ACL Fest: Your Rock-Star Recovery Plan
Spanning two weekends, with 8 stages and over 130 bands performing, iconic Austin City Limits Music Festival, is just around the corner. Are you properly prepared for this outside, 12-hour/day, 3- (or 6-) day event? Your festival checklist should include the following:
Wristbands
Sunblock / lip balm
Sunglasses / hat
Comfortable shoes
Refillable water bottle
Plan for parking/transportation
Schedule time for post-ACL recovery
Wait. You need to schedule time for post-ACL recovery??
Yes! Yes, you do!
ACL Fest will take a serious toll on your body.
You will be on your feet all day with hours of walking and, even worse, too much time standing! Even when you are sitting, you are likely to be in poor posture.
Prolonged time on your feet, especially standing, places excess strain and pressure on knees and joints, forces muscles to work overtime just to maintain standing, and restricts blood flow. This all adds up to muscle fatigue, lower and upper back pain, foot pain, overstretched Achilles tendon, and can exacerbate varicose veins.
The Day Before.
Hydrate! You likely know you should drink plenty of water during the event, but did you know you should drink extra water the day before? Dehydration lowers blood volume, forcing your heart to work harder pumping blood to those muscles that are already working overtime. Staying hydrated not only enables your cardiovascular system to work at its best, but also helps kidneys filter out toxins and helps muscles and joints move better.
During the Festival.
Mix up your walking, sitting, standing.
Try not to stand in one spot longer than 20 minutes without a walking break.
While standing, do some “knee hugs” to stretch your back, hips and hamstrings.
Begin standing straight with feet together.
Shift your weight to your left leg while you raise your right knee to your chest.
Grab your right shin with both hands and hug your knee into you chest. Keep your spine straight.
Hold this position for a few breaths.
Slowly release and lower leg.
Repeat on opposite side.
When you get home.
Lay down with your feet elevated (above your heart).
Do some gentle back stretches (e.g. lying “knee hugs”).
Drink more water.
Get some sleep.
Head on over to The Generator.
Treat your body to some very important recovery time by experiencing the regenerative effects of The Protocol.
Book a therapeutic massage to relax and soothe those aching muscles.
Take a dip in the hot/cold contrast tubs to reduce inflammation and help rejuvenate your circulatory system.
Accelerate your recovery by stepping into Austin’s only full-spectrum infrared sauna for detoxification, pain relief, and a big energy boost. Relax at the same time with the IR sauna’s chromotherapy (light therapy).
Finish by easing in our Normatec boots to increase blood flow and flexibility.
Or better yet, try our $79 special that includes it all!
Relax. Renew. Revitalize. Regenerate. Your body will thank you.