5 Ways to Recover from a Workout
Your rest and recovery routine is just as important as your workout routine and has an impact on your fitness performance. Plus, we all know that the feeling of soreness throughout your body for the next few days is no fun!
Here are 5 ways to recover faster and stronger from your workout.
1. Hydration
You've heard this many times before, but that goes to show how important it is.
Replenishing your fluids helps to flush the toxins from your body and prevents dehydration. So make sure you drink lots of water before, during, and after your workout!
2. Taking in the right nutrients
Do you know that feeling of just wanting to gobble up any food in sight after your workout? Turns out that there are some foods that are more effective in maximizing your recovery.
Potassium-rich foods: Playing a role in muscular energy, your potassium reserves will probably be sapped after a workout session. Replenish them with some potatoes and (you've guessed it) bananas!
Vitamin C: Working as an antioxidant, it limits free radical damage to the tissues essential for the production of connective tissue fibres and cartilage.
Anti-inflammatory foods: Especially for those recovering from an injury, avoiding inflammatory foods is important. Opt for more pineapples, ginger, and antioxidant-packed blue, red, or purple coloured fruits in your diet.
Combine the above foods and hydration, you get FP's Power House juice. Containing organic orange and lemon among other fruits and vegetables, you can get all the nutrients and fluids you need in one place!
Reward yourself with a cold and refreshing bottle of Power House that does all the recovery for you.
Now, don't these foods sound great for a post-workout routine? Try them now!
3. Contrast water therapy
Some athletes swear by ice baths, but something we can do more easily at home with the same effect is contrasted water therapy.
While taking your post-workout shower, alternate 2 minutes of hot water with 30 seconds of cold water, and repeat this a few times.
By repeatedly constricting and dilating your blood vessels, the toxins in the tissues are flushed out, reducing the soreness you're expecting within a few hours.
4. Active recovery
Get involved in some light movements like throwing a frisbee around or even just walking to the store.
Although this may seem counterintuitive for a recovery routine, it actually helps to stimulate blood flow and improve circulation to the muscles, reducing soreness.
5. High-quality sleep
Last but not least, something most of us definitely don't do enough of.
More than just for relaxing, sleep is the necessary downtime when your body releases growth hormones for it to repair the damage that has been done to your muscles during workouts, and restore itself.
More reasons to sleep longer? Yes, please.
What are some secret recovery tips you swear by? Share them with your friends and family!