4 Ways To Speed Up Your Recovery
Rest and recovery are critical components for any athlete’s training. As an athlete, you are only as good as your ability to recover, so to maximize your training, it’s important to take care of your body.
Rest
Our bodies can take care of itself if you allow it time to do so — sleep allows our bodies that time for natural regeneration. Getting quality sleep and rest for your body is one of the most effective methods of recovery after a hard workout because it allows the repair and recovery process to happen naturally.
Replenish Lost Fluids
We lose a lot of fluid and natural minerals when we exercise, so it’s essential to replenish them. This starts by drinking the most hydrating thing you can — water. Sufficient water consumption supports every bodily function, and our muscles are 75 percent water, so for them to recover quickly and easily, they must be hydrated. Adding electrolytes to water amplifies hydration by replenishing the minerals your body loses when you sweat.
Eat Recovery Foods
Just like you need to replenish your body with water and electrolytes, you need to refuel your body with healthy, recovery foods. After depleting your body’s energy, you need to refuel if you expect your body to recover in time for the next challenge. This means having a protein shake and eating high-protein, anti-inflammatory food within an hour after your workout.
Muscle Pliability
The missing leg of many recovery processes starts before you even workout. Even if you’re not sore, pre-workout pliability helps your muscles stay long and soft while you’re moving, lessening the soreness and tightness from lactic acid buildup you’ll have after your workout or game. Then, post-workout pliability will stimulate your lymphatic system helping clear out waste in your body, healing your body faster, so you bounce back into your sport more quickly.
There is no all-in-one way to recover. Remember that recovery is multifaceted, so it takes a holistic approach to get your body back to 100 percent.
