Going to the gym is one of the best ways to work out and stay fit. Exercising is good for both your physical and mental health, whether you want to lose weight, tone up, build muscle or just maintain your physique and fitness level. However, after a high-intensity workout, it’s important to make sure that you are fully recovered before you hit the gym again.
Why Is Recovery Important?
If you’re lifting weights or using wrist wraps and hoping to build muscle, it’s important to note that your muscles won’t grow while you are working out – this happens when you’re resting in between gym sessions. Exercise essentially causes stress to your muscles, and when your body is stressed repeatedly, it adapts to respond better. Working out will create micro-tears in your muscles. Without adequate time to heal, your muscles will feel swollen, inflamed and exhausted. If you’re feeling the effects of not recovering, these hand-held massagers from Theragun can be an ideal way to help your body relax and recover. SSENSE offers a range of products from Theragun and Theragun Prime including massagers and muscle rollers to provide relief.
Recovery After Cardio
If you’re into cardio exercise such as running, swimming, or cycling, recovery is just as important as getting the right gear such as supportive footwear. Any aerobic exercise follows the same principle as weightlifting when it comes to the stress that it will put on your body. The more exercise you do, the more your VO2 max increases, which means that your body is able to use more oxygen when you are working out. However, if you do not give your body time to recover, you will not get as fit.
How Much Recovery Do You Need?
When it comes to working out how much recovery time you should give yourself after a high-intensity workout, there are several different factors to consider. The fitter you are, the more recovery you may require since larger muscles require more recovery time. In addition, the type of exercise that you are doing should be taken into consideration. Exercises that are much harder on the muscles will require a longer recovery time. And finally, think about yourself personally – somebody who is older will often take longer to recover compared to a young person. Listen to your body, as there will usually be some signs that recovery is needed.
How to Speed Up the Recovery Process
While it’s important to give your body the time it needs to recover after an intense workout, the good news is that there are some things you can do to speed up the process. Eating the right foods, getting enough sleep, and staying hydrated are some of the simplest options. After a hard workout, make sure that you spend your recovery time resting and relaxing as much as possible. Some gentle movement like walking can also help to improve circulation and keep you moving in between workouts.
Intense workouts can help you get the body you want, but it’s important to avoid over-doing it and make sure that your body has enough time and rest to recover from the stress.
