Recovery is an essential part of any training routine: athletes, sportsmen and sportswomen know that recovering after a workout has a big impact on performances and it allows to train in a more efficient way the next time they workout.
Recovering after the training repairs and strengthen muscle tissue, which otherwise could cause injury through straining or tearing. Any muscle needs between 24 and 48 hours to repair, for this reason it’s important not to strain the muscles too soon and to learn to listen to your own bodily needs. Here are the best and fastest ways to recover after workout:
#1 Doing some stretching
Right after a workout it’s a good habit to do 10/15 minutes of static stretching: it will help to maintain the muscle elasticity. What’s important is to carry out calming exercises, which can slow down the heart rate and breathing, and help to get back to the normal muscle tension.
#2 Rehydrate with water
During the physical exercise the body temperature increases, you sweat and subsequently many liquids and mineral salts are lost from the body. To maintain the right hydro-balance and prevent dehydration it’s important to drink water both during and after the practice, but ensure it’s not too cold to avoid the occurrence of cramps.
#3 A diet rich in the right nutrients
To repair muscle tissue, recover energy and allow the muscles to strengthen, it’s necessary to introduce proteins and carbohydrates in variable proportions depending on the type of training. For ideal recovery, it’s advised to consume a meal with these nutrients within half an hour after the end of a workout.
#4 Massage aching muscles
Spoiling yourself with a cooldown massage after a workout is the best way to recover from the physical effort. Over the traditional massage one can opt for a hydromassage that, apart from enhancing the blood flow it also promotes a sensation of complete relaxation thanks to the water action on the body.
#5 Resting and sleeping more
After workout, it’s important to give the right amount of recovery time to all the body: if you don’t rest adequately, the body undergoes a psychophysical weakening, and it will be harder to train the next time. For a perfect recovery, the higher the intensity of the exercise the longer the rest must be, and increasing the hours of sleep.
