8 Tips to Improve Your Workout Recovery

By Austin Schoonmaker | February 22, 2019

So you’ve gotten yourself to the gym, pushed through a tough workout, and now you’re feeling pretty good! Until you wake up in the morning feeling like you’ve gotten hit by a truck.. Rest and recovery are a crucial part of getting the most out of your exercise, and if done correctly, it can make a major difference in your fitness gains and performance. If you’re looking to get the most out of your exercise, here are some tips to help you become a post-workout recovery pro.

Re-hydrate yourself

During exercise you are going to lose a significant amount of fluids due to sweat. To help your body recover better, make sure to down some water to replenish your body’s fluids. Filling up on water will help your body perform its metabolic functions better, and make it so you can better absorb nutrients.

Eat a healthy meal

Proper post-workout nutrition is absolutely key in maintaining a quick and effective recovery process. There are two things you’ll want to have in your post-workout meal: high quality carbohydrates and protein. Both are necessary for your to body refuel, repair muscle tissues, and help you become stronger and ready for your next workout.

Get some stretching in

After a tough workout, getting some stretching in can help improve your muscles flexibility, joint function, and keep you injury free. Doing some stretching can also help the lactic acid buildup in your muscles be released, leading to less soreness the next day.

Ice baths

Now lets be real, I’m not saying you need to get in an ice bath after every workout, because yikes. However, ice baths can be an effective way to reduce inflammation and help your body recover faster than ever. If you do have an extra tough workout, or are training for a certain fitness goal like a marathon, an ice bath can be a good technique to keep in your workout recovery repertoire. Try submerging your body in cold water for 10-15 minutes, and repeat as needed.

Cryotherapy

If sitting in an ice bath doesn’t sound like your thing, then how does standing in a chamber while being blasted with liquid nitrogen cooled air clocking in a brisk -110 degrees Celsius? Sounds awful, but I promise you it’s amazing. Cryotherapy gives you all of the benefits of taking an ice bath, but it only takes a few minutes to complete. For more on the benefits of cryotherapy, head over here.

Get a massage

Massage is a fantastic way to help improve circulation in your muscle, allowing you to fully relax. While it’s understandable you can’t go get a massage after every workout (I wish), you can always try self massage and foam rolling exercises that are relatively cheap while still being effective. Try getting a 5-10 minute massage session after your workout.

Avoid overworking your body

It is extremely important to listen to your body after finishing a strenuous workout. Pushing yourself is an important factor in ensuring your continually make progress towards your fitness goals, however, there comes a time when your body will let you know you may have taken it a bit far. If that’s the case, it is important to be mindful of how your body feels. Be sure to factor in rest days and lighter sessions every now and then to ensure your body properly recovers.

Get quality sleep

Sleep is hands-down the best thing for your body when it comes to post-workout recovery. While asleep, incredible things are happening to our body. It will produce growth hormone, which is responsible for tissue growth and repair. Sleep also works wonder for helping regulate your heart rate, blood pressure, stress levels, and weight management.