Active vs passive recovery

[Farm_or]

What is your preference and why?

I am definitely in the active recovery camp. I believe that blood flow is essential to recovery. The increased circulation of light exercise moves more essential nutrients to the muscles and joints during movement. I am sure that recovery happens faster that way than it does with rest - in most circumstances.

The battle between motivation and laziness is another very big consideration. When you have good reason to stay active, you run less risk of taking time off that leads to more time off and the recession into laziness. An object in motion tends to stay in motion.

I like to alternate days between hard work out and lighter work out. My usual lighter work is calisthenics and aerobic activity. Some days of light exercise I feel like I could rip the doors off a Cadillac and some days while trying to push heavy it's a struggle to get through. But consistency is such a requisite that you struggle through the hard times in order to experience the good times.

[jacob]

I find [in my personal experience] that active recovery is an oxymoron. 0% effort (100% rest) recovers more than 40% effort or wherever the bar is set; so the max effort following the "recovery day" will be higher the less was done.

However, I've also noticed that consistency is important mentally, so I try to do something; even if it means bowing out after 10 minutes. Physiologically, it also seems that it's possible to retain a higher work-capacity (+power) and a lower BF% by not having that many rest days. (I usually do one per week.) If I was maximizing 1RepMax efforts, I would have a lot more rest days. Resting an entire week works better than resting 1-3 days.

[C40]

I think it depends on the person's level of fitness, and it only matters at a very high level. For the very fit, I believe active recovery is better. By active - I mean an easier warm up than usual and very light exertion - basically the equivalent of a fast walk or really slow jog.

I think the impact/difference of active vs. passive recovery is quite small though. I think there may be more of a positive impact from maintaining the habit of regular activity than from actual active recovery. Many other thing make a huge difference and have more impact than this though - diet, good warm up before and cool down after high exertions, mental tranquility, sleep (including a nap), and as much rest as possible for the rest of the day - ideally with a lot of laying down.

[J_]

I think there may be more of a positive impact from maintaining the habit of regular activity than from actual active recovery. Many other thing make a huge difference and have more impact than this though - diet, good warm up before and cool down after high exertions, mental tranquility, sleep (including a nap), and as much rest as possible for the rest of the day - ideally with a lot of laying down.

That's what I experience, + when I do one day tennis I do the next day a long walk, or when I have done a long walk I do the next day a bicycle tour combined whith a sea-swim. So the recovery can go on while using other parts of my body.