No matter what your fitness goals might be, recovery is an important part of the equation. When you exercise, you are making tiny tears in your muscle fibers that need time to rejuvenate, helping your body come back even stronger.
The better your recover, the more you will enjoy the physical activities in your everyday life.
Joining forces with MoveCamp coaches, we want to give you our favourite recovery hacks:
- Reach for the resistance band.
“Resistance stretching is a great way to recover and helps with mobility. Don’t have resistance bands at home? Pick up a set from our e-store or ask a friend to apply some tension and help you with this stretch.” – Coach Vanessa, @vs.personal.training. - Load up on nutritious food.
“To recover well after exercise, diet plays a key role. It allows your body to recharge its energy in order to continue functioning properly. Ideally, make sure to eat within 2 hours of your session. Your meal should be composed of vegetable or animal protein, carbohydrates, and vegetables (preferably cooked, for easier digestion).” – Natural Food Pantry, @naturalfoodpantry. - Use a foam roller.
“Lie on your foam roller with your feet up on the wall and your arms spread open on the floor. This helps to recirculate the blood in your legs, open your chest and help your muscles relax.” – Coach Fran, @frangartonpaincoach. - Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.
“When you exert an effort, you lose a lot of water. However, to recover well, your body absolutely needs to replenish this lost water. It is, therefore, necessary to drink enough after physical activity, but also before and during. Proper hydration allows our muscles to function at their maximum capacity, eliminate toxins accumulated during exercise, and remain in shape. – Natural Food Pantry, @naturalfoodpantry. - Embrace the child’s pose.
“Cool down and recover by bringing my body back to center with yoga. The child’s pose and light stretching can target those stiff and sore areas, especially in the lower back, IT band, and calves.” – Coach Lauren, @laurenkellar. - Quality Sleep.
Good sleep is absolutely essential if you want to recover after a taxing workout. Indeed, it is during slumber that the body regenerates and rebuilds the muscle tissues that were used during physical activity. It is also during your rest that the body drains the toxins and restores energy reserves. – Natural Food Pantry, @naturalfoodpantry.
Although there are many other things you can do to recover after physical activity, it is essential to keep in mind that some discomforts require professional support. Please visit your doctor if you have tried everything we mentioned above and are still experiencing muscle soreness.