While the CrossFit Games are altering their form this year, 4x Games athlete Jacob Heppner is staying on schedule this offseason. In a recent video shared on his YouTube channel, Heppner lets viewers in on a typical recovery day leading up to the big event.
We’re gonna party. We’re gonna drink some…water. We’re gonna go crazy.
To kick things off, Heppner heads over to Cobra Command CrossFit, where he also works as a trainer, for some physical therapy work. The apparent deep tissue massage looks to be a well earned reprieve from the rigorous new GRIT training Heppner has been implementing lately.
After a quick snack break, Heppner puts in some work with the Theragun and tackles the GoWod mobility test. It is important to note here that both Theragun and GoWod are sponsors of this video and have partnered together to help athletes recover. Theragun uses percussive therapy to help relieve pain, increase range of motion and reduce muscle stiffness following a workout. (Check out our review on Theragun where we cover this tool in depth.)
The GoWod mobility app tests an athlete’s mobility through a series of low impact stretches and assesses key areas of flexibility like ankles and shoulders to create a composite mobility score. Heppner explains that he allegedly took the test “a long time ago” and scored a 57%. This time around he does quite a bit better – scoring a much improved 82%.
I’ve found that active recovery is really important for my recovery days.
Finally, Heppner wraps up the day with some active recovery which includes a quick bike ride at Shawnee Mission park and lap swimming at an Olympic sized outdoor pool. His bike ride clocks in at close to 5 miles and he knocks it out in just under 14 minutes. But the real highlight of his active recovery is the impromptu (deep cut) Michael Scott impression he performs while wearing a snorkel in the pool.
It’s clear to see that Heppner’s standard recovery day is not only balanced but varied. He stresses the importance of taking time to let your body reset through physical therapy, stretching and active recovery exercises like biking and swimming. With the CrossFit Games back on for an online qualifier on September 18th, we’ll be keeping an eye on how Heppner’s training and recovery progresses prior to competition.
Feature image via Jacob Heppner’s Instagram page: @jheppner66
