Adapting recovery during a dry phase is one of the keys to preserving muscle mass.
Drying is a phase of bodybuilding which aims to lose weight, especially body fat, while preserving as much lean mass as possible. Drying is based onoptimizing energy expenditure and consists of gradually reducing calorie intake in a controlled manner, with a diet adapted to a series of intense workouts. To achieve this goal of improving body composition, the recovery factor is often overlooked.
Why does recovery help you to dry off? An energy-deficient body has fewer resources to regenerate after sport. A lack of restful rest slows progress. The body then draws on its muscle reserves instead of releasing fat. The risk of injury tends to increase, and the whole recovery process is compromised.
How to optimize recovery during a recovery period? From diet and hydration to sleep and dietary supplements, here's our advice on how to maximize rest and recovery without compromising performance or muscle loss.
Recovery: an essential phase during a dry spell
Today, recovery is considered a performance factor in its own right, so taking good care of it is essential, and even more so during a dry period.
What is muscle recovery?
Recovery helps sports performance. During physical effort, muscles are activated, their glycogen stores are depleted and micro-traumas are created. The process of muscular adaptation begins. Traumatized muscle fibers repair and strengthen themselves. This is how muscles rebuild and develop.
Except that this repair takes place after exercise, in what is known as the recovery phase. The quality of the recovery phase influences the speed of muscle repair.
Proper post-exercise recovery helps to reduce pain and fatigue levels, avoid injury or overtraining, and prepare for the next effort.
Recovering from a weight-loss session
Recovery should be seen as a return to normal homeostasis (equilibrium) after exercise-related stress. Resistance weight training, which is very popular during dry periods, causes acute muscular fatigue. This persists for several hours, or even days, after a training session¹.
Except that going dry requires the body to burn fat at a caloric deficit. This means lessenergy is available, making it more difficult to recover and replenish fat stores.
This shortage can lead the body to recover energy through what is known as muscle catabolism or protein breakdown. And yet, when you're on a diet, you want to lose kilos of fat mass, not lean mass.
Without proper recovery, there is a real risk of losing muscle in the dry phase.
Dry recovery factors
Diet: supplying the body with proteins
Most ingested protein is used for protein synthesis, to restore and maintain lean body mass². We therefore aim to add high-quality protein-rich foods such as meat, fish and eggs to our diet. These are essential to a lean diet, but they're not the only ones. Pay attention to the origin and quality of these proteins.
Macronutrients in the form of lipids and carbohydrates are used for energy production and multiple metabolic reactions, but they also help with recovery.
As far as lipids are concerned, omega-3 fatty acids have an interesting anti-inflammatory role in reducing post-exercise pain. Foods rich in "good" lipids include oily fish, nuts and seeds.
Carbohydrates, in the right proportions, help replenish muscle and liver glycogen stores . They are found in wholegrain cereals, vegetables and starchy foods such as potatoes and sweet potatoes. You should aim for low-GI intakes in the normal diet, and small doses of high-GI in the post-exercise phase.
Finally, adding vitamins C and E, as well as antioxidant minerals such as zinc, is also a valuable aid. These micronutrients support the immune system and neutralize the free radicals created during exercise.
We recommend eating a protein- and carbohydrate-rich snack within 30 to 60 minutes of training, and a full meal within 2 to 4 hours.
Water: an underestimated performance factor
The body becomes dehydrated when it loses more water than it gains. A sensation of thirst is already a sign of dehydration, which in turn is a source of fatigue and muscular injury³.
In other words, drinking still water is essential before, during and after training. Especially as it carries nutrients to the muscles and eliminates metabolic waste.
Sleep: a time of rest to be preserved
During the deep sleep phase, so-called anabolic hormones are secreted. They stimulate protein synthesis (anabolism), which promotes muscle growth. Recommendations range from 8 to 10 hours' sleep per night for athletes, preferably in a cool, dark environment.
Lack of restful sleep, on the other hand, reduces anabolism and increases cortisol secretion. This hormone stimulates protein degradation (catabolism) and fat storage, two things you don't want in muscle lean!
To optimize restorative rest and respect circadian rhythms, the establishment of a routine is ideal. Among the habits to incorporate are:
- regular bedtimes and wake-up times;
- eliminating screens 1 hour before going to sleep;
- stopping heavy meals and stimulants before falling asleep (coffee, alcohol);
- incorporating micro-naps (10 to 20 minutes) or long naps (60 to 90 minutes) before 4pm.
Stress: pay attention to mental recovery
Stress is theenemy of post-sport recovery. A stressed body secretes cortisol, nicknamed the stress hormone, which disrupts the muscle repair process.
Meditation is one of the most effective techniques for managing or reducing stress levels. Immediately after a session, itcalms the mind and calms breathing. It takes a bit of practice to be able to detach yourself from your thoughts and stay focused on your breath, but after a bit of practice, you'll reap the full benefits.
How to optimize recovery during a dry run
Use active recovery techniques
The term "decrassage" we often hear refers to active or dynamic recovery. As opposed to the total rest we've been talking about from the outset, this involves engaging inlight-to-moderate-intensity sporting activities, such as cycling or swimming, in the hours or days following an intense training session, or even a competition.
Movement activates blood circulation, helping to eliminate toxins accumulated in the body. The result: less aches and pains.
The right sports activity for recovery is one that involves the same muscles as those that worked during the effort. For example, after a resistance training session, a bit of rowing at 60% of maximum heart rate is an effective option for maximizing recovery.
Other recommended activities include brisk walking, cycling, swimming, yoga and Pilates, to work on flexibility and mobility and promote relaxation.
Eat the right food supplements
Supplementation is a good strategy for effectively stimulating metabolism. One of the most suitable supplements for dry training is whey, which is rapidly digested. These whey proteins are naturally rich in BCAAs, essential amino acids which increase protein synthesis and help repair micro-injuries.
Whey isolate is the most suitable form for a lean diet, since it is pure and contains less fat. It can be diluted in water, milk or a plant-based drink.
Dosage depends on body weight, degree of effort and target. In the dry phase, we aim for a protein intake of between 1.6 and 2 grams per kilo of body weight per day.
Whey protein
No added sugar - no sweeteners ✅
- Proteins from Rhône-Alpes
- No additives, no sweeteners
- Naturally rich in BCAAs (5/6 g/serving)
Available in packs of 3 to 4.5 kg
Hormone optimization for recovery
There is a link between nutrition, hormones and recovery.
Anabolic hormones (mainly testosterone, IGF-1, growth hormone) play a role in the body's adaptive capacities and in recovery from intense physical exercise¹.
Alteration of this hormonal environment leads to a risk ofincreased catabolism and reduced anabolic activity². Anabolism corresponds to protein synthesis, and catabolism to protein degradation. And that's exactly what you want to avoid or limit during a dry period!
That's why weight training is essential for people who want to dry out: it improves the hormonal profile by reducing body fat and increasing testosterone⁴ levels.
Conclusion
Basically, the aim of a tumble dryer is to reduce adipose tissue in order to retain as much muscle as possible. Drying out too quickly is counter-productive, as is neglecting recovery, which contributes to effective drying out. Recovering well will replenish energy reserves, reduce inflammation and preserve muscle strength despite the intense energy expenditure and low-calorie diet imposed by drying.
Incorporating the techniques discussed here (hydration, protein- and mineral-rich nutrition, restorative sleep and active recovery) will increase the chances of better withstanding repeated intense training sessions, resulting in improved performance.
Dry weight training requires a precise sports program that oscillates between cardio and weight training, as well as a meticulous dietary program. If you need support, specialized coaches can help you adapt the movements and products you consume to achieve your weight targets.
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