Table 3.

Importance, objectives, frequency, timing, location, and limitations of the use of recovery strategies in water polo coaches (n=76)

Level	First division club	Second division club	Third division club	Territorial division club	National senior team	National team of different categories except senior	Team of different categories except senior	All
Do you believe that recovery strategies are important in your context?
Not important at all	0 (0)	0 (0)	-	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	1 (6.3)	1 (1.0)
Of little importance	0 (0)	0 (0)	-	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)
Of average importance	0 (0)	1 (12.5)	-	1 (3.6)	0 (0)	1 (33.3)	0 (0)	3 (3.9)
Very important	11 (55.0)	4 (50.0)	-	19 (67.9)	1 (100)	2 (66.7)	8 (50.0)	45 (59.2)
Extremely important	9 (45.0)	3 (37.5)	-	8 (28.6)	0 (0)	0 (0)	7 (43.8)	27 (35.5)
If you believe that recovery strategies are important, why are they important?
To reduce the injury risk	16 (28.1)	5 (20.8)	-	23 (28.0)	1 (33.3)	2 (22.2)	15 (31.3)	62 (26.9)
To decrease the cumulative fatigue	13 (22.8)	6 (25.0)	-	16 (19.5)	0 (0)	1 (11.1)	4 (8.3)	40 (17.3)
To decrease the chance of overtraining	9 (15.8)	2 (8.3)	-	7 (8.5)	1 (33.3)	2 (22.2)	15 (31.5)	36 (15.6)
To improve the performance capability in the following training sesión or competition	13 (22.8)	7 (29.2)	-	20 (24.4)	1 (33.3)	3 (33.3)	13 (27.1)	57 (24.7)
To improve psychological wellbeing	5 (8.8)	2 (8.3)	-	14 (17.1)	0 (0)	1 (11.1)	8 (16.7)	30 (13)
To induce placebo effect on the players	1 (1.8)	1 (4.2)	-	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	2 (0.9)
Because of players like recovery strategies	0 (0)	0 (0)	-	1 (1.2)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	1 (0.4)
To improve social recovery	0 (0)	1 (4.2)	-	1 (1.2)	0 (0)	0 (0)	1 (2.1)	3 (1.3)
Other	0 (0)	0 (0)	-	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)
How often do you use recovery strategies in your team?
Never	1 (5.0)	0 (0)	-	3 (10.7)	0 (0)	0 (0)	1 (6.3)	5 (6.6)
Rarely, in less than 10% of the sessions	1 (5.0)	1 (12.5)	-	8 (28.6)	0 (0)	0 (0)	3 (18.8)	13 (17.1)
Occasionally, in about 30% of the sessions	3 (15.0)	3 (37.5)	-	10 (35.7)	0 (0)	2 (66.7)	5 (31.3)	23 (30.3)
Sometimes, in about 50% of the sessions	6 (30.0)	1 (12.5)	-	3 (10.7)	1 (100)	0 (0)	3 (18.8)	14 (18.4)
Frequently, in about 70% of the sessions	4 (20.0)	3 (37.5)	-	4 (14.3)	0 (0)	0 (0)	2 (12.5)	13 (17.1)
Usually, in about 90% of the sessions	3 (15.0)	0 (0)	-	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	1 (6.3)	4 (5.3)
Every time	2 (10.0)	0 (0)	-	0 (0)	0 (0)	1 (33.3)	1 (6.3)	4 (5.3)
When do you apply recovery strategies?
Pregame	9 (17.6)	0 (0)	-	4 (7.4)	1 (20.0)	0 (0)	4 (11.1)	18 (10.8)
Pretraining session	6 (11.8)	0 (0)	-	6 (11.1)	1 (20.0)	0 (0)	4 (11.1)	17 (10.2)
Postgame	12 (23.5)	3 (21.4)	-	16 (29.6)	1 (20.0)	3 (42.9)	8 (22.2)	43 (25.9)
Posttraining session	11 (21.6)	5 (35.7)	-	16 (29.6)	1 (20.0)	1 (14.3)	10 (27.8)	44 (26.5)
In separate sessions	7 (13.7)	4 (28.6)	-	4 (7.4)	0 (0)	2 (28.6)	6 (16.7)	23 (13.9)
When travelling	5 (9.8)	2 (14.3)	-	6 (11.1)	1 (20.0)	1 (14.3)	2 (5.6)	17 (10.2)
Never	0 (0)	0 (0)	-	2 (3.7)	0 (0)	0 (0)	1 (2.8)	3 (1.8)
Other	1 (2.0)	0 (0)	-	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	1 (0.6)
Where do you usually apply recovery strategies?
In the sports hall or in the gym	18 (72.0)	7 (53.8)	-	21 (48.8)	1 (50.0)	3 (42.9)	14 (65.2)	64 (57.1)
At home	5 (20.0)	3 (23.1)	-	13 (30.2)	1 (50.0)	0 (0)	3 (13.0)	25 (21.3)
At hotel	1 (4.0)	2 (15.4)	-	8 (18.6)	0 (0)	3 (42.9)	4 (17.4)	18 (16.8)
On the road (on the bus, on the plane, etc.)	0 (0)	1 (7.7)	-	1 (2.3)	0 (0)	1 (14.3)	1 (4.3)	4 (3.6)
Other	1 (4.0)	0 (0)	-	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	1 (0.9)
What prevents you from using the recovery strategies that you would like to adopt?
They are too expensive	7 (20.0)	3 (23.1)	-	15 (27.3)	1 (50.0)	0 (0)	5 (17.2)	31 (22.5)
They are too time-consuming	11 (32.4)	4 (30.8)	-	14 (25.5)	0 (0)	2 (40.0)	9 (31.0)	40 (29.0)
They are not well accepted by players or coaches	4 (11.8)	1 (7.7)	-	6 (10.9)	0 (0)	0 (0)	5 (17.2)	16 (11.6)
There are no available devices or facilities to implement those strategies	11 (32.4)	2 (15.4)	-	18 (32.7)	1 (50.0)	3 (60.0)	7 (24.1)	42 (30.4)
Their effects are not sufficiently studied in the scientific literature	1 (2.9)	2 (15.4)	-	2 (3.6)	0 (0)	0 (0)	2 (6.9)	7 (5.1)
Other	0 (0)	1 (7.7)	-	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	1 (3.4)	2 (1.4)

Values are presented as number (%).