Recovery is a crucial element of any exercise regime as it gives the body the opportunity to repair muscle and tissue which is when you increase your strength. Muscles tend to need between 24-48 hours to rebuild itself and putting under strain too soon can weaken the muscle. This is why it’s important to establish an exercise recovery routine in addition to your workout but many people fail to prioritize this aspect of fitness. While athletes tend to have their own preferred routines, depending on their exercise regime, here are eight of the most effective ways to support your in recovery after a workout.
- Re-hydrate
We know we should be drinking fluids during exercise but it’s also important to our recovery to re-hydrate afterward. Water replaces what we have lost through sweating, enables our metabolism to function at its full capacity and helps the transfer of nutrients in the body.
- Eat recovery foods
It’s important to refuel after a workout to give your body the energy it needs to repair tissue and get stronger. Try to eat healthy protein and carbohydrates within an hour of your workout.
- Get some rest
When it comes to recovering from a strenuous workout or injury, time is a fantastic healer. Give it enough time and your body can take surprisingly good care of itself, so don’t rush into more exercise too soon. You might want to try some gentle exercise such as stretching, walking or a casual bike ride to keep the circulation moving and your metabolism functioning.
- Massage your muscles
Massages are not only good for relaxation but also stimulate blood flow to help the muscles repair and rid them of toxins. You can either get a professional sports massage or try using a foam roller for self-massage.
- Soothe sore muscles
There are many ways to soothe muscle soreness, speed up recovery and prevent injury. For example, one of the more popular options includes CBD creams and supplements such as the range offered by Cancalm. These are known to reduce inflammation and pain. Ice baths or ice massages can help too, as can something called contras water therapy. This involves alternating between hot and cold baths or showers to cause the muscle to constrict and dilate blood vessels, flushing out toxins.
- Get some sleep
Sleep is important at the end of any day, but especially so when you have put your body through exertion. Sleep is when our body repairs and rebuilds tissues that have been used during the day which is how we grow stronger. It’s also when our brains process all of our experiences and without it we put all our functions under stress and will not be able to perform to our maximum capacity the next day.
- Try not to over train
To ensure you have the best recovery possible, it’s important not to push yourself too hard in the first place. By training excessively and not allowing your body time to rest and recover you will hinder your progress and put yourself at risk of injury.
- Learn to understand your body
We are all unique, so what works for one person may not be best for another. Therefore, it’s essential that you learn to listen to what your body is telling you. If you are feeling sore and tired all the time or you are not able to perform as well as you could during your last workout, you are probably pushing yourself too far and should take a break. However, if you are feeling good the day after a workout you can capitalize on it and go a bit harder. Your body will find a way to tell you what it needs, so take notice of its warnings.