The feeling you get after working out, the persistent achy muscles, the stiffness, and the overall pain is a sign from your body that your workout was effective enough to need time to recover from.
Muscle recovery is essential because it allows your body to repair damaged tissues, replenish your energy, and build strong and efficient muscles. Fortunately, a great workout doesn’t mean you have to suffer through the pain that comes later. By implementing a few tips and tricks you can encourage your body to recover quickly and efficiently.
If you are on a fitness journey and are looking for workout hacks, here are 15 tips to have the best muscle recovery ever.
- Get More Sleep
There are many benefits to getting more sleep and muscle recovery is just one of them. When you get the right amount of sleep, your body goes through a repair and restoration process that allows you to function more efficiently throughout the day. If you are killing it in the gym, it’s important to give your body the sleep it needs to recover.
- Eat More Protein
Protein is going to be your best friend on your fitness journey. Protein is essential for recovery after a workout because it helps to reduce muscle soreness while accelerating your recovery. You can add more protein to your diet through healthy foods or opt for a quick and easy protein shake.
- Drink a Lot of Water
Drinking water improves every bodily function, including assisting in efficient post-workout recovery. Not only will you recover faster when you are hydrated, but you will also be replacing important fluids you lost while sweating it out during your workout.
- Stretch Your Muscles
One of the best muscle recovery tips is to stretch after your workout. This is a quick and easy way to reduce your muscle soreness and help your muscles recover faster. You can use static stretching or active stretching to speed up your post-workout recovery.
- Eat a Post-Workout Recovery Meal
The foods you eat can determine how quickly and easily you recover from your workouts. A healthy post-recovery meal will have protein for muscle repair and building, carbs for energy, and healthy fat for muscle growth.
- Take an Ice Bath
You may have heard of the famous ice bath professional athletes use after their grueling workouts. This is because an ice bath can reduce swelling, reduce tissue breakdown, and flush waste out of your tissues. If you’re brave, a quick dip in an ice bath will help you with your muscle recovery.
- Schedule a Rest Day
The best workout recovery you can do is schedule a rest day.
Working out puts a strain on your body and you need rest to allow that strain to strengthen and grow your muscles. Your rest day is just as important as your training days. Have regularly scheduled rest days to give your body the time it needs to recover.
- Take an Anti-Inflammatory Supplement
An anti-inflammatory will help reduce your muscle soreness and aid in recovery. While you can take an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory, you can also opt for a natural option like white willow bark or turmeric.
As you can see with the Taxotere watery eyes lawsuit, it’s important to be careful when selecting any over-the-counter drug or supplement you are taking to aid in your recovery. Check the label to make sure the supplement is safe for use.
- Use Muscle Creams
Muscle creams are designed to reduce the pain and soreness that comes with a tough workout so you are in fighting shape for your next training day. You can use a muscle cream or you can try a natural solution and use a magnesium spray or cream. Magnesium acts as a natural muscle relaxer and will help reduce your post-workout pain and soreness.
- Invest in a Foam Roller
Supercharge your stretching by using a foam roller to get deep into your muscles and tissue and relieve your aches and pains. Much of the pain that comes after a workout is related to a tightening or knotting of your muscles. By using a foam roller, you can roll out the tightness and knots, reduce your pain, and speed up your recovery.
- Get a Massage
If a foam roller is a DIY option for unknotting your muscles, getting a massage is a hands-on version. Many types of massages are ideal for post-workout muscle pain and soreness. A massage will help you feel better and recover faster, all in under an hour.
- Eat a Pre-Workout Snack
What you eat pre-workout will determine how effective your workout is and how easy your recovery will be. Ideally, you want a pre-workout snack to have a lot of healthy carbs for energy to carry you through your workout, and protein to aid in your post-workout recovery. Be sure to keep your portions snack-sized, as working out on a full stomach is not ideal.
- Enjoy Some Chocolate Milk
Did you know that chocolate milk is great for your post-workout recovery? Studies show you can drink chocolate milk to recover between training sessions. The protein and carb combination is not only delicious, but it’s great for your recovery as well.
Opt for a healthy option and try nut milk, raw cocoa powder, and a natural sweetener.
- Warm-Up
An efficient warm-up is important to prepare your muscles for the work that is ahead. Warming up your muscles will also prevent a sore and painful post-workout experience. Choose a few dynamic warm-up exercises to get started.
You only need about 5 minutes for your warm-up to be effective.
- Cooldown
A cooldown is essential to gently ease your body into its recovery period. Your cool down should be a few minutes of active movement until your heart rate is steady and your body is relaxed. These gentle movements help promote circulation, flush tissue waste, and allow for a healthy and quick recovery.
Use These Tips for the Best Muscle Recovery
By using these tips and tricks, you can have the best muscle recovery and be ready to go for your next workout.
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