For fitness enthusiasts or newbies to the workout scene, people tend to focus on the exercise alone. How to build those muscles, cut down on the extra pounds, and burn those calories. But beyond the exercise itself, muscle recovery is also important. In fact, what you do when you’re out of the gym is equally important to reaching your fitness goals.
Proper muscle recovery helps the body heal and be well-rested for the next day’s workout. Also, it is important to find the right balance between workout intensity and recovery. This way, the body can thrive. People who don’t prioritize recovery often end up straining their muscles and become susceptible to injuries.
Supporting muscle recovery includes an effort to improve diet, hygiene, and a healthy lifestyle. Incorporating some of these tactics makes it possible to build muscle in the future.
1. Consume Protein
Protein contains amino acids that the body needs to repair itself and grow. This is why you need to consume protein post-workout to build muscles. Protein can be found in high quantities in meat, fish, poultry, legumes, milk, and nuts. The recommended protein amount is 10 to 35 percent of your daily energy intake. Experts advise that the average person should take 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram or 0.35 grams per pound of body weight.
To consume protein effectively, you can swap out cereals for eggs, add cheese to your diets, and introduce almonds and Greek yogurt to your meals. Protein powders and smoothies are fantastic choices for protein intake. Protein powder makes it possible to make a rich protein shake. Varieties include whey, egg, soy, and pea.
Another reason to consume protein is that muscle mass is developed when there’s a positive protein balance in the body. That is protein synthesis must exceed protein breakdown. Research also shows that protein breakdown is at its highest after a workout. This is why a protein smoothie or shake after a workout session is invaluable.
2. Get Enough Rest
Sleep is a key restorative process that is often overlooked. Sleep helps the body self-repair and rejuvenate for the following day’s activities. Sleep also allows muscle to grow, recover, and prevents illnesses. During sleep, muscle-building hormones are secreted; these hormones also relieve pain and tension in the muscles.
Research shows that adequate sleep improves the performance of tennis players. University swimming athletes who increased their sleep also had faster dives and turn times. Basketball players also became better after increasing their sleep time. This shows that sleep has a direct impact on muscle coordination.
Adequate sleep also helps athletes stay alert and improves their response time. Lack of sleep also results in exhaustion and poor judgment. Over a long period, it increases the risk of obesity, heart diseases, depression, and anxiety.
3. Fight Inflammation
Inflammation is the body’s response to stress. This also includes overworked muscles, as workout routines often cause micro-tears in the muscles. Inflammation is the act of the body trying to heal itself. However, consistent workouts can lead to chronic inflammation, which becomes a challenge for the body.
Chronic inflammation can hinder the progress athletes make. It can also lead to the release of free radicals that cause muscle degradation, causing you to be injury-prone and damage cells. Food like fish, vegetables, and turmeric can help fight inflammation. Fatty fish and vegetables are high in polyphenol and natural antioxidants.
Turmeric, on the other hand, contains curcumin, a compound that gives it its medicinal properties. Curcumin has anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties that help combat free radicals and reduce the risk of arthritis. You can quickly get the benefits by consuming turmeric gummies or adding greens into your smoothies.
4. Massage Therapy
Massage therapy is another way to improve muscle recovery. After a long workout, with proper sleep, the body should heal after a while. But for so many reasons this is not always the case. Reasons for this delay include poor circulation, swelling, and muscle fatigue.
Massage therapy looks to improve circulation, reduce pain, and fatigue. You can either decide to get a massage or purchase a massage gun. It also helps the body relax and reduce soreness. It aims at the muscles fibers and tissues and creates a therapeutic effect with different types of contact.
5. Stretch
Stretching after a workout helps improve flexibility, reduces the probability of injury, and reduces muscle tension. Stretching also helps increase the range of motion in your joints. When you stretch consistently, you reduce the likelihood of back pain and improves posture. Blood flow improves, and stress margin is reduced.
Quick Recovery, Better Results
For most people, muscle soreness has not allowed them to run a consistent fitness regimen. However, with these tips, you will recover faster than ever before and get more results. Working out can often be draining and painful. However, when you recover properly, you can feel refreshed and ready for the next gym session.
