Recovery Between Workouts 101

When working out it’s commonly believed you should give it everything you’ve got each and every time you work out. This is great but it can also lead to an injured body if an individual doesn’t allow for the proper recovery.

Often times my clients are extremely eager to start their weight loss journey and want to amp up their workout out schedule, leading to the question: is recovery is all that important? My answer to them is yes, it is very important. This is the time that the body adapts to the stress of exercise and the real training effect takes place. Recovery also allows the body to replenish energy stores and repair damaged tissues. Below is a list of ways that I believe are the best methods to recover after intense workouts:

1. Get more sleep

2. Listen to music

3. Consume protein before bed

4. Eat protein in the morning

5. Drink tart cherry juice

6. Drink lots of water

7. Cut back on the booze

Along with these simple ways of recovering, I also turn to three of my favorite stretches that help relax my body. These stretches include:

Hamstring Stretch - Sit down on the ground with your legs spread apart in a V-shape. Grab your right foot and try drawing your chest down to meet your right leg. Hold for about 30 seconds, switch legs, and repeat. Make sure you're relaxed when performing these stretches. Do this 3 times.

Latch Stretch - Put one arm behind your head and, while stretching your triceps, place your other arm on top of your elbow and gently apply pressure to the elbow to deepen the stretch. Perform this stretch for about 30 seconds, then switch arms and perform the same stretch. Do this 3 times.

Sitting Stretch - In a sitting position, bring the heels and balls of your feet together. Sit up straight and gently press your knees toward the floor by bending forward and using your elbows to push down your knees. You should feel a deep stretch in your groin, glutes, hamstrings, and lower back. Do this about 3-4 times.

Lastly, I’d like to emphasize that when it comes to recovering after workouts the main things you need to focus on are drinking plenty of water, getting rest, and stretching. Also, I recommend taking Glutamine to help you repair faster. Glutamine is one of the amino acids found in the body, helpful in speeding up the recovery process, and is found in many food sources as well as many supplements.

Now get out there and have a good workout, and an even better recovery!

Jason

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