Feeling soreness and stiffness after a tough BJJ session is kind of like a sleepy bear waking up from a long nap. Many folks struggle to recover quickly, and that annoying twinge of regret sneaks in, just as it does for lots of others.
With so little time in our busy lives, it’s no wonder most people skip the important “rest and recovery” part of training. Let’s be honest, it’s not as exciting as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu skills training or even your weekly strength and conditioning sessions.
With so many recovery tools around for everyday athletes, I thought it would be helpful to talk through one of the new kids on the block by discussing the benefits of compression recovery boots on BJJ recovery.
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What does a compression recovery boot feel like?
If you have ever had your blood pressure taken, you can identify how these compression boots work. You slide your legs into a giant inflatable “sleeve” and then set the machine to get to work.
As the sleeve inflates rhythmically, your leg will get compressed. It’s not the same degree of compression that occurs when having your blood pressure taken; it’s significantly lighter than that yet still firm enough to squeeze your muscles effectively.
Some people consider compression recovery boots to feel like a massage, as the compression is set to work rhythmically. Each brand or style of boot will take a slightly different approach to this.
One of the most important things is that the compression will always be firmest towards the foot and get lighter as you approach the body. This is called “sequential” compression; you’ll likely feel this gradient when using the boots.
What’s the science behind recovery boots?
Ok, so you better get ready for some pretty technical jargon ahead. Compression recovery boots take a mechanical approach to recovery, often referred to as vasopneumatic compression or dynamic compression. This means that the compression changes to mimic pulses that are thought to pump blood.
The two known benefits of these recovery boots are improving blood circulation and acting as a compression technique.
Improved blood circulation is thought to speed up recovery by increasing the rate of metabolic waste elimination. As a result, our red blood cells also become re-oxygenated quickly. These physiological benefits will improve our BJJ recovery and decrease muscle soreness.
Compression has been widely used in recovery for decades because it reduces intramuscular inflammation during and after activity. Compression helps move venous pooling from the limbs and push it back toward the heart.
While recovery boots can’t be used during your training (for obvious reasons), using compression recovery boots after training is a good way to get compression benefits.
What are all the benefits of recovery boots?
- Reduces recovery time between workouts
- Allows us to train harder and more often due to reduced recovery time
- Assists with injury management or recovery
- Increases flexibility and range of motion
- Rest and relaxation benefits
When should compression recovery boots be used for BJJ recovery?
Compression Recovery Boots can be used before your Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to warm up your muscles and assist with BJJ recovery post-workout. By far and away, recovery boots are more commonly used post-workout. However, elite athletes enhance their training with a short pre-workout session with these boots.
It’s generally suggested that 20 – 60 minutes is the most beneficial session length with compression recovery boots. This limits the use of both pre-and post-workouts for the everyday athlete. The ideal situation for most readers would be a 45-minute session at home on the couch at the end of the day with a long or grueling BJJ training session.
Are compression boots for BJJ recovery worth it?
With these compression recovery boots generally priced between $400 and $1000 for a quality at-home boots kit, the jury is unsure whether these are a worthwhile recovery tool for BJJ athletes.
If you are spending lots of money on your recovery by attending physio or remedial massage sessions for little muscle niggles, then this could pretty quickly become a worthwhile investment if it avoided those sessions.
For some severe athletes, gaining that extra 1% on their competitors could quickly make this $1000 investment worthwhile. So, I suppose the value of these will vary based on each athlete’s needs and desires.
Will these recovery boots reduce DOMS?
In theory, compression recovery boots will improve that dreaded next-day delayed-onset muscle soreness. Recovery boots will target our legs. However, these recovery kits are also made for arms and the torso, should those areas be a more significant issue in your recovery.
How do you choose the best recovery boot?
Given the decent financial investment required to buy recovery boots, I think it's necessary to go for a reliable, quality brand backed by science. Finding your best compression recovery boots will come down to what features are important to you, such as compression strength, time and pressure settings, tech integration, travel friendliness, and boot size.
My Final thoughts on recovery boots for BJJ recovery
Using recovery tools like compression therapy is something any martial arts athlete should consider. If you’re looking for those extra 1% gains, these sorts of tools, together with sensible training like adding Yoga to your weekly BJJ schedule, are the things that may give you that extra edge come tournament days.
I'm Andrew, the entrepreneurial mind behind AV SEO Consultant Boutique Agency, with a deep-rooted love for cats and a knack for crafting the perfect home office. As the co-founder of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World, my expertise has evolved from the mat to the digital realm, where I now leverage my SEO savvy to empower others. Though injury may have paused my BJJ and MMA journey, my commitment to sharing actionable insights and resources for these passions remains unshaken.
