COACHES' CORNER: Liam Hennessyand Jim Kiltyargue that an active recovery exercise of about seven minutes seems to be just as good as immersion in icy water - and spares the goose pimples

MANY INTERESTING strategies are used to help speed up recovery following intense training and competition.

Ice baths: Several team sports have introduced the ice bath experience in the belief that ice-cold exposure to the body will enhance recovery from intense exercise. Note that tap water typically is between 11 degrees and 13 degrees.

But what is the evidence for the success of this particular strategy? While there is some conflict in the sport science studies, those studies that have used actual sportspeople seem to show that their use is indeed beneficial.

A 2006 study showed how body cooling in a water temperature of about 14 degrees was a very effective recovery strategy between two bouts of exercise carried out in a hot environment. Athletes completed an exhausting 90-minute hill run and then took a 12-minute cool water bath before completing a two-mile race. These were highly trained distance runners.

On another occasion, the athletes did the 90-minute hill run and then sat in a tub with no water for 12 minutes. The athletes completed the two-mile run in a significantly faster time after the cool water treatment (showing a massive six per cent improvement in times).

Interestingly, the authors also had the athletes run the 90-minute hill run and then take an ice bath at five degrees and then complete the two-mile run. While there was an improvement in time over the placebo trial, the ice water treatment did not show the same positive benefits as the cool water.

This study suggests the water does not have to be colder than standard tap temperature.

Contrast baths: Contrast bathing is the use of both warm and cold or tap cold water interchangeably after intense exercise. After a wash-down, the athlete alternates between 1-2 minutes of immersion in hot and 30 seconds to one minute in cold. This is repeated for two to three times.

There is evidence to support the use of contrast baths. For example, a recent study used well-trained male rugby players taking one of four recovery strategies after a rugby match:

1 Passive recovery: Nine minutes of sitting on a bench after the match and having their normal showering routine with hydration and post-match feeding.

2 Active recovery: Seven minutes of low intensity cycling in the dressingroom and then their normal post-match routine.

3 Contrast water: Standing to waist level in cold water (8-10 degrees) for one minute and then standing in hot water (40-42 degrees) for two minutes, and then alternating for approximately nine minutes in total. Their normal post-match routine was then carried out.

4 Compression garment: Wearing a lower body compression garment after their normal post-match routine. The players wore the compression garment for 12 hours (during sleep as well).

They found the active, contrast and compression groups all had faster recoveries than the passive group. This study also tells us that perhaps the best approach for the coach - and thus the players - is to have options for post-training and post-match recovery.

Two or three cycle ergometers in the dressingroom corner, one warm bath and one cold bath in the shower area may be practical for many teams. Also for those who can afford compression garments, this seems to be a viable alternative if worn for 12 hours after the intense exercise.

So don't rush for the ice bath - tap temperature is perhaps more effective. An active recovery of about seven minutes seems to be just as good and spares the goose pimples. Then again a variety of recovery strategies is also useful for a team of players. One last note, don't forget that stretching is also an effective post-training and post-competition injury prevention method.

So the message is clear. Stretch and cycle, or stretch and take a cool dip or stretch and take a more relaxing contrast dip. For those that have money to spend, compression garments seem to work.

These notes are contributed by Dr Liam Hennessy and Jim Kilty of Setanta College, the Institute of Strength and Conditioning Studies (www.setantacollege.com)