Some workouts are worse than others. Despite how hard you train, there are still days that sneak up on you after a workout. You know those days: your body aches, your muscles are sore, and the thought of you crouching down makes you cringe. Don’t suffer through the pain; recover from it. Try these 5 unusual recovery methods to help you feel better faster.
Choosing a Recovery Method
Why are you sore and fatigued after a workout? Your body can feel sore after a workout for up to 24 to 72 hours post workout. This is normal; it’s called Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS). No, DOMS is not the result of lactic acid build-up in the muscles. DOMS is the result of the muscle repair process. When you work your muscles beyond their normal activity levels, the muscles experience microscopic tears. The tears are the result of movements that lengthen the muscle while also applying force. The amount of force correlates to the level of the soreness.
A few additional reasons why you feel sore and/or tired after a workout include:
You did not incorporate a cool-down period into the final phase of your workout
You’ve been in a workout rut
You are not drinking enough water or eating the right foods
Overtraining
5 Unusual Recovery Methods
Your rigorous training needs an effective recovery method. Whether you are an elite athlete or an amateur, you will feel some level of soreness after a workout. Muscle soreness is a good thing. Now that you have got the invigorating workout in, it is time to recover. These uncommon recovery methods can help you get moving again.
1. Electrical Stimulation
We've discussed electrical stimulation many times on the website. Other common recovery methods work for recovery, but electrical stimulation also does help.
Marc Pro is a device that many professional athletes use to aid in recovery. Marc Pro stimulates the muscle to improve performance, and the Marc Pro Plus provides temporary relief to muscles that experience pain. Marco Pro uses electrodes, which are placed on the muscle, to deliver electrical stimulation to specific muscles or muscle groups. Athletes use the device when they warm-up and when they cool down. When used at least three times per week, Marc Pro claims the device will reduce muscle soreness, improve the function of your vascular system, and reduce fatigue for a better workout the next day. According to Marc Pro, this is all possible through the process of removing “related waste and deoxygenated blood away from the fatigued area(s)” to nourish the sore area....
Often electrical stimulation units help provide stimulation and sensation to an area of pain, reducing the pain interpreted, the Gate Control Theory.
2. Ice Massage
You will want to head to the heat packs to relieve pain, but try a little cold instead. Cold therapy may help your muscles feel better after a workout because it reduces inflammation and numbs muscle soreness. That is why you see so many professional athletes in ice baths after a workout. You don’t have to run out and grab dozens of bags of ice from the convenience store. You can give yourself an ice massage at home. All you need is Dixie cups, water, and a freezer.
Fill Dixie cups about 3/4 full with water
Pop the cups into the freezer until the ice is solid.
Cut away the excess paper on the cup to expose the ice.
Massage the ice in a circular motion over the sore area.
As the ice melts, tear away more parts of the cup.
When you do ice massage, don’t leave the ice on a single area for too long. Keep the ice moving. Avoid overusing the muscles until they have had the chance to warm back up. This could take up to an hour. Do not use ice before your workout.
Just remember, ice or an ice bath could blunt long-term improvements from beneficial inflammatory markers for muscle growth.
3. Take a Nap
This always sounds great in theory, but how many of us can actually squeeze in a little shuteye? Give it a try. Sleep is critical for optimal athletic performance, and for your overall mental and physical health, and it can help you combat fatigue. Exercise breaks down muscle, drains your energy, and dehydrates your body. Sleep is a way to restore and to improve focus. Athletes require more sleep than everyone else because they are pushing their bodies and require more time to recover. Sleep disturbances can greatly affect focus, recovery, response times, and more.
4. Make Your Own Ice Cream
Who doesn’t like to eat ice cream? Knowing you have a frozen treat waiting for you after you push through a tough workout can help you endure. This new twist on ice cream makes an excellent addition to your nutrition plan, it’s gluten-free, and it is vegan. How is this possible? It’s a banana ice cream. Keep frozen bananas, fruits, juice cubes in your freezer for a quick snack after your recovery or just when you want to enjoy a treat without the calories and fat. Banana ice cream is loaded with potassium, bananas replenish carbs and restores lost magnesium, and they work well with protein. Your post-workout food should help you refuel to you can recover quicker, and this banana ice cream recipe will help you do just that.
Slice three to four bananas and freeze them in the freezer.
When the bananas are completely frozen – it takes about 2 hours, so you might want to keep a few bags in your freezer – put them in a food processor.
Use the pulse setting to chop the bananas. You will have to open the top every so often to move the bananas around.
When the bananas have the consistency of ice cream, toss in your recovery fruits and foods. Toss in a juice cube or two, fold in blueberries, scoop in peanut butter, or slice in strawberries.
Blend together and enjoy.
5. Keep Moving
Don’t slump onto the couch if you are feeling sore. Keep moving. Do some light cardio to help you recover by improving blood flow. You just did a hard workout, so why not do something fun afterwards. Go for a walk, ride your bike around the block, hop on the elliptical machine, or play outside with your kids. This is called “active recovery,” and it may be your ticket to better recovery. Active recovery is best when combined with active breathing techniques and relaxation techniques such as yoga. Yoga keeps you moving, it guides your breathing, and it has a winding-down component at the end to help you relax.
Your recovery is just as important as your training and performance. Don’t skip it. What are some of your favorite post-workout recovery methods? Remember, you should feel moderate soreness, but not pain. If you experience pain or soreness that will not go away, talk to your physician. The last thing you want is rhabdomyolysis!
Also, don't forget about the common recovery methods, if you have a pool, swimming warm-down is likely your best bet for feeling better!
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