Part of every workout whether it is high-impact or low-impact should be focused on recovery. In high-impact workouts such as running, proper recovery is essential to avoid injury, repair damage, and improve performance. Here are a few reasons to focus on recovery post-workout. Not only are each of these steps important for recovery, but they also provide some enjoyable opportunities to pamper yourself. You deserve it for keeping your body active!
The Importance of Post-Workout Recovery
- Hydration: When you run, you lose a lot of water through perspiration. You sweat more when it’s hot, so summer is an especially important time to focus on post-workout hydration. The more you weigh, the more ounces of fluid you will lose when exercising. Your digestive system and your muscles need hydration in order to absorb essential nutrients and electrolytes needed to repair. Drinking water should be a routine part of your post-workout activities. If you are running long distance, then you need to hydrate during your run. Making it a habit to replenish your body with the water it lost during a workout will speed up the recovery process. If you are having trouble making it a habit, buy a premium water bottle to make drinking water more fun. If you feel pampered while drinking water, it will be more appealing after wearing your body out.
- Cooling down: The step of cooling down can be achieved in multiple ways. The first is by decreasing your exercise gradually rather than ending it abruptly. This allows your heart rate and blood pressure to adjust instead of making your body adapt to rapidly changing conditions. Cool downs do not necessarily decrease muscles soreness, but they reduce cardio stress on the body, and that aids in total-body recovery. Another way you can cool down is by taking an ice bath. The vasoconstriction and hydrostatic pressure effects of ice baths are thought to reduce stress and metabolic byproducts of exercise.
- Mobility: Elongating your muscles and alleviating tightness is important following a workout to aid in mobility and improve circulation. A good foam roller will allow you to get a deep massage in muscle tissue in order to work out tense spots or knots in the muscle. Sometimes, foam rolling feels good. More often, it is slightly painful. The relief you get from this activity makes it worth it. The pain from foam rolling amounts to much less pain later.
- Rest: The final thing that you must do in order to properly recover from your workout is to rest. This can be anything from relaxing in a recliner or hammock to meditating or taking a nap. Wear comfortable clothing, and more importantly, comfortable socks and shoes meant for recovery that reduce the stress on your body after working out. You are taking care of your body by keeping active; now pamper your body, and reward it for its exertion. A body in motion will stay in motion much longer if you allow it to rest following workouts.
Improve Your Performance and Reduce Injury by Recovering Post-Workout
Every workout should include a dedicated recovery portion in order to improve performance and reduce injury. Recovery routines should include purposeful steps to allow your body to heal from the healthy stress it endured during your workout. In order to get the best recovery, it is important to invest in quality equipment. Just like high-quality running shoes are essential to a healthy run, so are high-quality recovery tools. Research the materials you purchase for recovery to make sure they are the best. Make sure you are aware of others’ recovery methods, and you’ll ensure that you are treating your body to the best healing it can achieve.
Omega Sports sells quality recovery products to meet all of your post-workout needs. We have Yeti water bottles, TriggerPoint foam rollers and massage balls, and we have Oofos recovery footwear among other recovery items. Shop In-stores or Online for all your Active Play & Recovery Needs
