): Engage in journling and meditation, as well as social connection to enhance recovery.
  • 4. Nutrients (152:06-152:16): Take adaptogens, elctrolytes, food, or hydrate.

XXIV. Train Your Recovery (154:01-154:37)

  • Train the system to perform better and have more capacity (just as we train muscles).
  • “I need to be able to feel that movement”

XXV. Summary (157:45-160:02)

  • There is a great strategy between accuracy
  • Widening the ally is what you want to train yourself to do
  • You can upregulate that skill over time!
  • All the tools and modes for recovery helps trigger the adaptations you need to be perform and recover!

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