Now I fondly remember my three-a-day workouts for college soccer. But back then, I despised them. They were brutal. They wore you down mentally, emotionally, and physically. Recovering mentally and emotionally consisted of lots of lazing about and goofing off. But recovering physically took some more intentional action. Here are four tips I learned to help my body recover.

First, and most obviously, I would drink tons of fluids. Most of the time we were running hours at a time in brutal heat. The water loss was intense to say the least. In between sessions, we would drink gallons of water and Gatorade. We found a mix of these good. Drinking all Gatorade left us thirsty. But a mix of the two seemed to really do the trick.

The next thing we did was elevate the legs. I would usually lay on the floor next to the bed. Then I would put my legs up on it. The relief was immediate. All that lactic acid was just sitting in there. It’s also good to trade shaking the legs with a teammate.

By far the best thing we did was to ice bath our legs. Now, I know a lot of people are probably going to cringe at this. I know I hated the idea at first. But when your legs are screaming at you and they feel lethargic on the field, you want anything to help you get an edge on the competition. If your team has a training room, you should see if they have baths available. Some folks sit in them. I just sat on the side, filled it up with ice and waited for the pain. Well, the pain was short lived as your legs went numb. This helps your legs on so many levels. Trust me, you will become a believe if you try it a few times. It became a regular part of my routine.

Diet also plays a crucial role in recovery. And don’t even think about drinking a lot. That’s a recipe for disaster. Putting tons of fruits, vegetables, and fiber goes a long way in recovery. They provide valuable water and cut down on the sodium in most peoples’ diets. They also contain an amazing array of nutrients that help your body repair itself. And let’s face it, your own body does the recovery, all you can do is provide it with the necessary conditions to do so.