The Great Recovery Debate

Recovery Position Debate:

For years, athletes have been told to stand tall with their hands behind their heads after intense exercise to “open up the lungs” and recover faster. However, research has challenged this longheld belief, showing that placing the hands on the knees may actually be a more effective recovery posture.

A 2019 peer-reviewed study published in the Translational Journal of the American College of Sports Medicine investigated how different recovery positions affected heart rate recovery and breathing efficiency following high-intensity interval training (HIIT).

The researchers, Michaelson et al. (2019), found that athletes who recovered with their hands on their knees demonstrated faster heart rate recovery compared to those who recovered with their hands behind their heads.

The Science Behind Better Recovery

The key difference lies in how each position affects the diaphragm and other muscles involved in breathing.

The diaphragm is not only a muscle that helps with breathing, but it is also a deep core muscle that assists in stabilizing the trunk and plays a part in your posture.

When an athlete places their hands behind the head, the diaphragm is positioned less optimally. The thoracic wall and abdominal muscles become overlengthened, which can reduce the efficiency of the diaphragm and make breathing less efficient.

In contrast, the hands-on-knees posture creates slight thoracic flexion, which allows the diaphragm to operate at maximal efficiency. This position also helps unload the postural demands on the intercostals, abdominals, and accessory breathing muscles, letting the body focus on recovering rather than maintaining an upright stance. This “braced posture” improves ventilation and oxygen exchange, supporting a faster drop in heart rate and better overall recovery.

Interestingly, this same posture is often adopted naturally by individuals with breathing difficulties—such as those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)—to ease dyspnea and improve respiratory mechanics.

Practical Application for Athletes

While lying supine (flat on your back) is technically the most effective position for heart rate recovery, it’s not always practical or appropriate in athletic settings. The hands-on-knees position offers the next best alternative—allowing athletes to recover efficiently between bouts of exercise or after a race.

So, whether you’re sprinting the final stretch of a race, finishing a tough HIIT session, or grinding through a demanding workout, remember: Recovering smart is part of training smart.

Hands on knees isn’t a sign of fatigue, it’s a strategy for faster recovery and better performance.

Reference: Michaelson, J. V., Brilla, L. R., Suprak, D. N., McLaughlin, W. L., & Dahlquist, D. T. (2019). Effects of Two Different Recovery Postures during High-Intensity Interval Training. Translational Journal of the American College of Sports Medicine, 4(4), 23–27. https://doi.org/10.1249/TJX.0000000000000079