I had the chance to see this for myself once I spent a rest day with a USWNT helper Rose Lavelle in Seattle. Because the world eagerly awaits what’s coming FIFA Women’s World Cup this summer, her team is in full training mode as they prepare to win their third trophy in a row. They give their best in training sessions of 1 to a few hours a day, five to 6 times every week. However, recovery is just as essential.
“In highschool and college, I played as much soccer as I could and played on as many teams as I could,” Lavelle told me. But now it’s different, with an emphasis on nutrition, various types of lively recovery and mental preparation.
“Today, rest is important and I am unable to play as much as I used to since the strain is a lot greater,” he says. “Now there may be a balance and I actually have to prioritize the off-pitch element and every thing I do to arrange my body as best as possible for on-pitch performances.”
Here’s what a rest day looks like for considered one of the country’s most talented footballers.
9 a.m.: Wake-up call
A giant a part of rest for Lavelle is a number of sleep. “On the West Coast, I stand up at 9am – that is too early for me,” she says, adding that if she could, she’d sleep until 11am. “Sleep is an element of rest and recovery, and it is important to my job.”
9:30: breakfast
While many go to bed daydreaming about what they’ll be eating the following day, that is not the case with Lavelle, who keeps things easy with a plain bagel. “I wish to eat something light, like a bagel, so I can eat some carbs but not feel full during my workout.”
She also loves a chilly brew – no alternative milk. “I do not play with anything but whole milk,” she told me as we waited within the drinks line at Hagen Café.
10 am: traffic
Right after breakfast, the Cincinnati resident decides to maneuver around a bit. “I wish to move my legs in some way because being a blur all day doesn’t make me feel great,” she says. Although he doesn’t count steps or miles, he enjoys going for walks or cycling. “The goal is just to get your heart rate up and your muscles lively for the remainder of the day.”
12:00: Lunch
During her highschool days, Lavelle started working out with the large Dr. Pepper and Big Mac, however it’s slightly different now.
“I often buy a smoothie or mixed fruit bowl or make one at home with whatever fruit and yogurt I actually have,” says Lavelle. The Chiptole Bowl is one other option to eat and what we enjoyed at a shared lunch once I visited. “It’s all I would like to fuel me after a workout or on my break day.” For a fast snack on the go, it’s also possible to see the star having fun with a GoGo Squeez fruit sachet.
14:00: Reformer Pilates, stretching, massages and/or therapy
Although every day of recovery brings something latest, Lavelle knows how essential it’s to hearken to your body and reply to its needs. He spends the afternoons of his recovery days caring for himself in whatever way he wants.
On the day we spent together, this included a 30-minute Pilates class on a reformer (which seriously tested our core strength – or no less than mine). This has turn out to be an everyday a part of her schedule as Lavelle has fallen in love with the Pilates reformer over the previous couple of years. “I do two to a few one-on-one sessions every week so I can focus all my attention on the muscles I would like to strengthen,” she says.
Stretching can also be a necessary a part of Lavelle’s recovery day. After Pilates, Lavelle’s trainer Dak Notestine she told us about her seven-minute routine that she follows before every workout, in addition to during her each day stretching at home.
“This specific routine helps to strengthen the upper and lower legs to support the knee,” she says, which is important after Lavelle’s recent knee injury. Starting with a foam roller, Lavelle warms up the sensory tissues within the ankles, then moves to the hips and thighs. From there, she moves on to dynamic stretching exercises like swimming, cat cow, and mermaid leg raises before ending with resistance bands round her upper knees to work balance and strengthen her hips.
Lavelle also pays attention to application IcyHot PRO regeneration products (Her favorite is dry spray) to alleviate tense muscles and joints after training sessions and on rest days. She is even IcyHot Ambassador.
In addition to caring for her physical health, the bronze-medal Olympian also focuses on her mental health through each day meditation, visualization, journaling, and sessions with a sports psychologist when needed. “My confidence comes with ebb and flow, so having a sports psychologist has been an enormous a part of my profession,” she says. For Lavelle, her introduction to sports psychology got here after a 12 months out as a result of a hamstring injury. “Anyone who goes through a long-term injury or any type of injury basically is physically heavy. However, it looked as if it would me that mentally getting back from it’s 10 times harder. My psychologist helps me keep my head above water.”
6:30 PM: Dinner
While she’s not a foodie or a fan of cooking, a meal of carbs, protein, and vegetables is something Lavelle prioritizes. “Protein is critical for rebuilding tissue that has been damaged during a training session or match,” says Notestine. She adds that she encourages Lavelle so as to add high-quality whole grain carbohydrates corresponding to rice and quinoa. During the tour, the cooks of the National Team handle lunch; otherwise, she makes sure that she provides her body with a nutritious, balanced meal.
21:00: Reading and sleeping
It’s still relatively early when Lavelle crawls into bed and enjoys a couple of chapters and a couple of hours of the book. “I at all times have a book with me and take a look at to search out time to read at any time when I can, which is often before bedtime,” she says. “Right now I’m within the fantasy era and I’m having a blast doing it.” The day ends with an extended sleep. “I’m aiming for eight hours an evening, which can give my mind and body the correct recovery it needs.”
