7 Ways to Boost Your Post-Workout Recovery

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Their effectiveness has been proven by science.

Edema and inflammation build up in the damaged muscles 24–72 hours after heavy exertion. It hurts you from movement and touch, you cannot fully extend the limbs, and their strength leaves much to be desired.

To alleviate this condition, many people end up stretching. However, scientists have shown that this technique does not in any way affect the level of inflammation, delayed muscle pain, and a decrease in strength. However, there are other methods that work.

1. Take cold baths

This method has a double effect:

1. Cold reduces inflammation and pain, reduces swelling and helps to restore muscle strength faster.
2. Water pressure accelerates the release of metabolic products from the muscles, which also contributes to early recovery.

In addition, cold water reduces fatigue and restores alertness. This is useful during competitions when you need to recover faster after one stage in order to show good results in another.

At the same time, you should not use this technique in the usual training process. At least if you are going to increase strength and build muscle. Cold inhibits the recovery process and reduces the anabolic signals needed for muscle growth and strength, which slows down your progress.

2. Go to the sauna

There is no evidence that a post-workout sauna can help reduce delayed muscle pain or speed recovery. But if you go there before the load, the effect will appear: after exercise you will experience less pain and enslavement.

Scientists suggest that this is due to the good warming up of the body. Staying in a sauna raises the temperature of the tissues, reduces tension and increases flexibility, as a result of which muscles are less damaged during training and, as a result, less pain after exertion.

3. Wear compression clothing

Compression garments can help relieve delayed muscle pain and restore muscle power more quickly. Scientists suggest that compression simply reduces the area for swelling and slightly changes the osmotic pressure, which prevents fluid from escaping into the tissue. Less swelling means less pain.

However, it should be borne in mind that we are talking about wearing compression clothing not during, but after exercise. That is, you need to put it on when you finish practicing, and wear it for the next 24 hours.

4. Use a massage roller

This technique helps to relieve tension on the fascia, the connective tissue that the muscles are wrapped in. Since delayed pain largely depends on changes in it, relaxing the fascia helps to get rid of discomfort, maintain range of motion and strength.

In addition, massage improves blood flow, which promotes the speedy cleansing of metabolic products and reduces swelling.

5. Get a massage

A half-hour massage session immediately or within two hours after training reduces delayed muscle pain for the next 24-72 hours. After the massage, the level of circulating cortisol (stress hormone) decreases and the concentration of beta-endorphins - natural analgesics in our body - increases by 16%. As a result, you feel less tired and less painful.

Moreover, after the session, the concentration of creatine phosphokinase and interleukins, markers of inflammation and muscle damage, decreases in people. That is, massage helps to reduce inflammation in the muscles after exercise and restore strength faster.

6. Actively recover

Calm exercise the day after an intense workout can help warm up clogged muscles and reduce soreness. True, it will be easier for you, only until you cool down. Then the pain will return.

But despite such a short effect, it still makes sense to rest actively: light exercise reduces markers of inflammation and accelerates the recovery of creatine phosphate and glycogen - substances that fuel muscles.

The main thing is not to overdo it with the load. Activity should not exceed 50% of maximum effort. Light jogging or swimming in the pool with a heart rate of 65–75% of your maximum heart rate (HR) works well.

7. Take BCAA

BCAAs (Branched Chain Amino Acids) are three essential amino acids: isoleucine, leucine and valine. There is evidence that BCAAs can prevent delayed muscle pain after hard workouts and reverse the decline in performance during this time.

In addition, there is speculation that BCAAs reduce fatigue of the central nervous system after training and help to carry heavy loads, for example, during competition.

Take 200 mg of BCAA per kg of body weight, including rest days. For example, if you weigh 75 kg, you will need 15 g per day. Divide this amount by 2-3 times and take during the day after an equal amount of time.

Whichever method you choose, remember that an adequate level of exercise, adequate nutrition and quality sleep are more important. The combination of these factors will help you progress without much pain, injury, or plateaus.