A proper recovery strategy can be argued to be the most important part of sports and fitness. This isn’t about injuries and ways to get healthy, but rather what steps you should take after a grueling workout. You need to take a smart approach to recovering from a long run, weight lifting session, or any type of physical performance. Staying hydrated, eating healthy, getting a good night’s sleep and some stretching and massages are great steps towards a successful recovery after your next workout.
We all know the importance of drinking water but some tend to only drink when they are thirsty or during their workout. Believe it or not, an early sign of dehydration is the feeling of being thirsty so be sure to carry around a water bottle making it a point throughout your day to consume a certain number of bottles. Water is vital for recovery to flush out any unwanted toxins that leave you lying sore on the couch instead of accomplishing your next workout.
A diet consisting of fruit, vegetables, nuts, and lean proteins will have you feeling refreshed and focused to tackle your next challenge. The antioxidants in fruits and vegetables defend from free radicals in your body that can cause infections and cell damage. Try to incorporate fruits and vegetables in each meal and you will soon start craving for an apple instead of a candy bar and feeling guilty if there isn’t a beautiful dark green veggie sitting in front of you. Remember. You can never out work a bad diet!
Lean proteins such as turkey, chicken, and fish will give you the muscle-repairing amino acids your body craves after a training session. Building muscle isn’t accomplished in the gym or on the track, but rather the time you finish your workout until the next one. When you workout you are tearing down muscle fibers to their weakest states which means you need to consume some type of protein to build back bigger, stronger muscles.
Nothing beats a good night of sleep for your mind and body. A solid night of sleep should last from seven to nine hours to make you feel rejuvenated, focused, and stress-free for the next day’s workout. Do not underestimate the importance of a well-rested body as that could be the difference from achieving your goal to coming up short.
Lastly, appropriate stretching and massages can help to repair muscles and rid you of those painful knots you get. We realize not everyone can afford a massage from a specialist once a month, but you’re in luck. As mentioned in our previous blogs but simply having a foam roller handy is not only convenient and easy but they relieve aches and pains similar to what you achieve from a personal massage. Also, you can use a lacrosse ball while at work or watching tv as a foot massager; if a lacrosse ball is too much, try a tennis ball and gradually move on to a lacrosse ball or even a golf ball.
Those are just a few of the many ways to help your body and mind to recover from an exhausting workout. You need to take a smart approach to recovering from the long run, weight lifting session, or any type of physical performance. Staying hydrated, eating healthy, getting a quality night’s sleep and massages are easy, powerful steps to a successful recovery for your next workout.
