It’s no secret that recovery is an important aspect of exercising. Skipping adequate rest days can lead to burnouts, overtraining, and injuries. Recovery after a rigorous workout allows your muscles to repair, promotes blood circulation, and aids future performance.
Whether you’re new to fitness or struggling to find the right balance, this post will help you speed up recovery after workouts. Let’s dive in.
Stay Hydrated
Your body constantly loses fluid during exercise. Replenishing your fluid level improves muscles’ abilities to repair themselves. Therefore, you should drink fluids before, during and after your workout. Other than water, you can drink coconut water, smoothies, and drinks infused with electrolytes. Avoid caffeinated drinks, which can be dehydrating.
Do Hyperbolic Stretching to Improve Flexibility and Core Strength
Eat Recovery-Aiding Foods
Even machines need fuel to operate! Eating healthy foods post-workout is essential for muscle recovery and strength. Make sure you consume a balanced diet full of protein, healthy carbs, fruits, vegetables, and other essentials. Stay away from refined sugar and overly processed foods.
Try IV Treatments
Whether you worked out after a long time or need an energy boost for a challenging fitness class, IV treatments can fuel your body with the necessary vitamins. A workout boost treatment also speeds up recovery and increases muscle-building potential. This includes Vitamin B12, Glutamine: Amino Acid, Lysine: Amino Acid, Carnitine: Amino Acid, and so on.
Switch It Up
Going hard with your workouts every day is not sustainable. On the other hand, you may not want to sit idle on your rest days. What’s the alternative? We suggest trying active recovery. This involves participating in light exercises on your recovery days. Switching it up helps prevent lactic acid buildup and also improves blood circulation.
Always Stretch
Whether you are planning to run a marathon or attend an intense spin class, it’s always recommended to stretch before exercising. Moreover, you should also follow up workouts with a cool-down stretch. In addition to muscle recovery, stretching is crucial for preventing injuries.
Get Sufficient Rest
Despite working out consistently and eating healthy, you may fail to see desired results because of inadequate sleep. When you sleep, your muscles and tissues get the opportunity to repair. Try to get at least 7-8 hours of quality sleep every night.
Take Supplements
It’s quite possible that you may not be getting all the necessary nutrients from your meals. Depending on your needs, you can consider taking supplements such as protein and creatine.
Get Massages
If you think massages are an unnecessary indulgence, think again. Some of the world’s top athletes swear that massages significantly help enhance their performance. Getting a massage is not only relaxing but also increases flexibility and overall range of motion. Moreover, massages can reduce inflammation, alleviate pain, and also help prevent injuries.
Avoid Alcohol
Alcohol can hinder your recovery and adversely affects your overall athletic performance. It impairs protein synthesis and glycogen replenishment. Similarly, smoking can make you prone to muscular injuries. If you are serious about your fitness journey, we urge you to quit or at least limit these habits.
Take a Bath
If you’re feeling extremely sore after a vigorous workout, consider soaking in a warm bath with Epsom salts. Combining hydrotherapy with heat therapy speeds up muscle relaxation.
On the other hand, taking a cold shower or ice bath also promises several benefits. These can help alleviate muscle inflammation and soreness.
The Bottom Line
Doing a strenuous workout every day without any breaks can turn out to be disastrous. A healthy fitness routine should include sufficient rest days and a well-rounded recovery plan. Hopefully, the aforementioned tips will encourage you to develop a balanced fitness routine.
