In fitness blogs we often talk about the training, and what you should be doing during your workouts. The part we usually neglect is what to do after your workout. These are the points that help you recover and return fresh for your next workout.
In this article I’m going to run through 5 things you can do to recover better after your workouts. These are all simple, effective and don’t require any real extensive effort. Get them into your week and your health, fitness and recovery status will benefit significantly.
Make sure you get plenty of protein in!
Training and protein are best friends! As the macronutrient responsible for cell repair and growth, it’s really important that anyone who is exercising frequently is consuming adequate protein.
A 2018 study titled Effects of Protein Supplementation on Performance and Recovery in Resistance and Endurance Training concluded...
…’based on performance and recovery effects, it appears that the prudent approach would be to have athletes consume protein post-training and post-competition.’
The type of protein isn’t especially important (although there are different qualities of protein), just make sure you get enough in. A good measure of the amount of protein you need can be found in this study. The recommendation is to eat 1.3-1.8g of protein per pound of bodyweight.
A post workout sauna
The research around the health benefits of saunas is strong, and getting stronger. Not only that, but the post-exercise benefits of sauna use are also being highlighted. Post exercise sauna use appears to benefit the body in several ways.
A 2006 study titled Effect of post-exercise sauna bathing on the endurance performance of competitive male runners reported…
‘We conclude that 3 wk of post-exercise sauna bathing produced a worthwhile enhancement of endurance running performance, probably by increasing blood volume.’
The benefits also extend to recovery. A 2015 study titled Effects of far-infrared sauna bathing on recovery from strength and endurance training sessions in men found…
‘In conclusion, deep penetration of heat during Far Infrared Sauna bathing appears favourable for the neuromuscular system to recover from maximal endurance performance. Sauna bathing is a very light loading for the body and provides a comfortable and relaxing experience.’
Aim for an accumulated 25 minutes minimum in the sauna. That doesn’t have to be in one go, it can be broken into 2-3 short sessions.
Get 7+ hours of sleep
Sleep is the bedrock of recovery. The deeper, better quality sleep you get, the better you look, feel and perform. Whilst there is a lot of conflicting research around sleep, there are a few fundamental points that everyone agrees on…
You need 7-10 hours of quality sleep to recover
Being well rested and recovered improves performance
Sleep helps tissue health, with reduces injury risk
In a 2019 study titled Sleep Hygiene for Optimizing Recovery in Athletes: Review and Recommendations, the importance of sleep is summed up in a couple of sentences…
‘For sports medicine providers, the negative effects of sleep deprivation cannot be overstated to athletes. Improving sleep quality however is simple and effective, benefiting not only athlete health but also athletic performance.’
Improve sleep, improve your response to training. There’s little more to say!
Get some movement in!
This might seem counter-intuitive, but anecdotal observation of hundreds of PT clients (and our own bodies) shows that post-training movement helps.
We’re not suggesting hard work, but a gentle recovery activity improvers circulation. In turn this improves the delivery of repair agents to the tissues, which helps your muscles, bones, ligaments and tendons repair themselves after training.
A gentle walk, swim or bike ride will all help. Don’t do anything crazy - the goal here isn’t to train it’s to RECOVER from training! At no point should you be severely out of breath. We’re looking to raise the pulse and breathing rate a little, that’s all!
Stretch
A lot of the advice when it comes to stretching doesn’t improve performance or range of movement. In fact, when stretching is done at the wrong time (before exercise on a cold day, when muscles haven’t been warmed up properly) it can even be dangerous.
The best way to use stretching is to improve range of movement of muscles and joints. Rather than use valuable training time to do this, I prefer to encourage personal training clients to stretch in between sessions. This means they’re able to take their time and do it at home. It doesn’t need any equipment (a mat is all you’ll need) and it can be done in 15-20 minutes.
Ideally you’ll do your stretching after you’ve been active, or have had a warm bath or shower so your muscles are relaxed and the circulation is good. This will make them more elastic.
Hold each stretch for 2-3 rounds of 15-30 seconds. These guidelines are taken directly from a 2012 article titled ‘Current Concepts in Muscle Stretching for Exercise and Rehabilitation’…
Static stretching is effective at increasing range of movement (ROM). The greatest change in ROM with a static stretch occurs between 15 and 30 seconds. Most authors suggest that 10 to 30 seconds is sufficient for increasing flexibility. In addition, no increase in muscle elongation occurs after 2 to 4 repetitions.
So use this as a framework for your stretching, and fit it in between your training sessions. You’ll then improve your muscle and joint range of movement, which will make you better at achieving optimal positions when training.
If you want help with your health, AdMac Fitness is the place to go!
We help people using tried and tested fitness approaches. Our expert team of personal trainers, based in both Bow and South Woodford can help you get a grip of your health and fitness. With our guidance you can see your health and fitness reach new levels!
For more information on who we are, what we do and how we can help you achieve your health and fitness goals, contact us on… 07921465108 or email us at admacfitness@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing from you!
Our locations are…
AdMac Fitness Bow: Arch 457 Robeson St, London E3 4JA
AdMac Fitness South Woodford: Unit 4 Marlborough Business Centre, 96 George Lane, South Woodford, London, E18 1AD.