Best Workout Recovery Methods

Best Workout Recovery Methods

Being an active athlete is more than just about excelling in your sport. For many, it comes with countless hours at the gym trying to progress. Hitting the gym hard every day also comes with a hard recovery. In order to prepare yourself for the next workout day, we’ll be breaking down the best workout recovery methods.

Why Workout Recovery Is Important

Workout recovery is absolutely essential to secure your next workout. When your body isn’t given enough rest after a workout then the chances of injury increase. For workouts involving large or major muscle groups then the time for recovery needed increases. It’s best to listen to your body before, during and after a workout. Don’t ignore any pain that’s preventing you from fully functioning. The last thing you want is to get hurt and take a large amount of time off from the gym and your sport. Injuries can be tricky and can take weeks even months to fully recover.

Get The Right Nutrients

The first tip in the best workout recovery methods is to eat the right nutrients. Getting the proper amount of protein, fats and carbohydrates every meal ensures a better workout. Food is essentially fuel for your next workout. In fact, your body needs at least 25 grams of protein to start the protein synthesis process. This biological process is absolutely necessary for muscle growth.

Eating foods that are rich in nutrients like proteins, fats, carbs, vitamins and minerals are the best type of food. Highly processed foods tend to be high in calories and offer very little nutrients. A better choice of diet will also manage your weight, blood pressure and cholesterol.

Use TENS/EMS Technology

The second tip in the best workout recovery methods is to use TENS/EMS technology. TENS stands for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. EMS is short for electrical muscle stimulation. These types of therapy technology work by attaching nodes to an area affected by pain. The nodes then send electrical signals to the body to release endorphins. This chemical is the body’s natural painkiller, which is a natural alternative to using prescription drugs.

TENS/EMS technology helps the recovery process by speeding it up. A faster recovery process will help the body get ready for the next workout or game day.

Sleep Enough Hours

Don’t ever cut your sleep short in order to work out longer. Your body needs sleep to repair, regenerate and restore muscle and body cells. In fact, sleeping is where most of the muscle-building process takes place. In theory, not getting at least 8 or more hours of sleep every night will negatively impact your muscle growth. Not optimizing your muscle growth with sleep essentially devalues the amount of time you’ve spent working out or eating nutritious foods.

Aside from workout recovery, sleep can also assist with lowering blood pressure and keeping the mind sharp. Drowsiness will negatively impact your professional and personal life by making mistakes you’re unaware of.

Implement Rest/Active Recovery Days

The last tip in the best workout recovery methods is to implement rest or active recovery days. A rest day refers to taking a break from any physical activity for the entire day. On the other hand, an active recovery day means you’re still being physically active but not in an intrusive way. This usually comes in the form of bike riding, hiking or going out for a walk. Giving your body the proper amount of days to recover will only help longevity.

Giving yourself at least one active recovery day plus a rest day a week is the most optimal way for constant physical activity. No one can constantly work out every day at 100 percent. So, listen to your body and give it the rest it deserves for recovery.