How to recover after exercise
Recovery is a very important and often neglected part of exercise. If you are trying to increase your performance then a good recovery is essential.
Let’s have a look at some options for recovery and I will give you my 4 non-negotiables for recovering properly.
There are many different things that people use for recovery. Some of the main ones are:
Massage
Stretching
HeatIce
Foam Rolling
All these things can be great for reducing post exercise soreness but there is little evidence to suggest that they have a large impact on recovery. Therefore, I put these into the ‘if it feels good, do it’ category. They may work for you (which is great!) but they may not work for everyone.
My 4 non-negotiables for recovery are:
Hydration
Nutrition
Sleep
Movement
These are essential to give your body the best chance to repair and improve itself. Let’s have a look at them a bit closer.
Hydration
Drinking a good quantity of water immediately after and in the following hours of exercise is essential. Sports drinks are only required in hotter than average weather or if exertion is very high. For most athletes water is sufficient.
Nutrition
Making sure that you get adequate nutrition is essential after exercise. Good, clean sources of protein and carbohydrates will help muscle recovery and energy levels. Supplements can be a quick and easy way to get nutrition but good, clean food sources are the best way to refuel after exercise.
Sleep
The body does it’s best repair work when it is sleeping. Getting at least 8 hours of sleep is the best way to recover after exercise. Remember, if the hurt is dee, then the sleep should be too!
Movement
It is important to move your muscles and joints through their full range of motion in the hours after exercise. This will help keep and improve range of motion and will also assist in increasing blood flow to muscles and aid in recovery.