How to Recover Faster After Intense Exercise
You wanna be strong healthy and fit, so you work out hard to get there.
But maybe you over did it, and everything is just oh so sore…
As we age and sit too much and our stress levels skyrocket- we may not recover from our sweat sessions as fast…
Your body should recover quickly after a quick HIIT or Pilates workout, but pushing yourself to the limits will leave your muscles spent. It will also require considerably more time and work to recover.
Try these tips to feel better faster and get back to your workouts!
Stay Hydrated
Your body sweats more than average to cool you down as you exercise.
It redirects fluids from other functions, which are virtually all of the body’s metabolic processes. This leaves your tissues and muscles weak and impedes important functions such as nutrients transfer and smooth blood circulation. It is a big compromise.
As such, it is recommendable to stay hydrated while and after working out. Drink plenty of water and other healthy fluids to replace the lost body fluids.
Sleep
Getting enough zzzz’s in is essential for recovering from workouts.
During REM sleep your body’s hormonal balance will restore, and it’s the only time tissue and muscle repair can happen. This is because your blood flow to muscles increases when your sleeping. Ideally try to get 8 hours in, if you are up for 16 hours a day. I meditate at night and take melatonin to help me rest well.
Take a Break
Did you know that it takes between 24 and 48 hours for a muscle to recover after intense exercising?
What’s more, getting back on the track too soon only worsens the damage, and it can lead to a breakdown of soft tissue. This is counterproductive, and taking a break is not a sign of weakness – it is necessary if you wanna feel better faster. If tyou dont you risk breaking down your body sooner- which could also be detrimental to your immune system.
Try taking breaks in between your intense days. Do simple workouts for at least two days after one or two sessions of intense training. Additionally, relax and get enough sleep, as your body will recover faster when at rest.
Get a Massage Gun
These days in person massage is off the table for me.
Massage guns have quickly become popular ways to recover from muscle stiffness and soreness from workouts. It mimics the touch of a massage therapist- without the price tag. The same way you would foam roll to relive tension- a handle massage gun will break up scar tissue and help you recover from your intense workouts.
Eat Balanced Meals
You need a balanced array of macro and micro nutrients to repair the muscle and tissue damage incurred during intense exercise.
Your body uses stored proteins to go the extra mile, especially for prolonged workouts. Going hard leads to micro tears in the muscle fibers and ony protein can repair damaged muscle.
Your body naturally stores carbs as a source of energy in your bloodstream, so getting carbs in after is also a good idea. And fats are what keep your joints healthy- so make sure you get a balance of them all!
I follow a plant based diet so I supplement with protein powders and bars to keep my protein intake adequate. However- refueling with carbs right after a workout is ideal to restore your muscles’ glycogen stores. No need to go with anything super sugary- try grabbing a piece of fruit!
Try Physical Therapy
Intense training often results in stretched, torn, and generally damaged muscles, joint tendons, and other soft tissue.
These injuries are usually painful and an impediment to further training. Therapists examine each patient, and with them create a treatment plan that over time can help them experience less pain, move more freely, and restore proper function. Most importantly, physical therapy expedites the healing process so that you can get back to working out as fast as possible.
It’s All about Staying Fit & Healthy
But overdoing it can leave your muscles damaged and you feeling crappy.