TromboneChat

I’m wondering what’s the most optimal way to recover your chops. For my situation, i’m playing for about 2 and a half hours with around 50 minutes in between. I use chapstick and am drinking water as well, with a just a short warm down of some soft pedals at the end of each session. I also try and get 45 minutes of practice after school. How can i get the most chop recovery in that time?

Maybe three rests of 15m each?

Recovery, and recovery time, depends entirely on what sort of workout you had. You might needs few seconds rest after a minute of playing, or a few minutes rest after 10 - 30 minutes of playing, or a day's rest once or twice a week if the rest of the week is strenuous. There is no one answer to that question.

The less pressure and shifting you use, and the less metal is on your face, the less recovery time you will need.

The smarter you play and the better habits you use, the less recovery you need. Don't feel the need to play as loud as possible as often as you can. Balance things out with soft playing in warmup and elsewhere. Notice in the moment when you are using too much energy or pressure, and see what you can do to minimize that.

Sam Burtis used to be a member of this forum would advocate for putting a mouthpiece in ice water when you get home from the gig and then holding it on your face off and on for few reps. This works as a precise application of a cold compress to the tissues that need it. I used to do this when my face got turned to hamburger by the musical and or volume demands, by my own fault for not heeding the good advice given above in this thread, or some combination of these. It really worked for me, especially when there was no time in my schedule for more organic recovery. It helps with the the facial tissues which do the buzzing and/or contact the mouthpiece rim but not so much with the muscles which form the embouchure in my experience.

#1: Efficient playing
#2: Staying hydrated
#3: Vitamin E