Trainer Q&A: How to Recover Faster After a Workout

Trainer Q&A: How to Recover Faster After a Workout

We’ve all been there. You don’t exercise regularly, but have a sudden burst of enthusiasm. You decide to ride this wave of optimism and determination and make the best of it, only to end up sore or, even worse – injured. Exercising is greatly beneficial to our body and mind, but the inexperienced and unprepared can sometimes end up doing more harm than good. Here’s some useful advice on how to recover faster after a workout and have optimally effective workouts, with no negative side effects.

Always Stretch

This old advice might sound silly, but it’s really not. Stretching doesn’t really seem like doing that much, and a lot of people feel inclined to skip it. However, it really does serve an important purpose. Just because the results are not visible, it doesn’t mean they aren’t there. Stretching is actually necessary both before and after a workout. It helps you prevent injury by preparing your body for the strain of exercising while also increasing flexibility. Stretching after the workout will help relax muscles that feel particularly tight.

Watch What You Eat

Even if you’re trying to lose weight, not eating before a workout is a bad idea. The hunger and the effort will likely result in a drop in your blood sugar, which is a very unpleasant experience. Eating a good meal will result in a more effective workout. Of course, that doesn’t mean that you should eat a burger and fries beforehand. The best way to prepare is to eat a combination of carbs and fibre. The carbs will give you fuel, while the fibre will prevent spikes in blood sugar. Fruit and oatmeal, or other whole grains are your best bet. After a workout, treat yourself to some delicious muscle-building proteins – like eggs, yogurt, fish or steak. And don’t forget to drink plenty of water!

Get Yourself Comfortable

Proper gym wear is not just about looking the part. Plenty of research goes into the design and creation of gym wear for men, to make it as comfortable and functional as possible. The clothes are made from special fabrics designed to be breathable and to offer support where needed. Women should take care to wear a proper sports bra. Quality gym shoes are particularly important. Wearing the wrong shoes can make exercising extremely unpleasant, leading to multiple problems – from the small ones like blisters, to bigger ones, like back pain.

Pace Yourself

Knowing when and how to rest is just as crucial as exercising. No matter how impatient you are to get a head start, and make up for all the years of inactivity, pushing too fast or too hard is more likely to have a negative effect than a positive one. Don’t push yourself over the limit – you are risking hurting or overexerting yourself. You have to put things into perspective – after all, Rome wasn’t built in a day. Physical activity to promote health and fitness is a long-term project – even a lifelong one, and working yourself too hard for a short amount of time doesn’t amount to much in the long run.

Take Time To Rest

Periods of rest between training sessions are the time when your body heals. Every time you work out, your tissue suffers microtrauma – tiny tears and injuries. A free day between exercising will give the muscles time to repair themselves. If, for any reason, you feel like you can’t take a day off, at least alternate the intensity of your workouts. Light cardio improves circulation and is an excellent follow up after an especially intense muscle work. Bear in mind that workouts can be very taxing, so make sure you sleep enough and give yourself plenty of chance to relax.

It’s great that you have the wish and the drive to do something for yourself. Even if you have previous negative experiences with injuries or sore muscles, there’s no need to feel discouraged. Taking proper care of yourself will leave you feeling great both right after exercise and in the long run.