It is imperative that coaches and athletes ensure that the basal lamina is not damaged to the point that the nuclei become centralized. Normal and optimal myoblastic activity is established beneath the old basal lamina. Myogenesis requires fast removal of the now necrotic proteins because the cellular debris will prevent the transport of oxygen, glucose molecules, and new material.
-Regeneration Lab – 2004
I am trying to stay out of biology and physiology debates as every year or two a study will be thrown down like some gauntlet of what is right and what is wrong. I posted a lot of blogs that have misinformation. I am sorry. From my records, the mistakes I have are vanity ones and perhaps are right in five years when research changes the mechanism, but some principals are timeless. I don’t know if DOMS is necessary or should be avoided as I have seen athletes murder themselves and medal, while others gently stimulate their way to the podium. As much as necessary, and the stopwatch or tape guides us that direction. Improvement and precise records are history, and it’s up to the sport scientist and coach to work together to discover what is repeatable. I posted the following nearly 10 years ago. I still agree with it.
Optimize tissue structure and tone- The quality of the muscle texture and integrity relies on the nutrition, coaching, sports medicine, and soft tissue therapy. Quality tissue texture is free of trigger points, adhesions, scar tissue, tightness (local or general), soreness, dehydration, and edema. Proper integrity of muscle, bone, and tendon is the result of optimal load and precise nutrition.
Remove unnecessary fatigue and accelerate repair- Smart regeneration eliminates any sites of neuromuscular fatigue by programming the right volumes and intensities. Fatigue can be removed by rest, nutrition, and by therapuetic modalities. Faster rates of removal is not better, since the body has specific ratios and time standards to remodel properly.
Fuel, Protect, and Repair the neuromuscular system- Athletes in training need various forms of antioxidants to reduce cellular damage. All athletes also need fuel from healthy fats and quality carbohydrates to fuel muscle and nerves. Protein, minerals, and other componds are needed to repair bone, muscle, and connective tissue. Coaches, nutritionists, and sports medicince staff can help enhance this process with quality training programs, effective dietary solutions, and progressive medical support.
Monitor and Improve the Athletic Environment- The training environment must remove outside stress free from financial worries and emotional burdens. Coaches and athletes who construct a total program will be steps ahead of those who base their training on small detailed means. Another vital part of regeneration is monitoring the recovery of athletes from training logs, blood work, and urine tests.
Obviously the above is vague enough to hide from precise protocols. It’s ok to do a cold bath if done at the right time, but one has to prove the right time is being done at the cellular level. A lot of talk about Creatine Kinase lately and similar discussions of what is appropriate remind me of the lactic acid debate. Some think it’s a magic elixir, some hide from it, and most should just have good workouts that improve people and not chase the ahead of print publications to justify their brilliance. Instead of a cool tweet, or even a blog post like this one, I suggest seeing a case of N=1 with Neil Baroody, who is simply doing a marvelous job on his own. His manual has a new chapter on Regeneration and it’s simply the best work I have seen, summarizing the masters before us such as Waldermar, Nikos, and Skaggs. With a new crop of therapist and nutritional support people, I strongly recommend his work.