A few weeks ago while in the sauna, another gym member came and sat right next to me and immediately asked me how many body parts I trained during each session. My response to him was that I train all the body parts for a total body workout but that I only perform
calisthenics exercises. Needless to say he was pretty shocked that I could achieve great results without having to use weights. Then he proceeded to tell me about his training routine. He mentioned how he does, 2 to 3 high intensity interval training per day and spends a lot time doing cardio. So I asked him why he was working out so much. His answer was that he wants to get back to 3 percent body fat and lose all fat around his stomach so his abs would pop out. Then I asked him, "when do you get to rest?" He replied "I only take 1 or 2 days off and I only get 3 to 4 hours of sleep every night" And so I said to him "There is your problem! You are doing too much and not getting enough rest. That's why you are not seeing any results!"
Which brings us to why Rest and Recovery after Exercise is important. Rest is a very critical component in your training for a variety of reasons. Physically it is necessary so that the muscles can repair, rebuild and strengthen. During rest and recovery, the body adapts to the stress of exercise and the effects of the training take place. While resting the body takes time to replenish energy stores and repair damaged tissues. It is also the time where muscle GROWTH occurs! Without proper recovery time, the body will continue to breakdown from intensive exercise and can lead to
overtraining syndrome. In the long run
NO REST = NO GAIN.
Here are 10 tips to recover quickly after a workout.
1.
Cool Down. Cooling down simply means slowing down (not stopping
completely) after exercise. Continuing to move around at a very low intensity
for 5 to 10 minutes after a workout helps remove lactic acid from your muscles
and may reduce muscles stiffness. warming up and cooling down are more helpful
in cooler temperatures or when you have another exercise session or an event
later the same day.
2.
Replace Fluids. You lose a lot of fluid during exercise and ideally,
you should be replacing it during exercise, but filling up after exercise is an
easy way to boost your recovery. Water supports every metabolic function and
nutrient transfer in the body and having plenty of water will improve every
bodily function. Adequate fluid replacement is even more important for
endurance athletes who lose large amounts of water during hours of sweating.
3.
Eat Properly. After depleting your energy stores with exercise,
you need to refuel if you expect your body to recover, repair tissues, get
stronger and be ready for the next challenge. This is even more important if
you are performing endurance exercise day after day or trying to build muscle.
Ideally, you should try to eat within 60 minutes of the end of your workout and
make sure you include some high-quality protein and complex carbohydrate.
4.
Stretch. After a tough workout, consider gentle stretching.
This is a simple and fast way to help your muscles recover.
5.
Rest. Time is one of the best ways to recover (or heal)
from just about any illness or injury and this also works after a hard workout.
Your body has an amazing capacity to take care of itself if you allow it some
time. Resting and waiting after a hard workout allows the repair and recovery
process to happen at a natural pace. It's not the only thing you can or should
do to promote recovery, but sometimes doing nothing is the easiest thing to do.
6.
Perform Active Recovery. Easy, gentle movement improves circulation which
helps promote nutrient and waste product transport throughout the body. In
theory, this helps the muscles repair and refuel faster.
8.
Take an Ice Bath. Some athletes swear by ice baths, ice massage or
contrast water therapy (alternating hot and cold showers) to recover faster,
reduce muscle soreness and prevent injury. The theory behind this method is
that by repeatedly constricting and dilating blood vessels helps remove (or
flush out) waste products in the tissues. Limited research has found some benefits of contrast water
therapy at reducing delayed onset muscle soreness
(DOMS).
How to use contrast water therapy: While taking your post-exercise shower, alternate 2
minutes of hot water with 30 seconds of cold water. Repeat four times with a
minute of moderate temperatures between each hot-cold spray. If you happen to
have a spa with hot and cold tubs available, you can take a plunge in each for
the same time.
9.
Get Lots of Sleep. While you sleep, amazing things are taking place in
your body. Optimal sleep is essential for anyone who exercises regularly.
During sleep, your body produces Growth Hormone (GH) which
is largely responsible for tissue growth and repair.
10.
Avoid Overtraining. One simple way to recovery faster is by designing a
smart workout routine in the first place. Excessive exercise, heavy training at
every session or a lack of rest days will limit your fitness gains from
exercise and undermine your
