Speedy Recovery…

Everyone in the fitness industry is obsessed with finding the best and most effective workouts. You see fitness YouTubers and bloggers all posting the same content centered around their actual workouts. What a lot of people forget to mention is the importance of good recovery after your workout.

By having an effective recovery plan, you ensure that your muscles repair quicker, leading to speedy recovery for your next workout. It will also help to mitigate that painful muscle soreness you experience the day after an intense workout.

Keeping that in mind, this article is all about the perfect post-workout recovery plan! Read and apply the strategies below, and you’ll start seeing better results by recovering more effectively:

#1 Massage Therapy

Most people think that recovery begins with stretching your muscles, but that isn’t always the case. Before you stretch out your tight muscles, you could massage them to increase the effectiveness of your stretch routine afterwards. Massaging your muscles using a foam roller is a great option, especially if you’re on your own.

You could also try and use your hands to massage some muscles on your body too, but a foam roller is usually easier and more effective. The purpose of massaging is to release muscle knots and help relax your muscles after they’ve been working hard.

If you’re lucky enough to be in contact with a sports massage therapist, then you’ve hit the jackpot! Make sure to book in regular appointments with your sports massage therapist. At least 1x per month and more if you are training more intensely and frequently. 

#2 Stretching

Stretching should come after massaging if you want the best results. A massage helps with mobility, meaning you can get a much deeper stretch and really lengthen those muscles. Combine stretching and massaging to help get rid of lactic acid build up after a workout. You should experience less soreness the day after you’ve been working out.

#3 Recovery Drink

Drinking a recovery drink right after your workout is a great idea – so you can get some essential nutrients into your body as soon as possible. Ideally, you want a post-workout shake that consists of protein, some carbs, and BCAAs. Those of you looking to lose weight may be wondering why you need carbs. Nutrition experts have proven that you need carbs alongside protein for essential muscle repair. To put it simply, if you want that protein to do its job, you need carbs in the mix too. A recovery drink is the easiest way of getting loads of nutrients into your body without having to eat a huge meal straight away.

#4 Recovery Meal

When you get home, and around 1-2hrs after your workout you should make yourself a recovery meal. This meal should be similar to the recovery drink you made. It needs lots of protein, some good carbs, and you want it to really fill you up. A recovery meal is designed to help flush your muscles full of good nutrients that make them repair and grow stronger. It will also help to replace any energy which you used up during a tough workout, ensuring you don’t wake up super tired and fatigued the next day.

If you follow this plan, your recovery will be far more effective than ever before. Of course, one last thing you need to do is get a good night’s sleep! Sleep is when your body heals, and your muscles start repairing. Make sure you get a good eight hours, to ensure further recovery.