Essential muscle recovery techniques to improve performance
Do you know how to improve your performance? Learn about essential muscle recovery techniques.
The process of muscle recovery plays a crucial role in the life of anyone who regularly engages in physical activities, whether they are competitive athletes or recreational practitioners. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to understand and incorporate recovery techniques as an integral component of both your exercise routine and an active lifestyle.
Effective muscle recovery after training not only reduces the risk of injuries but also ensures excellent performance in subsequent workouts, accelerating visible results.
Even after the workout, physical exertion continues to impact the body, triggering a series of processes that can include microtrauma, inflammation, the accumulation of lactic acid, dehydration, and nutrient loss, among others.
The interaction between training and our body's adaptation is complex and can be modulated (positively or negatively) by the recovery strategy. Hence, the choice of recovery techniques is of utmost importance to allow the next training session to be conducted feeling rested, not fatigued, healthy, and injury-free.
Here are some important recovery tips:
Active Recovery
Active recovery involves low-intensity exercises such as a slow jog, a leisurely bike ride, yoga, or a brisk walk, for example.
Stretching
Dynamic stretching is one of the most efficient ways to warm up before training, preparing muscles and joints for the effort, reducing the risk of injuries. Stretching after physical activity is equally important, contributing to muscle relaxation, tension and pain reduction, increased flexibility, and improved range of motion.
Hydration
Staying hydrated during recovery is as crucial as hydrating before and during exercise, as it allows the body to regulate its temperature properly and transport nutrients to replenish energy. Water plays a fundamental role in anti-inflammatory processes and assists in reducing pain, speeding up the muscle recovery process.
Nutrition
Replenishing essential nutrients after exercise is crucial. A healthy and balanced diet provides the body with what it needs to repair damaged or depleted tissues.
Sleep
A good night's sleep not only restores your energy and physical and mental well-being but also plays a crucial role in the production of hormones important for the recovery and muscle growth process. It is recommended to aim for 7 to 10 hours of sleep per night.
Hydrotherapy
The use of water is an interesting tool for muscle recovery and relaxation. Cold water causes rapid circulatory activation, has analgesic effects, and can reduce inflammation, swelling, muscle pain, and the perception of fatigue. Hot water is more suitable for muscle relaxation.
In summary, making recovery a priority brings both short and long-term benefits. Despite the effectiveness of all the strategies mentioned above, recovery methods should be individually tailored to be more practical, safe, and effective to ensure better recovery for the individual in question. A physiotherapist or certified personal trainer can assist in tailoring your recovery plan!
Thordis Berger
Chief Medical Officer Holmes Place Portugal
References:
Dupuy O, et al. An Evidence-Based Approach for Choosing Post-exercise Recovery Techniques to Reduce Markers of Muscle Damage, Soreness, Fatigue, and Inflammation: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis. Front Physiol. 2018 Apr 26;9:403.
Meeusen R, et al. Prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of the overtraining syndrome. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2013 Jan;45(1):186-205.
Roberts L. A., Raastad T., Markworth J. F., Figueiredo V. C., Egner I. M., Shield A., et al.. (2015). Post-exercise cold water immersion attenuates acute anabolic signalling and long-term adaptations in muscle to strength training. J. Physiol. 593, 4285–4301.