cheryl
Administrator
Staff member
From food fads to infrared saunas, athletic recovery has become a multibillion-dollar industry, but does any of it work? A new book finds out - Seattle Times
Remember when cooling down after strenuous exercise consisted of a few minutes of stretching and a sip of water? No more. In the 21st century, as author Christie Aschwanden describes it, “recovery” has become an extension of training: You work hard at a sport, then recover hard with your choice of one of hundreds of products or services. In her absorbing new book, “Good to Go,” Aschwanden separates the facts from the hype in the realm of athletic recovery, dispensing welcome doses of common sense.
A science writer for FiveThirtyEight, health columnist for The Washington Post, and a lifelong athlete, Aschwanden is well suited to the task. Her book explores popular products and trends from both a scientific point of view and personal experience. If nothing else, she captures the extraordinary reach and scale of the multibillion-dollar recovery “industry.” Since Michael Jordan’s iconic “Be Like Mike” endorsement of Gatorade in 1991, the market has grown exponentially; every professional team and star athlete seems to promote their favorite product or practice.
Remember when cooling down after strenuous exercise consisted of a few minutes of stretching and a sip of water? No more. In the 21st century, as author Christie Aschwanden describes it, “recovery” has become an extension of training: You work hard at a sport, then recover hard with your choice of one of hundreds of products or services. In her absorbing new book, “Good to Go,” Aschwanden separates the facts from the hype in the realm of athletic recovery, dispensing welcome doses of common sense.
A science writer for FiveThirtyEight, health columnist for The Washington Post, and a lifelong athlete, Aschwanden is well suited to the task. Her book explores popular products and trends from both a scientific point of view and personal experience. If nothing else, she captures the extraordinary reach and scale of the multibillion-dollar recovery “industry.” Since Michael Jordan’s iconic “Be Like Mike” endorsement of Gatorade in 1991, the market has grown exponentially; every professional team and star athlete seems to promote their favorite product or practice.