You’ve just finished a challenging and productive workout. Now what? How do you help ensure that you will be able to train equally as well tomorrow?
Most athletes are aware of the importance the post-workout recovery process, but few actually employ an effective strategy. Your post workout recovery strategy, like your training program, is both an art and science. Different techniques work better for different athletes, but there are several sound principles that should make up the foundation of everyone’s recovery technique. The following are a few of the most effective principles of post-workout recovery.
1. Nutrition.
Perhaps the most important of all recovery strategies is proper post-workout nutrition. Carbohydrates are the most important macronutrient in the recovery process immediately following your workout. As you workout you deplete your glycogen stores. The higher the intensity the faster you deplete these carbohydrate stores in you muscles and liver. If you are going to workout again later in the day or even the next day, you need to replenish your energy stores. A general rule of thumb I follow is to consume 1 gram of carbohydrate for every 6 pounds of body weight. So for example, a 150 pound athlete would need 25 grams of carbohydrates (200 calories) immediately following his workout. Protein is another important nutrient for the recovery process. The general consensus these days is that 1 gram of protein for every 4 grams of carbohydrates is the ideal amount. This adds an additional 25 calories of protein to our 150 pound athlete‘s post-workout recovery meal.
Depending on the intensity of your workout and your own stomachs capabilities your recovery meal can be either a liquid meal or solid. Generally liquid calories are easier to swallow and digest after workouts. This is especially true as the intensity and/or temperature of the workout increases. There are several commercially available products on the market that address the recovery needs of endurance athletes. These products work great and often very convenient to stash in your pocket or gym bag for immediate consumption following your workout. However, don’t rule out “regular” foods for recovery as well. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, fruit and yogurt smoothies, and milk and cereal or cookies are some favorites of mine.
Some of my preffered engineered recovery products
Some of my favorite non-commercial recovery foods
2. Compression and Elevation.
After workouts your muscles are often left damaged at the cellular level. This is what often leads to soreness in the hours and days after tough sessions. Your damaged muscles need blood, and more specifically oxygen, to help them repair and rebuild. Swelling is a common occurrence after harder sessions. This a natural reaction to the micro-trauma that has occurred. Compression and elevation can help reduce the swelling and increase the rate of fresh blood and oxygen getting to your muscles.
Wearing compression tights for the few hours after your harder sessions can improve the circulation to aid in recovery. Alongside the compression, elevating your legs for several minutes at a time can be a big benefit. There are more studies out that claim that wearing compression tights even several hours after your workouts can continue to speed the recovery process. Many athletes, including myself sleep, in their compression tights to get the recovery benefits overnight so to be fresh for the next day’s workouts.
That's me practicing my compression and elevation recovery techniques
3. Stretching and Massage.
While there are no scientific studies published that can prove the effectiveness of stretching and message from a recovery standpoint, many athletes swear by these techniques. If for no other reason, stretching and message feel great and can leave you feeling refreshed despite the lack of data showing their effectiveness.
Stretching sessions can be done immediately following workouts or several hours after. Spending just 10 minutes going through the major muscle groups can leave you feeling better and also help prevent soreness and injury from future workouts. Massage can be a wonderful treat, but for most people it can be tough to schedule in the time for massages into already busy schedules as well as make a dent in the pocket book. Self-message can be the affordable time-saving alternative. Investing a few buck into a message stick and a foam roller can be money well spent. A few minutes every day rolling out tight IT bands, quads and hamstrings can leave you feeling fresher and less stiff after tough workouts.
Rolling out the IT Bands on the foam roller
Try making these techniques a regular part of your post-workout recovery plans and you find yourself recovering faster and feeling better for tomorrow’s sessions. You’ll be able to train more, train harder, and feel better, leaving you fitter and faster come race day. Rest up and good luck!
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