When people commit to training to get in shape, they tend to focus on how many hours they spend in the gym, how many reps they can do, and how much weight they can lift. Most of the time, the focus is on doing more. But recovery is an important part of training your body. If you don’t focus on recovery, your body will go through burnout, and you won’t be able to focus on getting your performance up. Recovery is also very important for your body to be able to heal and grow.
This article will give you five solid tips on how to recover from hard, long, and intense physical training.
1. Focusing on Your Sleep
Sleep is very important for the human body. Good sleep hygiene can make or break your fitness journey. When you spend long hours in the gym you need to sleep so you can give your body a chance to repair. It can also help with muscle growth and trigger the release of growth hormones in the body. These hormones can deeply impact your fat metabolism, immunity level and bone strength as well. Ideally you should aim to get anywhere between 7-9 hours of sleep. You need to set up a consistent sleeping routine. Wake up and sleep at the same time during the day. Try not to use any screens at least an hour before your bedtime. Keep the temperature in your room right and keep it dark so you can get quality sleep through the night.
2. Planning Recovery Days
Workouts can reap amazing benefits if you plan your recovery or downtime sensibly. Either have shorter training sessions followed by light activity after such as walking or swimming. Or you can plan an intense training day followed by a recovery day where you engage in light activities that can help prevent muscle soreness and cramps. Make sure you don’t lie on the couch the day after intense training; that does not help the muscles at all and can decrease your performance in the gym the next day.
3. Fueling the Recovery
Your body doesn’t only need rest to recover. It also needs appropriate fuel. You need to plan your meals carefully and make sure you’re getting your macros right. If you are doubling down on HIIT training or strength training, then maybe it is best if you incorporate more fatty foods in your diet. On top of that, do not forget to hydrate properly. Hydration is very important when it comes to regulating body temperature after a workout. You can also throw in some electrolytes in the water bottle to make sure you don’t feel drained after working out. Some may also consider using supplements for muscle recovery.
4. Managing Your Stress Levels
Stress can be very dangerous for your body when you’re working out. Especially because when you work out, your body releases cortisol. If you don’t balance your stress in the downtime, your body can get caught in a storm of hormones. You should add breathing exercises to your daily routine to control your stress levels. Repeating the breathing exercises before and after working out can calm down your nervous system. Stress can seriously affect all the effort you have put into your intense training.
5. Mixing Up Your Workouts
Another great idea is to mix your workouts. You don’t always have to train intensely to get the body you want, at least not until your body gets accustomed to the intense training. Keep a schedule of cardio days in your routine. Take a day off and maybe just go for a jog or a swim. You can benefit from alternating between types of exercises. It’s good to make sure you’re giving your body a mix of physical activities that affect your fitness journey in different ways.
Conclusion
Your fitness journey is so much more than just working hard in the gym. A lot of it relies on the careful planning you put into your schedule. Another bonus tip is, be intuitive when it comes to listening to your body. Rest when you feel the need to rest and then get back at it again. A healthy body is a mix of testing the limits and resting when needed.