Taking a post exercise plunge into an ice bath at 12–15°C appears to be a common practice among many elite athletes to recover faster and reduce muscle pain and soreness after intense training sessions or competitions…
Don’t worry we are not going to suggest you do this!!! Although feel free to test the theory if you want to 🙂
Helping your body to recover after exercise is essential to any exercise regime though – it helps prevent injury, it helps you to maintain consistency in your training, it prevents you from burning out physically and mentally, and it allows your body to heal and grow stronger.
At Do You Even Bootcamp!? we are big advocates of active recovery. That means doing something on the ‘rest days’ to keep moving, especially after tough workouts that might leave you feeling a bit sore…! Walking is a great one to engage in for active recovery. Also, you could jump on your bike for a gentle pedal to the shops or to work, or perhaps a short swim or kick a ball around with the kids.
In addition to active recovery, here are Five Top Tips to help you recover quickly and completely!
- SLEEP – Not getting enough sleep can impair your body’s ability to recover, as well as your motivation to train.
. - HYDRATE – Always important, but especially after a sweaty workout! Replace what you have lost.
. - EAT WELL – Recovery requires proper nutrition, particularly protein to rebuild muscle tissue. Protein is your friend!
. - STRETCH – Post session stretching reduces lactic acid and improves circulation, helping to facilitate muscle recovery
. - AVOID ALCOHOL – Your body will struggle to heal and grow muscle if it is dealing with toxins… one to think about!
But remember… if you do end up falling foul of the dreaded injury monster don’t give up! Listen to your body and let the experienced trainers help you. We will cover this next time 🙂