5 Effective Tips For Recovering Like a Champ
Recovery after your workout is vital to muscle and tissue repair and building strength, endurance, and flexibility. 💪
Muscle tissue normally requires a minimum of 24 to 48 hours to repair and rebuild, but I have some good news for you.
You can reduce this time and improve post exercise recovery using these five muscle recovery tips.
Eat More
Yup, you read that right. Eating more (of the right things) can quickly replace depleted energy stores (glycogen) and to refuel your body with the macro and micronutrients necessary for quick recovery and tissue repair.
Remember that you tear down muscle in the gym, but you build muscle in the kitchen!
If you fail to refuel your body you will definitely lack energy, your performance will suffer, and you'll fail to make gains in strength and lean muscle.
So be sure to take in protein and a few simple carbs within 30-60 minutes of your workout.
When it's time for a full meal, choose complex carbohydrates (fruits and vegetables) to replenish muscle fuel stores, and plenty of lean proteins to promote muscle repair.
Oh, and don’t forget fluids and electrolytes to rehydrate. When you’re not drinking a protein shake or pre-workout energy drink - drink water!
Sleep More
The “magic” of exercise recovery that doesn’t happen in the kitchen happens while you sleep.
As you sleep, your body releases anabolic hormones (including growth hormone) that repair damaged tissues and muscle fibers.
Your body also releases hormones that burn or redistribute body fat.
How much sleep do you need?
We each have our personal needs based on lifestyle, intensity of our workouts, and genetic makeup, but on average, try to get a minimum of eight hours.
Massage Therapy
After your workouts, tight muscles and knots (trigger points) need to be manipulated in order to return to “normal” tissue.
Sports massages improve your circulation while allowing your body to relax and recover.
If you can’t afford a massage, a simple foam roller can be effective for easing tight muscles and releasing trigger points.
Cold Therapy
Many years before there were cryotherapy chambers, strength and Olympic athletes would take cold showers and ice baths to reduce muscle soreness and speed recovery.
The effectiveness of cold therapy for post exercise recovery is attributed to its vasoconstrictive effect.
The cold temperature decreases your body’s cell metabolism thereby reducing inflammation.
Cold therapy or “cryotherapy” also stimulates your blood circulation as your body “combats” the cold.
The resulting increased blood flow delivers oxygen and nutrients throughout your body promoting soft tissue healing.
Systematic Training
Muscle building, strength training, and effective post exercise recovery require an orderly and logical approach to training known as “systematic training.”
When designing your fitness program include proven training concepts like progressive resistance, a variety of sets and reps, intensity, active and scheduled rest days to allow your muscles to recover.
A well planned systematic approach to training will support healthy fitness gains like new lean muscle, fat loss and improved cardiorespiratory fitness while minimizing injuries and overtraining.
I hope this article gave you some inspiration to help you fire up your recovery process so you can get back to your workouts like a champ! 💪
For more awesome fitness tips and real talk, come hang out with me on Instagram! I'd love to connect with you over there! 🤗
xo
Lindsay