YOUR BODY HOLDS DEEP WISDOM. TRUST IN IT. LEARN FROM IT. NOURISH IT. WATCH YOUR LIFE TRANSFORM AND BE HEALTHY.
– Bella Bleu
By Angie Comer
What happens after you leave the gym is just as important as what happens inside the gym. To see results from your workouts, you must optimize what you do afterwards. Recovery plays a huge role in building healthy, lean muscle mass. Muscle growth takes place after you leave they gym. Although muscle recovery may vary from person to person, there are some definitive processes that occur in the human body after an intense workout.
Muscle Fibers Rebuild
It’s a common misconception that when you work out and lift weights, you are building muscle; it is actually just the opposite. During an intense workout, muscles suffer microtears and are broken down. It is during recovery that muscle fibers rebuild, becoming leaner and stronger.
Ways to Aid Muscle Recovery
To ensure that you are getting the most from your workouts and to facilitate optimal recovery, boost your post-workout recovery by eating a healthy protein-rich diet,maintaining regular sleeping patterns, staying hydrated and stretching. There are also a few unconventional ways to aid in repairing and strengthening your tight, achy muscles.
Experience Acupuncture and Cupping
Over the years, cupping has been an extremely effective therapy to speed post-workout recovery, giving many athletes relief from sore muscles. There are many types, but one of the most common is dry cupping, which consists of plastic or glass cups placed on specific areas of the body, typically the back. Cupping speeds up muscle recovery by increasing blood circulation, lymphatic circulation and eliminating inflammation. As a result, most athletes will experience reduced stiffness, primarily because of a drastic increase in blood circulation. Athletes who receive acupuncture along with cupping may find that it improves the effectiveness and enhances the benefits of cupping by releasing fascia and trigger points in the muscles, tendons and ligaments. In conjunction, muscles and connective tissue can lengthen and relax, resulting in better range of motion and performance.
Schedule Routine Massage
Whether you work out or not, it is beneficial to get a routine massage. An intense workout may cause muscle fatigue and soreness. A recovery massage will restore some pliability and may soothe the pain and soreness of muscles. Bodywork and massages also help to remove toxins, work out the knots and stimulate blood circulation, contributing to optimal muscle recovery. For a more fitness-specific massage, research a massage therapist that utilizes myofascial release, a technique referring to the application of focused manual pressure with applied stretch to the connective tissue surrounding the muscle.
Get Your Protein
When you exercise, some of the proteins in your muscles are broken down and depleted. Getting adequate amounts of protein before and after your workout allows your body to repair these proteins and build new muscle tissue. A high-quality protein powder is an easy and convenient addition to your diet. Effective workout smoothies can be a very tasty way to eliminate inflammation and help repair muscle fibers. An effective workout recovery smoothie may include pineapple, high-quality protein powder, avocado, spinach, banana, coconut milk and turmeric. The combination of these ingredients promotes optimal muscle recovery while helping you to feel your best.