Getting exercise is a great way to keep your body in shape, build muscle, strengthen your heart and lungs, and keep your mental health in check as well. Depending on your reasons for working out, you might have a day or two each week where you push yourself as hard as you can. While this type of exercise can be very beneficial, it’s also important that you do what it takes in order for your body to adequately recover from this type of pressure. To show you how this can be done and how you can get back at it sooner, here are three tips for a quick recovery after a tough workout.
Replenish Your Body
After you’ve pushed your body to the brink, you need to replenish all of the energy and fluids that you lost during your workout. According to Elizabeth Quinn, a contributor to Very Well Fit, this includes drinking a lot of water and eating foods that will be beneficial to your body. When you drink water, every bodily function that you’re going through to help your body recover will be fueled more effectively. And if you eat something that’s high in protein and complex carbohydrates pretty soon after you’ve finished your workout, the tissues that you’ve torn and strained during your workout will repair themselves and build up to be bigger than before.
Loosen Up Your Muscles
If you participate in a hard workout that has caused your muscles to feel tight, sore, and tired, one of the best things you can do for those muscles is to loosen them up and stretch them out. To best do this, David Tao, a contributor to Greatist.com, recommends that you use a foam roller to remove any knots or tightness from your muscles. Additionally, doing some yoga stretching can also break up any scar tissue that’s built up and help your tired muscles feel more relaxed. Doing these two activities can help your muscles recover much quicker than just letting them rest on their own.
Give Yourself Ample Time To Sleep
Not only do you need to let your muscles spend some time relaxing after you’ve finished a hard workout, but you also need to allow the rest of your body to unwind and reset. The best way to do this, according to Sarah Hansen, a contributor to LifeHack.org, is to give yourself ample time to sleep. For athletes that push themselves hard on a very consistent basis, it’s important that they get more than the average amount of sleep suggested for most people. So on those days when you’ve pushed past your normal limits, try hitting the hay an hour or two earlier than you normally might just so your body can get more REM sleep and better repair itself.
To get back to the gym quickly, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you recover after a tough workout.
