Overview
Resilience is the capacity to perform consistently at a high level. In the face of daily physical and mental challenges, resilience allows individuals to respond effectively without faltering, always ready for the next challenge. Achieving repeated performance hinges on the ability to recover adequately.
Attaining high performance is a delicate art. High performance requires adaptation. Adaptation requires intense training balanced with adequate recovery. The body must be exposed to a stressor strong enough and long enough to strain the system, leaving the system slightly depleted. Then, the body must be given adequate rest from the stressor and the resources to rebuild the system beyond the previous baseline, allowing for greater capacity for the next challenge. As this balance is repeatedly struck, the body adapts and achieves higher levels of performance. Generally, this phenomenon demonstrates the basics of Supercompensation Theory. (source)
When stress and recovery fall out of balance, systems become overtaxed. (source) Without appropriate recovery, these systems break down, leading to decreases in cognitive and physical performance.
Role in Performance
Recovery is a cornerstone of adaptation. The body must be stressed physically or mentally and then allowed to rest from that stress in order to prepare for the next challenge. This process builds the resilience needed to move forward. Conversely, inadequate recovery can result in systemic breakdown.
Immune function suffers greatly without proper recovery. (source) Chronic, excessive physical stress, including exercise, causes an imbalance in lymphocyte profiles leading to immunosuppression. (source) This cascade is further exacerbated by circulating stress hormones. (source)
Muscular function and work capacity are key components of the stressor, recovery, and growth model. Both are negatively affected by overtraining. Training sessions drain resources (like glycogen), increase exposure to inflammation and oxidative stressors, and cause microdamage to the working muscles, resulting in a cumulative effect that hinders muscle performance. (source)
Sleep performance is negatively affected by overtraining. (source) This can result in a cascading effect that further drives overtraining. Sleep has been shown to aid in the recovery process, and decreased sleep hinders recovery systems, further exacerbating the complications of overtraining. (source)
Cognitive function and mood are negatively affected by overtraining through a variety of pathways. (source, source) Overtraining can lead to imbalances in neurotransmitters, endocrine and immune function, resulting in hindered cognitive performance and heightened anxiety. (source, source)
Common experiences associated with resilience can be found in the table below:
| Sub-Optimal Resilience |
Optimal Resilience |
| Difficulty recovering from hard efforts |
Consistent overnight recovery from hard efforts |
| General feeling of weakness |
Supported strength |
| Emotional stress, negative mood |
Stress-free, positive, pleasant mood |
| Decreased sleep quality |
Supported sleep quality |
| Feeling run down or sick |
Sustained energy |
| Decreased work capacity |
Sustained performance |
Optimization
Incorporate tart cherry juice Tart cherry juice aids in recovery by reducing muscle soreness and inflammation, due to its high levels of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. It promotes faster repair of muscle tissues and supports overall muscle health, enhancing recovery after intense workouts. (source, source) Recommendation Drink at least 8 oz of tart cherry juice daily.
Sauna bathe Infrared sauna use has been shown to promote increased blood flow, which delivers essential nutrients and oxygen to muscles and reduces inflammation. Through these mechanisms, infrared sauna bathing helps support recovery. (source) Recommendation: Sit in an infrared sauna for at least 15 minutes after intense exercise.
Supplement with Ashwagandha Ashwagandha aids recovery by regulating cortisol levels and reducing exercise-induced muscle damage and inflammation, supported by its adaptogenic and antioxidant properties. Its ability to modulate stress hormones and combat oxidative stress promotes faster muscle repair and regeneration post-exercise, enhancing overall recovery. (source) Recommendation: Supplement with at least 240 mg of ashwagandha daily.
Associated Patterns and Biomarkers
Resilience requires a fine balance between stress and recovery. This balance influences multiple systems throughout the body. The associated biomarkers and patterns reflect this balance between stress and recovery and its effect on the rest of the body.
Key Pattern
Excessive Skeletal Breakdown The skeletal system is continually remodeled through catabolic (breakdown) and anabolic (formation) processes. (source) Appropriate amounts of stress cause bone breakdown but result in increases in bone mineral density. (source) When stressors outweigh recovery resources, bone remodeling falls out of balance, favoring breakdown. (source)
Immune Insufficiency The immune system suffers greatly when the body cannot properly recover. (source) Prolonged stress leads to imbalances within the immune system. (source) Immune sufficiency can help better inform recovery status
Key Biomarkers
White Blood Cell (WBC) count is very sensitive to chronic levels of stress. Without proper recovery, prolonged, intense exercise suppresses white blood cell numbers and function, decreasing the ability to combat infection. (source) Elevated WBC concentrations can also hinder recovery. Increased levels suggest that the body is fighting some form of pathogen, which requires energy and nutrients. (source) In these cases, resources are diverted to supporting immune functions instead of helping the body recover.
Cortisol is considered the “stress hormone.” Chronically high levels can signal excessive exposure to stress. (source) These elevated concentrations can have a negative effect on testosterone, a hormone with regenerative and protective qualities, hindering adaptive processes. (source) Chronically low levels of cortisol can also be a sign of over-stress. This recurring decrease in concentrations can be a sign of adrenal gland overuse and burnout, which can result in hindered performance. (source, source)
Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) is an anabolic hormone with regenerative and adaptive properties. It has been shown that prolonged stress can reduce DHEA-S levels, potentially due to a change in cells in the adrenal cortex and a shift to biosynthesis of corticosteroids, which ensures cortisol production. (source) These decreased concentrations signify overexposure to stress and inability to recover.
Total Testosterone is an anabolic hormone that promotes recovery and adaptation. (source) Elevated stress exposure negatively affects neuroendocrine systems regulating Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone, resulting in decreased total testosterone production. (source) These decreased concentrations suggest overexposure to stress and inability to recover.
Calcium is one of the most abundant minerals in the body, found primarily in the bones and teeth. Multiple factors play into calcium homeostasis, such as the presence of parathyroid hormone and vitamin D, phosphate, and magnesium concentrations. (source, source, source) With a significant amount of calcium contained within the bones, measures of calcium give insight into bone metabolism and health. (source) Bone health is important to resiliency. Measuring calcium concentrations helps illustrate bone health and resiliency.
Vitamin D is a steroid hormone that is essential for the development, growth, and maintenance of a healthy skeleton across the lifespan. Its primary function is to maintain calcium homeostasis. Vitamin D can be synthesized from UVB rays from sunlight or obtained through diet. (source, source) Vitamin D plays a pivotal role in bone mineralization and, thus, bone health. (source) Bone health is an important facet of resiliency, making vitamin D status a critical measurement.
Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) are a group of isoenzymes located in the cell membrane. In the body, there are two types of ALPs, tissue-specific and tissue-nonspecific. While both can be found in plasma, tissue-nonspecific ALPs are the most abundant. (source) ALP has been shown to be negatively associated with bone mineral density. (source) Bone health is a crucial marker of resiliency. Measuring ALP provides a holistic picture of resiliency.
Associated Patterns
Associated Biomarkers
