Recovery work needs to become a vital part of your training and will help to counter the effects of post-workout soreness and will improve your abilities.
Post-workout soreness is a pain that affects us all. If you train hard, it becomes an inevitable part of progress, a sign of growth and development. Here are five ways to help manage it to maximize your recovery.
This method relies on performing low-intensity aerobic exercise. The increase in blood flow has proven effective in reducing muscle soreness. This may take the form of walking/wheelchair pushing, handcycling or swimming, and trying to keep a steady consistent pace over a prolonged period of time. This can be a fun way to incorporate your exercise in a social setting such as a scenic walk with friends or family.
Massage increases blood flow to muscles and helps to remove any buildup of lactate. A good massage can often be more effective at hitting awkward spots. While expensive, a decent physiotherapist or massage therapist can make a big difference.
Foam rolling is probably the most popular option amongst most active people. This is a cheap and accessible way to get those knots in the muscle and maintain good tissue quality. It should be performed on a regular basis. Keep in mind, it may be a challenge to get into certain positions required to roll properly, myself included! Luckily, with technological advancements, there are plenty of massage guns out there at fairly affordable prices that can really help in this area.
Our blood vessels constrict in the cold and dilate in the heat. Alternating between hot and cold acts as a pump, flushing blood through the muscles, promoting clearance. This is something I learnt in my swimming days as a great way to recover between races.
Primarily, we used hot / cold showers which will stimulate this effect. Or if possible, try swimming in a local outdoor pool, river or lake. Exposure to cold water will also have the additional affect of lowering blood pressure, stimulating the release of endorphins, burning fat and strengthening your immune system. Amazing if you’re feeling brave enough!
Ice baths have the added benefit of hydrostatic pressure. The external pressure of water, added with the cold, forces blood and metabolites out of the extremities.
Yoga, stretching, and mobility work are all highly effective ways to counter post-workout muscle soreness. Try to make mobility work a regular habit. Because of this, it is included in the training plans. Even just five minutes a day will set you on the path to becoming much more athletic with stronger movement patterns and improved flexibility. You can always increase this if time allows but a little goes a long way!
Prevention is often the best cure. If your warm up is inadequate, then you will not perform as well as you could in your workout. This in turn increases the risk of injury and the likelihood of post workout soreness. This is why I always include a warm-up in each session and despite it often being the same, it’s been optimised to be as effective as possible in the shortest time possible to maximise its benefits.
Nutrition for performance
When talking about recovery and reducing post workout soreness, it is impossible not to mention nutrition. Below is a quick introduction to outline the basics.
Protein is essential for the repair of cells that have been damaged during intense training. The repair of these cells makes our muscles bigger and stronger. Most of us could benefit from increasing our intake of lean protein.
When we train at high intensity, we rapidly deplete glycogen stored in the muscle. This is the fuel we need to perform. Consume quality carbohydrates as soon as possible after training. During the post workout period, we make better use of carbohydrates as our muscles want to replace glycogen. Glucose is absorbed easier during this period, preventing it from being stored as fat. The amount needed depends largely on the duration and intensity of the training.
They are essential for the proper functioning of our cells and muscles. It is vital that we eat a balanced healthy diet with healthy fats and supplement with a good multivitamin. This ensures that the greater needs of repairing cells are met, allowing them to restore themselves fully.
Drinking fluids is extremely important. When we sweat, we lose water. Water is the main constituent of blood. When hydration is poor, we have a reduced blood volume. Blood volume is a key factor in determining aerobic capacity and performance. Maintaining good hydration ensures our cardiovascular system is functioning at maximum capacity. As our body is made mostly of water, good hydration will also contribute to the repair and growth of cells. A great way to monitor hydration levels is to check urine colour, light straw colour being optimal.