Recovery Isn’t Optional — It’s Essential for Every Bloke

Nov 17
4 min read

Updated: 3 days ago

By Bretto and Slacky

Today at work, we had a presentation on recovery. One line hit me like a spike across the net:

“Recovery is just as important for everyday adults as it is for professional athletes.”

That hit home immediately.

As a three-time Olympian and Australian Beach Volleyball Coach, I’ve lived that truth. At the elite level, recovery isn’t optional — it’s the difference between performing at your peak or breaking down, mentally or physically. You quickly learn that training hard is only half the equation. Balancing training with proper recovery is what keeps you in the game.

But here’s the kicker: even though most people aren't preparing for the Olympics, life still demands a similar level of recovery. Stress, work, parenting, step-parenting, relationships - these things all build up. If you don't recover, you burn out. Simple. Life is a full-contact sport with no referee to say half-time, and you are playing whether you are warmed up or not.

The 4 types of Recovery we all need (and almost no bloke actually does.)

After years of competing internationally and later coaching Australian athletes at the highest level, I learned one thing about recovery: it isn't a luxury - it's a strategy. Unfortunately it is a strategy that most blokes ignore until they are absolutely cooked. There are four fronts to recovery — physical, mental, social, and emotional — and they all matter.

1. Physical Recovery — Your Body Reset

When coaching and playing at the elite level, physical recovery means massages, ice baths, compression gear, data tracking, sleep blocks, strict nutrition and scheduled rest days. Every moment is monitored because recovery dictates performance. But for the everyday blokes? The number one tool is sleep.

Sleep like an athlete: 7–9 hours a night, consistent bedtime and wake-up times

Other simple tools are:

Move daily: walk, stretch, gym, or kick a footy
Eat properly: real food, not just caffeine and snacks
Hydrate: Yes this means limit your booze. You don’t need to quit, just cut it back

Physical recovery resets your body. It’s your foundation — everything else builds from there.

2. Mental Recovery — Your Mind reset, clear the fog

Mental burnout is real. You can’t think straight when you’re fried.

Things that help:

Creating a daily structure and routine
Taking breaks before you crash
Doing something just for you (music, gym, gaming, fishing — whatever clears your head)
Sleeping well — again, it’s everything

And yes, connection counts too. Talk to mates. Call your brother. Join a group. The worst thing you can do is go silent.

What if things feel heavy, you say:

Professional Support isn't a weakness - it's recovery on "elite mode."

3. Social Recovery — The one Men often neglect. Your people are your power.

Humans aren’t built to do it in isolation. Social recovery is about staying connected to the people and activities that remind you who you are.

That might be:

Having a coffee with a mate
Coaching your kid’s team
Going back to a hobby
Volunteering
Joining a community or online group

These small connections rebuild your sense of belonging, confidence and purpose — something a lot of men lose after stress, burnout, or separation.

4. Emotional Recovery — The Hardest but the Oner that changes Everything

This is the deep work. The stuff men are never really taught.

Emotional recovery means facing what’s heavy — anger, guilt, sadness — and finding ways to process and move through it.

That might look like:

Healing slowly and getting your balance back
Therapy or coaching
Meditation or mindfulness
Training — working emotion out physically
Self-compassion (stop smashing yourself for not being perfect)

It's not quick or clean but it's the one that actually moves your life forward. The blokes who recover best are the ones who deal with it early.

So what counts as Recovery?

Pretty much anything... if it helps you reset.

For me it is:

Catch-ups with mates
Gaming
A swim in the ocean
A quiet hour on the couch watching sport

If it recharges your batteries - it's recovery, so do it.

If it drains you - avoid that shit.

Here is the key truth:

The higher your stress is, the more recovery you need. Almost all recovery involves support, and this is where mateship matters.

In elite sport, athletes don't recover alone - they have their team around them.

In life, your "team" might be:

Mates
Family
Colleagues
A community group
A Therapist
A support circle. Mine is the Rage boys - specifically Watty, Bretto and Jase.

Find your group. Find your Flow. Don't wait, recovery isn't optional. It is essential.

Your Recovery Game Plan

You don’t need to do all of this perfectly. Just start small.

This week, try:

Sleep like an athlete (7–9 hrs, consistent)
Move for your mind (20–30 min walk or stretch)
Switch off (phone down an hour before bed)
Connect (call a mate, have a coffee, join something)
Take micro-breaks (5 minutes of air, reset your head)
Find your reset button — meditation, gaming, hoops, or a beer with mates

The Real Takeaway

Recovery isn’t soft. It’s strength. It’s how you rebuild your energy, protect your mental health, and stay in control.

Every bloke needs it — not when things fall apart, but every damn week. Find what works for you, build it in, and protect it like your training session.

Because whether it’s life, work, or separation — you can’t perform if you don’t recover.