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Jim Klauba, Trainer Talk

The Power of Recovery

The Power of Recovery

Recovery isn’t weakness, it’s wisdom.

Whether it’s soreness after a hard workout, or the weight of a traumatic call that lingers in your mind, recovery is the process by which strength is restored—physically, mentally, and spiritually. For law enforcement officers, recovery isn’t optional; it’s essential.

We have all had that strenuous workout (“leg day,” anyone?) that leaves us not walking quite right for a couple of days. Or maybe you’ve tweaked your wrist or elbow sparring. Perhaps you just can’t sit still and you’re training all the time, until you’re overtraining (yes, I’m a trainer telling you that you can train too much). As police officers, we need to be able to train hard while still leaving enough in the tank to do our jobs on a moment’s notice.

Here are seven recovery tips that have always worked for me:

Listen to your body

Recovery begins with body awareness. Pay attention to your soreness, fatigue, or pain. I have started plenty of workouts that in my mind and on paper were awesome, only to have my body tell me, “not today.” When I was young I would push through that pain
 usually at the cost of a hefty chiropractor bill. Workout wisdom and humility go a long way. 

Get sleep. Good sleep.

Muscles don’t grow during training, they grow during rest. Without proper recovery, progress stalls, injuries mount and performance drops. Quality sleep is key. Having worked midnights for a long time, I know how hard it is to get to sleep on a sunny day. Blackout curtains and a weighted blanket did wonders for me. Find what works for you so you can be at your best. Protect your sleep like you protect others.

If you can’t sleep, try Non-Sleep Deep Rest

NSDR is a technique that guides your mind and body into a state of deep relaxation without actually sleeping. Dr. Andrew Huberman of Huberman Labs describes it as “deliberate decompression.” Focusing this way slows the brain, giving your body sleep-like rest, while your mind stays calmly awake. 

Hydrate

I can still hear my gym instructors yelling “Don’t forget to hydrate!” Proper hydration supports joint health muscle recovery and mental clarity. Drink water regularly, not just when you’re thirsty—remember, thirst may actually be a sign of mild or approaching dehydration. Be steady and consistent with your H2O. 

Do mobility work

Movement is life. Don’t neglect mobility training because you think it’s not dynamic or exciting enough for you. It is absolutely critical for preventing injuries and keeping you mission-ready. Whether it’s foam rolling, myofascial release therapy, tai-chi, functional range conditioning or any number of other approaches, there are options for everyone. Try a few. As with all exercise, just be consistent and safe.

Walk it out

Walking is one of the best forms of exercise. It is simple, low impact and adaptable to anyone. Want to turn it into a hard workout? Wear a weight vest. I’ve often been too sore to train, but mentally still needing to feel like I’ve done something. Just getting outside and walking it out usually does the trick.

Do breath work

Last but definitely not least, breathe. Breathing is one of the few bodily functions that’s both automatic and voluntary. By training in breath work, you can learn to use it to influence your autonomic nervous system, which manages your stress response
 and there’s not much more in our line of work that’s more important than that. It’s also good for your heart, your focus and your decision-making, and you don’t need anything but a little time and intention. Here are two excellent, proven techniques:

  • Long exhale breathing: Breathe in for a count of 3, hold for a count of 3 and exhale for a count of 8. You can modify the numbers, just make sure the total exhale is longer than the inhale/hold. Continue for a few minutes.
  • Coherent breathing: Inhale for a slow five count, exhale for a five count. Shoot for five to six inhale/exhale cycles per minute.

Officers often deal with humanity at its worst—violence, grief, loss, chaos. And while your shift may end, your brain doesn’t always shut it off. This constant state of readiness—hypervigilance—can lead to burnout, anxiety, or trauma over time. Recovery is the bridge between pressure from the job and peak tactical performance. Whether it’s a torn muscle or a heavy memory, healing starts when you give yourself permission to rest, reflect, and rebuild. Recovery doesn’t make you soft—it makes you resilient and ready.

Jim Klauba

Jim Klauba

Chicago Police Department (Ret.)

ASP Trainer since 2011

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