Good to Go: What the Athlete in All of Us Can Learn from the Strange Science of Recovery Paperback – February 18, 2020

Athletes know in order to gain fitness, and improve performance, adequate recovery must take place between training sessions. And as the author points out, athletes are always looking for a new way to hasten recovery. The author seems to have the perfect mix of experience to write on this topic -- she has a degree in biology, has worked as a science journalist for many years, and is a long-time serious athlete.In a highly readable and witty manner, she first generally discusses the limitations on scientific studies (using as an example her own participation in a study if beer is a good recovery fluid) . This discussion is a very well done example of issues in studies she later discusses. She describe a bewildering variety of recovery modalities, devices and regimens (icing, salt baths, NSAIDS, stretching, recovery drinks, foam rolling, massage, meditation, sleep, protein supplements, etc, etc. etc.). She describes each of them, sometimes tries them herself for the first time ( e. g. sensory deprivation" floating salt bath), talks to coaches and athletes, discusses scientific studies which have evaluated the issue, and talks to leading experts in the field to get their opinion on the status of scientific knowledge. The text of the book is refreshingly almost free of scientific jargon, but her work is well-supported with almost 200 end notes of studies and her sources.I have to disagree with the one-star reviewer who seems to think that the book's only lesson is to be sure to get adequate sleep. The author's point is that sleep is of paramount importance (well documented scientifically), especially when compared to the various unproven, aggressively marketed fads. Yes, she does debunk, or at least "throw shade" on some recovery devices or rituals, but to me that is the most valuable service the book provides. Who doesn't want to stop wasting time and money on something that is unlikely to work?I think the author precisely reports the great uncertainty on many of these recovery issues. A lot is not known, and perhaps will never be known. Her honest reporting of the many uncertainties is a feature, not a bug. It provides a great education on what you should look at when considering recovery issues, and a very enlightening discussion of how marketing influences people's choices.Finally, she also discusses the psychological aspect of these issues, noting that some things seem to work for some people and not others. She discusses how and perhaps why people will not change their habits even in face of clear evidence that it does not work.In sum, this is a very valuable resource for any serious athlete. I have coached an adult marathon training program for many years now (and have run more than 50 marathons and ultras) and this is also a good resource for coaches, if nothing else, to recommend to your athletes.

I am by nature a skeptic and I am constantly rolling my eyes at all the crazy stuff athletes think work. I liked this book because it really goes into the science process to highlight what we know and don't know.

A thorough review of recovery methods, quite objective. The final answer is as satisfying as tour go to recovery method - it works, but you wish it worked just a bit better.

You'd think it would be simple enough to judge a recovery modality -- does it work or doesn't it? Aha! It's not so simple, as this book explains (and makes interesting). The author has a strong grasp of the intricacies of sports science trials, which are tricky to design and to draw firm conclusions from -- her opening chapter, which describes her self-designed study of whether beer can aid recovery, provides a great example. My favorite parts of the book delved into the supplement industry's excesses and also the psychology of believing that something works, and how that alone can be helpful. And as another person who isn't naturally inclined to meditate, I am newly fascinated by float tanks as "forced meditation" and plan to float at my earliest possible convenience. Funny, informative, and entertaining to read; I am recommending this to all my sporty friends.

This book is dense, which is not a bad thing. I just think it could have been two books, or maybe fewer interviews in some chapters. I also think if I'd taken less time to read it, I'd have better tracked why she repeated some folks' input in different chapters.Aschwanden-a cyclist and runner who is a former competitive skier- was on a quest to explore the varied tools at athletes' disposal and which worked better, and/or how perceived "working" differed from science or blood work. She explored everything from Gatorade to NormaTec boots and talked to everyone from weekend warriors to former marathoner Ryan Hall. As a runner who swears by her epsom soaks and credits NormaTec sessions for better than expected marathon-recovery, I was curious to see what her research found. I also enjoyed how she explained the role in marketing in making us think we need things that science might not indicate. At the same time, she was clear to indicate that "studies" weren't always scientifically valid in their conclusions. Appreciated the mix of international coaches and scientists she spoke with.A good read.

More or less reinforced what I suspected.

Bought this as a present for my husband. He has been working out, staying in shape, for decades but as time goes on, it can get tougher to heal when he "overdoes" on the working out or stretching. He is always interested in taking a scientific approach and also in keeping up with new health trends that seem sound. He is really enjoying reading this book. He finds her debunking of various sport recovery myths interesting and sound, and also likes the writing style, finds it an easy read.Youth can try anything, heal fast. But as you get older, you want to put your effort into methods that will actually work, both for staying in shape and for recovering from injuries, nagging issues, overuse. This book provides enlightenment.