It is a busy day and you have just completed your fitness regime for the day and then you are told that you must make time for recovery. Sometimes since you are high on your endorphins you may just decide to skip the whole recovery process. But we assure you that the soreness, stiffness, aching of muscles is soon to follow. Your recovery process after any workout has a significant effect on your performance and fitness gains which in turn allows you to train much more effectively.
First let us find out why we get sore after a workout, especially if it’s a new exercise programme, a change in the exercise routine, or an increase in the duration or intensity of your regular workout. When muscles work hard during a workout there is an automatic strain on the muscle fibres leading to microscopic tears of muscle tissue which causes the soreness that you feel. Any muscle needs about 24 to 48 hours to repair and rebuild, therefore working out again without recovery will lead to a breakdown of muscle tissue instead of building it back. Therefore, a well-structured post-workout recovery process needs to be in place to rebuild up your muscles. Here are a few tips that will help prevent soreness, ward off exhaustion, and get you up and about with your day.
Cooldown
It is important to finish your workout with a cooldown for muscle recovery. A cooldown gradually brings down your accelerated heart rate back to normal. Gentle stretching is the best form of cooldown to relieve stress and prevent muscle soreness. A cooldown also helps to stop pooling of blood in your lower limbs, which may make you feel lightheaded or dizzy.
Hydrate
No prizes for guessing this! Drink water before, during, and after your workout. Water is known to support each metabolic function and every nutrient transfer in the body hence drinking plenty of water will help improve every bodily function, nevertheless helping in your recovery process.
Our body tends to sweat and lose important fluids and essential minerals like sodium during any exhausting workout. Therefore, rehydrating after a workout is essential. When you lose sodium the water that you drink during and after workout passes out via sweat and urine without hydrating your body, as it is sodium that helps the body retain water.
You should consider drinking a sports drink to supplement your post-workout hydration efforts. Sports drinks contain sodium that help your body replace the lost minerals and maximise fluid intake. A sports drink will also replace the lost electrolytes which help with muscle contraction and steady your heart rate.
Eat Protein
Nutritionists advise that eating protein before going to bed helps with muscle recovery after a workout. Proteins contain amino acids that help our muscles heal and maintain strength. Consuming a high-protein breakfast on waking up or a protein shake after a workout helps reduce food cravings throughout the day. Make sure to eat healthy protein-rich foods like lean meats, eggs, yoghurt, and oatmeal.
Sleep More
Research shows that sleep deprivation severely limits a body’s performance. Sound sleep is a body’s way of renewing itself to perform various hormonal, cognitive, and immune system functions. Therefore, a proper night’s sleep benefits the mind, the immune system, mood, metabolism, and overall energy levels. Make sure you get 7 to 8 hours of sleep the night after any intense workout to allow your body to properly recover. In case you are unable to sleep well at night, a post workout nap may help your recovery efforts.
Vary Your Workout
Working the same muscle groups several days in a row slows the recovery process and increases the possibility of strain or injury. Varying your workouts can help you target different muscle groups and use your muscles in different ways.
Rest Day or Active Rest
Following an intense workout routine, your body may require a day or two of rest to recover. If you are not into rest days then you can perform light intensity exercise like walking, cycling, swimming, or yoga, on recovery days.
Go ahead and create a post-workout recovery process that allows you to safely restore energy levels and rebuild muscles.
