What the Athlete in All of Us Can Learn from the Strange Science of Recovery
November 5, 2018
Science writer Aschwanden, a runner, cycler, and cross-country skier, delves into the topic of recovery in this inquisitive and informative text. Positing this field as “an active extension of training,” she explores a number of different products and techniques, aiming to separate the bogus from the truly restorative and effective. Aschwanden not only conducted over 200 interviews and reviewed hundreds of research papers, she recounts sampling different techniques personally: she immersed herself in a “float tank,” tried on compression tights (harder to get off than on), chilled in an infrared sauna, and wore a headband that measures brain activity during meditation. She talks to scientists, psychologists, and athletes, and digs into the science and marketing of sports drinks, nutrition bars, and
protein powders. In the process, Aschwanden clarifies simple truths often neglected by a fitness culture of “go hard or go home,” such as the significance of sleep as the single most potent method for recovery. Despite the many products and techniques appraised, Aschwanden leaves athletes with a simple message—that, at least for some, less can be more when it comes to the vital step of recovery.