What you've always been taught is wrong. When you're trying to recover, put your hands on your knees, not behind your head

I'm pretty sure the best way would be to lay on the ground. That's what you would do if you passed out. If the best way to recover was hands on knees, then people would sleep like that.

I've never heard of putting your hands behind your head to recover.

This is a big deal! I was always told to put my hands on my head and it felt so uncomfortable and unnatural.

just using common sense wrote:

I'm pretty sure the best way would be to lay on the ground.

Yes, and I've done that many times.

Also, sometimes hands on knees, never hands behind head, but mostly just walking around.

HR drop in a set interval isnt the same thing as "recovery."

As runners, what we really care about is longer term impact of the workout. Maybe hands on knees means your hr drops faster, but maybe you get less benefit from the workout because your next interval is slower, etc.

I've always thought of the "hands over your head" routine to be encouragement to keep yourself moving and the blood flowing, so you're ready for the next rep.

No, both these methods are wrong.

Recovery is part of training, and you adapt to how you train. Nowhere in a race, except an ekiden maybe, do you get to just stop and take a break. You recover on your feet, if at all, or avoid having to recover in the first place. And the best way to do that is to always take your rest intervals standing up, running if possible. Hands on head means you're not running.

Top elites bear out this truth. Most world record setters over middle distance remain standing, not even looking winded. Don't be fooled - they're completely gassed, but they train to handle it without collapsing.

I was never taught to put my hands on my head.

When you finished a rep you just do whatever your body feels is natural.

Hands on knees is what you do when you are tired.

A Satiated, Peaceful Guy wrote:

I've never heard of putting your hands behind your head to recover.

Me too. Never heard of someone being told to put their hands anywhere. Never occurred to me a reason why you've do either, even after reading the article. It always seemed a rather random, natural response to hard physical activity to . Sometimes you put your hands on your head, behind your head, on your knees, and on your hips. But I think the most common response hard exercise is to not put your hands anywhere at all. Or simply sit down.

Putting your hands behind your head is a sign of looking relaxed after the race and it looks more alpha. When you cross the finish line girls won't approach you if they see you bent over and weak. It looks beta.

Bad Wigins wrote:

No, both these methods are wrong.

Recovery is part of training, and you adapt to how you train. Nowhere in a race, except an ekiden maybe, do you get to just stop and take a break. You recover on your feet, if at all, or avoid having to recover in the first place. And the best way to do that is to always take your rest intervals standing up, running if possible. Hands on head means you're not running.

Top elites bear out this truth. Most world record setters over middle distance remain standing, not even looking winded. Don't be fooled - they're completely gassed, but they train to handle it without collapsing.

You’re completely right. For this reason, all my training is flat out 1500s, because that is what a race is so that is what I prepare for.

Also, maybe you should go read a Wikipedia page about what an Ekiden is.

Bad Wigins wrote:

Top elites bear out this truth. Most world record setters over middle distance remain standing, not even looking winded. Don't be fooled - they're completely gassed, but they train to handle it without collapsing.

You've been fooled. Many of them are taking performance enhancers.

o

But putting hands on knees is the 'im gonna be sick' pose. Hands on head looks better.

I always knew this was one of those stupid things that gets repeated until people think it's true. Stupid parrot people. Do whatever feels right, duh.

No kidding, you have to let your diaphragm drop to expand your lungs. Your body knows what to do

A Satiated, Peaceful Guy wrote:

I've never heard of putting your hands behind your head to recover.

I have been running for 45 years- a lot of really good coaches- I have never heard of putting your hands up or behind your head. I can't believe that anybody thought that's a good idea or something to teach the athletes.

When you are really tired with HR near max, the 100% natural thing to do is to put hands on knees. When you find yourself doing that- that's one way to know it was a truly hard rep.

I vaguely remember an article from years ago, maybe in Men's Health, that recommended hands on hips instead of head. I can't recall all the details but the article talked about the disadvantage of hands on the head. It might have had to do with restricting the diaphragm.

Regardless these things fascinate me for some reason.

I heard that elevating your legs enhances recovery so I walk on my hands after hard reps and races.

malmo wrote:

A Satiated, Peaceful Guy wrote:

I've never heard of putting your hands behind your head to recover.

Me too. Never heard of someone being told to put their hands anywhere. Never occurred to me a reason why you've do either, even after reading the article. It always seemed a rather random, natural response to hard physical activity to . Sometimes you put your hands on your head, behind your head, on your knees, and on your hips. But I think the most common response hard exercise is to not put your hands anywhere at all. Or simply sit down.

Agree here. Seems like the best approach during a hard interval session is whatever feels relaxed and natural.