Understanding The Benefits Of Muscle Recover
If you are someone who likes to work out a lot, you have probably noticed the importance of muscle recovery. However, many people go to the gym and don’t understand the importance of it. That leads them to overwork the body. It then leads to fatigue and can cause injuries. It will then set you back on your fitness goals.
Muscle recovery is essential when working out and therefore, it is essential to incorporate it into your workout routine. Let’s look at the different types of muscle recovery that can help you keep track of your fitness journey.
Different Methods Of Muscle Recovery
Different methods of muscle recovery are essential to your workout routine. Some would include equipment and other methods don’t require any equipment. It all depends on how intense your workout is and how much energy you burn during your exercise.
With Equipment & Accessories
There are many different accessories which you can use to help soothe muscle soreness. Let’s take a look at some of the accessories for muscle recovery.
Massage Guns
Massage guns are one of the most popular items for muscle recovery. Most of them are cordless, allowing you to take them to the gym and then once you have finished your workout, you can use it in the changing rooms.
There are numerous positives to a muscle massage gun. Firstly, massage guns can improve blood circulation which helps oxygen and nutrients get around your body much quicker, reducing inflammation in those muscles. A massage gun can also improve flexibility as the improved circulation helps to clear any tension. It can also temporarily relieve the pain of any DOMS.
Foam Rollers
Foam rollers are another good accessory for muscle recovery plus, they are more affordable compared to a massage gun. Moreover, there are numerous positives to this simple accessory. Firstly, it helps reduce the pain you have after exercise. It can also release muscle tightness by improving muscle circulation. Foam rollers are also great for breaking down the knots in your muscles. Knots are usually caused by repetitive strain during an exercise. Foam rollers also improve the effectiveness of stretching.
Ice Baths
If you are a regular Instagram and Tik Tok user, you would have noticed that ice baths are on-trend. However, these have been around for many years to help with muscle recovery after a workout. It is often used by professional athletes to soothe muscles before a match.
There are numerous benefits to an ice bath as well. Firstly, it eases the aches and pains in your muscles. Furthermore, due to the quick decrease in body temperature, it is believed to help reduce inflammation. However, there are other benefits of an ice bath rather than just relieving the pain of sore muscles and inflammation.
It is believed that an ice bath can help the central nervous system. It then helps your quality of sleep. As a result of this, it will make you feel less fatigued the following day, helping you perform better for your next workout.
Without Equipment
If you don’t have a budget to spend on equipment because you don’t think there is any need for your workouts, there are different types of muscle recovery without equipment. It includes the nutritional foods you consume and what you can do post-workout.
Stretching
Stretching is one of the oldest techniques for muscle recovery. However, it isn’t just after your workout that you should stretch. We advise you to stretch your muscles before your workout. This will warm up the muscles and ease your way into the workout and reduce the chance of an injury.
Stretching before and after a workout is very important if you wish to reduce aching and sore muscles. We advise you to spend around 15 minutes stretching the muscles, you use before and after a workout.
Food That Carries Nutritional Value
Eat food before you work out and afterwards are both very important. However, you tend to ensure you eat the correct foods or else you won’t feel the effect. That includes protein and healthy carbohydrates. If you want to eat a large meal before your workout, ensure you eat food 3-4 hours before your workout. If you wish to eat a lighter meal, we advise eating 1-3 hours before your workout.
After completing your workout, you must have a meal less than two hours afterwards. Consider eating chicken with sweet potato or rice after. Fish is another good protein source if you don’t want to eat chicken. If you do not have time to eat a large meal, consider snacks such as Greek yoghurt and fruit, peanut butter sandwich, post-workout protein shake and anything else that is highly nutritional. Following an anti-inflammatory diet will help you with the muscle recovery process as well.
Why Is Muscle Recovery Important?
Muscle recovery is essential for the body as it helps maximise performance for other workouts. A better recovery allows you to perform at your best. Make sure you have rest days during your workout routine to ensure the muscles rest enough. If you get the most out of your recovery process, it will allow you to perform better for other workouts, matches, races or fights.
To Summary
There are many things that you can do to help with muscle recovery. However, food and water are essential for the recovery process. If you don’t eat the right foods and drink enough water to keep your body hydrated and replenish the fluids you have sweated out.
Although it hasn’t been mentioned, compaction clothing can also help with muscle recovery. We understand that compaction clothing isn’t the most stylish apparel so wear it under a full tracksuit, joggers or jumper.