Top 10 Muscle Recovery Tips
Many people believe that the key to being at your best is training hard. Training consistently is incredibly important, but if you don't listen to your body and give yourself a chance to recover between workouts, then your performance and results will suffer. However, there's more to recovery than chilling out in front of the TV for three days. While your gym tote helps keep your workout life organized, to be at peak performance your recovery methods should be organized just as well. Here are ten choice muscle recovery tips, so you can hit the gym stronger, faster, and more refreshed than ever.
1. Get plenty of sleep.
One of the simplest yet most effective muscle recovery tips is simply to get a good night's sleep. Contrary to popular belief, you can't "catch up on" sleep. Your body just doesn't work that way. You need to get between 7-8 hours of sleep each night. We recommend thinking of sleep as part of your workout and scheduling it just like you would a training session.
2. Hydrate.
Proper hydration makes every function of the human body more efficient. Drinking water during and after your workout helps rid your body of waste products and prevents dehydration. Dehydrated muscles are more likely to be injured and often can result in painful cramps and spasms.
3. Eat protein before and after your workout.
Protein is the building block of muscle tissue, and when you're in the recovery phase of your workout you'll need a lot of it. Keeping your body properly fueled can be challenging, but with a gym backpack from 6 Pack Fitness you can always have the protein you need close at hand.
4. Incorporate active recovery.
By simply adding in a few light resistance exercises to the end of your workout you can increase blood flow and nutrients to your muscles after a training session. Active recovery also helps remove waste products, like lactic acid, that can hinder muscle recovery. Tips we recommend include adding low intensity exercises like walking, yoga, and swimming.
5. Consider taking a magnesium supplement.
Low levels of magnesium in the body can cause muscle tension, cramping, and spasms. Magnesium helps speed up recovery by promoting proper muscle and nerve function and boosting your body's ability to synthesize the proteins that make your muscles grow.6. Avoid overtraining.
If you spend the majority of your week lifting weights or performing other high intensity exercises, it's important that you supplement your workout with time off. The muscle recovery phase after a workout is when your body rebuilds and re-energizes your muscles. Designing a smart workout routine not only improves your recovery efforts, but also helps you reach your overall fitness goals.7. Stretch every day.
One of the best muscle recovery tips that you can follow every time, which was also help prevent future injuries, is stretching. As you exercise your muscles tighten up. Stretching helps you relax muscle tension and decrease soreness the next day.
8. Roll out sore muscles.
When it comes to muscle recovery tips, foam rollers can be a great help. Using them helps relax muscle tension, break up scar tissue and knots, increase blood flow, and reduce inflammation. We recommend running the roller over your sore muscle groups in the morning when you wake up, before you got to bed, and before your workout (if you have the time).
9. Wear compression clothing.
While compression clothing can be worn during your workout to prevent chafing and rashes, its real benefits start post-exercise. These form-fitting garments relieve pain from muscles stiffness and soreness, and can help reduce the time taken for muscles to repair themselves.