Recovery & Readiness Protocols

Training is the stimulus. Recovery is where adaptation happens. If you're not recovering well, more training makes you worse, not better. This guide covers the readiness scoring system, the recovery hierarchy, and exactly what to do on green, yellow, and red days.

Daily Readiness — The 5 Signals

Signal	Green (2 pts)	Yellow (1 pt)	Red (0 pts)
Sleep Quality	7+ hours, woke rested	5-7 hours or restless	<5 hours or awful quality
Muscle Soreness	None or mild	Moderate, specific areas	Full-body, hard to move
Energy Level	Alert, motivated	Okay, could go either way	Dragging, brain fog
Stress / Mood	Calm, positive	Slightly elevated stress	High stress, irritable, anxious
Appetite	Normal, hungry on schedule	Slightly off	No appetite or overeating

Score Interpretation — What to Do Today

8-10 GreenPush day. Train as programmed. Consider adding weight or a set if warm-ups feel fast. This is your strongest training day.

5-7 YellowMaintain day. Train at 85-90% of programmed intensity. Keep volume the same but reduce load 5-10%. Don't skip — just adjust.

0-4 RedRecovery day. Light movement only — walk, mobility, foam roll. No heavy lifting. Extra sleep and nutrition focus. Come back stronger tomorrow.

The Recovery Hierarchy

Tier 1 — Non-Negotiable

Sleep: 7-9 hrs. This is #1. Everything else is secondary.
Nutrition: Adequate protein (0.8-1g/lb) and calories
Hydration: Half your bodyweight in oz, minimum
These three account for 80% of your recovery capacity
No supplement, gadget, or protocol replaces these

Tier 2 — High Impact

Stress management: 10 min daily breathwork or meditation
Active recovery: 20-30 min easy walk or light movement
Training load management: Don't exceed MRV
Deload weeks: Every 4-6 weeks, reduce volume 40-50%
These amplify Tier 1. Useless without it.

Tier 3 — Nice to Have

Cold exposure: 2-5 min cold plunge post-training
Sauna: 15-20 min, 3-4x/week for circulatory benefits
Massage / soft tissue: Weekly or as needed
Compression boots: Convenient, marginal effect
These are cherry-on-top. Fix Tier 1 and 2 first.

Sleep Optimization Checklist

Environment

Room temp 65-68°F (18-20°C)
Pitch black — blackout curtains or eye mask
No screens 30-60 min before bed
Consistent bedtime ±30 min, even weekends
White noise or earplugs if needed

Nutrition for Sleep

Last meal 2-3 hours before bed
Include carbs at dinner — they help serotonin production
Caffeine cutoff: 8-10 hours before bedtime
Magnesium glycinate (200-400mg) before bed if needed
Alcohol destroys sleep quality — even 1-2 drinks

Tracking Your Readiness Over Time

Log your daily readiness score for 4+ weeks — patterns emerge
If you're yellow/red more than 3x in a week, your training load or lifestyle needs adjustment
Pair readiness scores with warm-up velocity data for the most complete picture
Correlate readiness trends with training performance — you'll learn YOUR recovery timeline
Use yeagersgym.com/tools-readiness.html for a quick daily check-in