Bounce Back Faster: Three recovery tools to keep you match-ready

WHOOP 5.0

• Price: One ($199/year); Peak ($239/year); Life ($359/year)
• Website: whoop.com

The official fitness wearable of the WTA Tour, Whoop tracks physiological markers to help optimize recovery and overall wellness. Using formulas to compile metrics on daily strain, sleep quality and other biological data, it pairs with an immersive app to quantify how your body is recuperating from activity. This helps reduce the risk of overtraining and improves your readiness to perform. (Click here for our review of Whoop 4.0).

The latest version adds several new in-app and performance features. Healthspan with Whoop Age calculates a wearer’s physiological age and offers guidance on daily habits to slow your pace of aging. The Heart Screener has an FDA-cleared ECG that allows a reading to be taken from the wrist and shared with a healthcare provider. Blood pressure and women’s hormonal monitoring gives insights into how these markers affect wellbeing. Plus, updates to the sleep scoring and more detailed fitness tracking create a more comprehensive picture of your health.

The hardware has also seen advancements. The sensor is seven percent smaller with a redesigned processor that delivers 10 times more power efficiency. Battery life has been extended to two weeks per charge, with the new Wireless Powerpack stretching it to a full month. An elevated line of accessories includes stylish LeatherLuxe bands for a more premium look.

Three new membership plans—One, Peak and Life—have also been introduced. Each tier reflects the degree of insight and features available for the user to reach their specific goals. Right now new members can try Peak free for one month.

VKTRY Recovery Clog

• Price: $99
• Website: vktry.com

Arguably no body part takes more of a pounding on a tennis court than your feet. The arm swings the racquet, but the feet support the entire body. After a long match they’re tired, stressed and in need of some coddling.

That’s where the VKTRY Recovery Clog can help. The brand made a splash in the sports performance world with their innovative carbon fiber insoles designed to help athletes explode into every step. (Click here for our review). Now they’ve adapted and evolved the same technology to their recovery footwear.

The clog is made from a lightweight EVA material and features Carbon Cloud Technology:

• A carbon fiber baseplate embedded in the midsole to provide support, stability and spring to take some of the burden off tired legs.
• Wave-textured, ultra-cushioned footbed to provide maximum comfort with a restorative design to stimulate blood flow.
• Contoured rocker sole with arch support and a deep heel cup to support natural movement and keep body mechanics aligned for a smooth, heel-to-toe gait.

The three-part system is designed to elevate the recuperative process above foam-only recovery shoes. Additionally, they sport oval cutouts along both the medial and lateral sides to help with breathability. An interchangeable support strap can cradle the heel for greater lockdown, or can rest out the way on the top of the clog for a freer fit.

Overall, the shoe looks and performs like Crocs on steroids. The underfoot padding is both supportive and forgiving, giving your feet a post-workout boost. The sizes cover two lengths—for instance, 11.5-12—so there’s plenty of room for the foot to spread. However, if you’re on the longer side and like to use the heel strap, you may need to size up to avoid toe jamming.

The VKTRY Recovery Clog is currently available in two colors—carbon black and cloud white—and can be purchased on the VKTRY website or Amazon. For those who prefer an open-toe style, Recovery Slides featuring the same recovery technology will be available later this year.

Hyperice X2 Shoulder

• Price: $449
• Website: hyperice.com

According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, four million people in the U.S. suffer shoulder problems every year. No specifics were given as to the activities that caused the injuries, but it’s a safe bet that many owe their symptoms to racquet sports. Play tennis long enough, and a balky shoulder is almost inevitable.

The Hyperice X2 is designed to ease the suffering. The all-in-one electronic contrast therapy device delivers potent levels of heat and cold treatment without the need for separate pads or bags of ice. It takes some coordination to put on, but once properly set in place, it offers the same recovery techniques used by elite athletes.

Applying cold is often best done immediately after exercise to constrict blood vessels, reducing pain and inflammation. Heat is used to increase vasodilation, which helps relieve stiffness and warm muscles before activity. The X2 does both and can combine each in repeated cycles—contrast therapy—which has been shown to accelerate overall healing of the area.

The second generation of the device adds five levels of compression to its therapeutic formula. This intensifies the treatment and helps create a more customized fit. The battery life has also been expanded—34% more capacity—offering 1.5 hours of heat and one hour of cold on max settings. If the battery is low, it can also operate while corded into an outlet. Where the original model was operated by the Hyperice app, the power pack on the X2 can now also control the sleeve. And the temperature range has widened, down to 40°F for cooling and up to 121°F for heat, with five levels in between.

The X2 is also available for the knee, another pain point for many tennis players. Whether rehabbing, recovering or loosening up the joint for a match, it can be a game-changer.