Speed. Strength. Power. Explosiveness.
Athletes spend countless hours developing these qualities, but there is another part of athletic performance that deserves just as much attention: recovery.
Training provides the stimulus for improvement. Recovery provides the opportunity for the body to adapt to that stimulus.
For athletes training with VertiMax, sprinting, lifting, jumping, or competing multiple times per week, establishing good recovery habits can help maintain mobility and prepare the body for the next training session.
The good news? Recovery doesn’t always require expensive technology.
Three simple tools can provide athletes with plenty of options:
- Foam roller
- Jump Stretch Band
- Lacrosse ball
Combine those tools with proper stretching, sleep, hydration, and nutrition, and athletes have the foundation of a practical recovery system they can use almost anywhere.
5 Recovery Exercises Every Athlete Should Know
1. Foam Roll the Quads
Running, sprinting, jumping, squatting, and changing direction all place considerable demands on the lower body.
Foam rolling provides a simple method of working through larger muscle groups following training.
How to Do It
Lie face down with the foam roller underneath one thigh. Support your upper body with your arms and slowly roll from the upper portion of the thigh toward the knee.
Spend approximately 30–60 seconds on each leg.
Move slowly. The goal isn’t to roll as quickly or painfully as possible.
Coach’s Tip: If you find a particularly sensitive area, slow down and spend a little more time around that region rather than aggressively grinding directly into it.
Best Time: After training or during a separate recovery session.
2. Lacrosse Ball Foot Roll
The foot is the athlete’s connection to the ground.
Every sprint, cut, jump, and landing begins with force being applied through the foot and ankle. A lacrosse ball is a simple way to perform targeted self-massage on the bottom of the foot.
How to Do It
While standing or seated, place a lacrosse ball underneath the foot.
Slowly roll the ball from the heel toward the forefoot while exploring different areas of the arch.
Perform for approximately 30–60 seconds per foot.
The pressure should be tolerable. More pain doesn’t mean better results.
Coach’s Tip: This can be particularly useful as part of an athlete’s general foot and ankle mobility routine.
3. Jump Stretch Band Hamstring Stretch
Resistance bands aren’t only for strength exercises.
The Jump Stretch Band system associated with Dick Hartzell has been used for years by coaches and athletes as a simple way to incorporate band-assisted stretching and mobility.
The band allows the athlete to create assistance while gradually exploring a comfortable range of motion.
How to Do It
Lie on your back with a Jump Stretch Band positioned securely around the foot.
Keep the opposite leg relaxed while gradually raising the banded leg.
Use the band for assistance rather than aggressively pulling the leg toward you.
Hold a comfortable position for approximately 20–30 seconds, relax, and repeat.
Coach’s Tip: Keep the pelvis controlled. Don’t sacrifice position simply to get the leg higher.
4. Band-Assisted Hip Flexor Stretch
The hips play a major role in sprinting, acceleration, jumping, and virtually every athletic movement.
Athletes can use a Jump Stretch Band to add assistance to traditional hip mobility exercises.
How to Do It
Secure the band appropriately and assume a half-kneeling position.
Maintain a tall torso and gently move the hips forward while keeping the pelvis controlled.
The athlete should feel a comfortable stretch through the front of the hip rather than excessive pressure through the lower back.
Perform for approximately 20–30 seconds per side.
Coach’s Tip: Don’t simply arch the back to create more movement. Maintain abdominal tension and control the pelvis.
5. Lacrosse Ball Glute Release
The glutes play a major role in acceleration, sprinting, jumping, landing, and changing direction.
A lacrosse ball provides a smaller contact point than a foam roller, making it useful when an athlete wants to target a more specific area.
How to Do It
Position the lacrosse ball between the glute and the floor or wall.
Slowly shift your body until you locate an area that feels tight or sensitive.
Maintain controlled pressure and breathe normally.
Spend approximately 30–60 seconds on each side.
Coach’s Tip: The goal isn’t to create maximum discomfort. If you experience sharp, burning, electrical, or radiating pain, stop.
Foam Roller vs. Lacrosse Ball: What’s the Difference?
Think of the two tools as serving slightly different purposes.
A foam roller provides a larger surface area and works well for broad muscle groups such as the quads, hamstrings, calves, glutes, adductors, and upper back.
A lacrosse ball provides a much smaller contact point, allowing an athlete to work more specifically around areas such as the foot, calf, glutes, posterior shoulder, and upper back.
You don’t necessarily need to choose one or the other.
Start broad with the foam roller and then get more specific with the lacrosse ball.
Where Does Stretching Fit?
Stretching should match the purpose of the training session.
Before sprinting, jumping, lifting, or explosive VertiMax training, athletes generally want to prepare to produce force quickly. A progressive warm-up incorporating dynamic movement is usually more appropriate than spending significant time performing long static stretches immediately before explosive activity.
After training is different.
During a cooldown or separate recovery session, athletes can spend more time using controlled static and band-assisted stretching to address individual mobility needs.
A simple rule for athletes:
Don’t Forget the Most Important Recovery Tools
Foam rollers, bands, massage tools, compression devices, and other recovery methods can all have a place.
But none of them replace the fundamentals.
Sleep
Sleep is one of an athlete’s most important recovery tools. Training schedules should be organized with adequate sleep in mind.
Nutrition
Athletes need adequate total calories, protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals to support both performance and recovery.
Hydration
Athletes should begin training properly hydrated and replace fluids lost through training and competition.
Think of these as the foundation.
Sleep + Nutrition + Hydration + Smart Training
Then add recovery tools based on the athlete’s individual needs.
More Isn’t Always Better
Athletes often approach recovery with the same mentality they bring to training: if a little helps, more must be better.
That’s not necessarily true.
You don’t need to spend 30 minutes painfully rolling every muscle in your body.
You don’t need to force yourself into extreme stretching positions.
And recovery shouldn’t become another exhausting workout.
Instead, identify what the athlete needs and address it.
Ask three questions:
1. What did we train today?
2. Where does the athlete feel restricted?
3. What does the athlete need to be ready to do tomorrow?
The answers should help determine the recovery strategy.
