If you’ve ever had a day when your body hurts all over after a workout, know that there are tons of ways to help you recover faster! Whether you occasionally hit the Gyms in Hamilton Ontario or go twice a day, recovery should be a regular part of your routine. When it comes to a healthy lifestyle, your recovery days and are just as important as the days you crush it. Take the time and do the steps you need to rest and recover, and reap the benefits later.
Don’t skip stretching
You know how important stretching is, so make sure you add at least 15 minutes into the end of your workout dedicated to stretching out those muscles. Stretching is a great way to reduce muscle tension and likely reduce any muscle soreness.
Protein, protein, protein
Before bed, after a workout, for breakfast.
A light peotein snack before bed allows our muscles to keep repairing while we sleep. Protein for breakfast can give our bodies exactly what it needs to keep repairing our muscles throughout the day, not to mention it can reduce food cravings later in the day. If you’re short on time, remember that Hamilton has tons of great restaurant options for protein-packed food.
Get a good night’s sleep
Sleep is prime time for the body to undergo protein synthesis, so getting extra zzzs after a tough workout might make for stronger muscles and better endurance. After a tough workout at the gym, there’s nothing better than hitting the hay early and getting a good night’s sleep!
Keep that body moving
The worst thing you can do for your recovery is sit still and stop moving. Even if your muscles are feeling sore and your instinct is to rest, the best thing you can do is get up and get moving. Go for a walk or a jog by the bayfront in Hamilton, or do a light day in the Hamilton gym. The more you rest, the more stiff you’ll get, and the longer your recovery will take.
Cut out stress
Of course, exercise is a great way to manage stress and feel great. When you exercise, your endorphins go up, which results in all the happy feels. But even if you’re exercising, chronic stress can have a huge impact on how you feel on a day to day basis, and it also affects how quickly you recover. No matter what, stress is going to take a toll on your overall well-being as well as your body’s ability to take on further challenges. Resulting in a longer recovery from your workout. If you’re looking for a way to take unwinding to the next level, go meditate next to one of Hamilton’s many waterfalls. We promise it won’t disappoint!
Drink chocolate milk
You read that right. Coach’s orders! The protein in chocolate milk will rev up your muscle recovery, and the chocolatey carbs can reduce the length of time it takes for the body to prepare for its next challenge. It’s science.
Drink plenty of H2O
The more water you drink, the better your recovery can be. When you exercise while dehydrated, it can cause a lot more damage to your muscles and reduce your body’s ability to repair itself. Reach for water before Gatorade to keep your hydration up and the calories down.
Learn to love the foam roller
A lot of the soreness that you feel after working out is from when your muscles and fascia become knotted. Foam rolling can help remove those knots and prevent muscle imbalances from forming. Check out our video lesson on how to foam roll, and try it yourself the next time you’re in the gym. It’s not exactly known for being comfortable, but the results are worth it.
Go for a massage
Similar to foam rolling, you’re looking to release those knots after a workout. Massages help break up scar tissue and reduce stiffness that goes along with muscle repair. We highly recommend the team at Integrative Massage Therapies in Hamilton. They gave amazing massages to the runners at our 2018 Around the Bay After Party in the gym and the feedback was out of this world!
Take a cold dip
You’ve probably heard of athletes taking ice baths after a big meet to help repair muscles, but you can do it too! It doesn’t have to be ice, but it should be cold. Think of it this way – you know that happy feeling when it’s the middle of the summer and you have sweat beading down your body, and you jump into a nice, cool shower? Your muscles will feel as equally happy when you let them rest in a cold bath after a workout. Trust us!
Recovery is a critical part of any fitness-related goal. Whether you want to get stronger, faster, leaner, or better, you’ll need to incorporate each of these tips into your daily recovery plan. A workout program from a Momentum Fitness Personal Trainer Hamilton will include the perfect balance of exercise and recovery, to make sure you achieve your fitness goals.
Get started with a program today.
