A disclaimer before reading our top 5 tips to stay on top of your muscle recovery game: unless a good diet (tailored to YOU) and a healthy sleeping cycle aren’t at the core of your recovery stage, then no amount of magic supplements and organic pasture-raised massaged-daily shampoo-and-conditioned beef bone broth will sustain good muscle recovery. Lose sleep and nutrition and you risk putting your body through serious stress with consequences such as not seeing growth in fitness levels, feeling prolonged soreness in muscles as well as a greater chance of injury.
Now that you’ve hopefully understood that good sleep and proper nutrition are key players in effective muscle recovery, lets dive into the useful hints that will aid this process: 1. Drinking less alcohol
This seems like a no-go for many areas in life, but if you’re serious about upping your muscle recovery game, then this step is super important. Consuming alcohol post-workout (who doesn’t like a cheeky pint after a gruelling Friday leg-day?) decreases your muscles ability to synthesise protein as well as restoring its glycogen levels.
2. Contrast Showers
Fortunately, you don’t need to go full Whim Hoff and dunk yourself into an Arctic lake to reap the benefits of contrast hydrotherapy. You can do this in the shower by alternating between warm and as cold as you can handle (the colder, the better!). Studies show this lessens soreness after a workout as well as improving cardiovascular health - both great for speedier muscle recovery.
3. Protein Powder
Opt for a protein powder which indicates it includes full-spectrum amino acids - these are broken down and easily absorbed protein molecules. If supplements aren’t really your things, then getting more protein in your diet will always be a good idea for muscle recovery. Thinks eggs, beans and meat.
4. Keeping Hydrated
This is an obvious one to many, however it is often overlooked for its simplicity. The muscles ability to repair itself becomes greatly compromised when you’re dehydrated, especially when training in a hot environment. Keep the bottle always with you when exercising or even going for a walk.
5. Massage
If you can allow yourself this little luxury, then getting professional massages will really help with muscle recovery. Not only does this reduce soreness in muscles, but it also aids in flexibility! Research has also shown that massaging the affected area will reduce DOMS (delayed onset of muscle soreness) after training.
Here at Arrow Fitness in Chiswick our Personal Trainers are level-3 qualified, have a certificate in Nutrition as well as over 10 years of experience working with people of all levels of fitness. Our dedication to helping you on your exercise journey is unparalleled, with various testimonials praising our professionalism and expertise.
Let us help you get started on your fitness journey with a free consultation to introduce you to the gym and give you the tools you need to achieve your goals.
Contact us today via:
Email: contact@arrowfitness.co.uk
Phone: 07871 201334
or by filling out an enquiry form here.
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