Exercise Recovery

There are many ways to include recovery. We’ve included several of the most common strategies here. If you have any questions about recovery and what is right for your needs, consult with a certified personal trainer.

Dynamic Warm-up

Prime your body with movement and reduce any lingering soreness with a dynamic warm-up. This encourages blood flow and increases core temperature. Get your heart rate up with some light jogging, walking, pedaling on a bike, or jumping jacks. Then move your joints through a large range of motion with movements such as arm circles, leg swings, or lunges.

Active Cool Down

Just as important as the dynamic warm-up is the active cool down. Do a few minutes of low intensity cardio movement after a workout (such as walking or pedaling on a stationary bike for five to 10 minutes at an easy pace). This allows blood pressure and heart rate to gradually decrease and helps prevent blood pooling in your limbs. Active cool down is also a great way to clear waste products from the cells so they don’t build up in the muscles. Even if you don’t feel sore, the waste products can cause fatigue in your next workout.

Stretching and Mobility

Following the cool down, focus on stretching and mobility for the muscles you used in your workout. Hold each stretch for at least 60 seconds (which can be broken up into sets of shorter hold times). Let the muscle relax during the stretch. Keep your breathing slow and controlled while stretching.

Hydration

Hydration before, during, and after a workout affects recovery.

• Make sure you’re hydrated before you exercise.
• During exercise, keep a water bottle handy and drink small amounts throughout the workout. Your exercise intensity, duration, fitness level, and environmental factors such as heat and humidity all impact fluid needs.
• After your workout, aim to replace fluid lost through sweating. Water is usually the best way to hydrate, although a sports drink to replace lost electrolytes can be appropriate for moderate- to high-intensity exercise sessions lasting one hour or longer.

Nutrition

How you fuel your body is another key for quick and adequate recovery. While energy and nutrient (carbohydrate, protein and fat) needs vary by person and activity type, the nutrition principles are the same:

• You need enough energy (calories) to support your daily activities and exercise sessions.
• Carbohydrates replenish the fast-acting energy stores in the muscles.
• Protein is required for muscle repair.
• Healthy fats provide energy and help the body absorb fat-soluble vitamins.

Choosing a variety of nutrient-rich foods fuels the body for your workout and supports recovery afterward.

Sleep and Rest

Sleep allows the body time to rebuild and repair itself. For recovery purposes, aim for at least eight hours of sleep each night.

Also, give your body at least 48 hours of rest between higher-intensity exercise of the same muscle groups. Rest can be passive or active. Passive rest means little to no activity. Active rest includes lighter activities such as foam rolling, gentle yoga, massage, or mobility exercises. Active rest increases blood flow and brings nutrients to the muscles and joints to support healing.

Myofascial Release

Connective tissue that surrounds the entire body is called myofascia. When the myofascia is flexible, it moves smoothly and supports optimal movement. Myofascia can become tight and restricted from poor posture, lack of movement, and other factors. This can lead to pain, stiffness, and reduced function. Myofascial release techniques help with restrictions by improving blood circulation, restoring mobility, and reducing soreness.

Tools for myofascial release include massage sticks, foam rollers, and lacrosse or tennis balls. Self-massage or post-workout massage therapy are also recovery options.

Cold Water Immersion

Gaining in popularity, ice baths or cold-water immersion can influence inflammation, immune function, muscle soreness and feelings of fatigue. Some studies show it may be helpful for injuries, swelling or individuals in contact sports.

If you decide to try cold plunging, start with increasingly cool showers or baths. Then, start with short dips and gradually increase the exposure time as your body adapts. Never plunge alone.

IMPORTANT: Talk to your doctor first to see if cold plunging is safe for you. For some people, the shock of cold can be dangerous.