Recovery outside the gym
You probably know that growth happens while you rest. Fast recovery lets you get back to the gym sooner and train harder than before. In this article you’ll find tips for getting to your next workout more effectively and more quickly.
Some people plan their workouts down to the smallest detail, while others simply show up and train. But most of them have one thing in common: when they leave the gym, they don’t spare a thought for recovery. Very few people stop to think about how to recover more efficiently, which in turn would allow them to train more often and more intensely. Below, we take a closer look at some simple and effective recovery methods.
Epsom salt
One simple and inexpensive recovery option is a warm bath with 200-400 grams of Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) added. 15-20 minutes is enough to relax the muscles, and in that time the risk of inflammation in the joints and muscle tissue also goes down. Magnesium sulfate is also a strong vasodilator, which means that blood supply to the muscles and skin increases. Studies have found that magnesium is absorbed through the skin and therefore raises magnesium levels in the blood. Magnesium is one of the most important minerals, involved in over 300 biochemical processes, including building bone tissue, producing protein and testosterone, releasing energy from glycogen stores, and regulating body temperature.
Magnesium is also one of the minerals that dedicated trainees are often deficient in, and the deficiency usually shows up as cramps and muscle twitches. It would be downright foolish to pass up the simple solution these baths offer.
A warm bath also helps remove toxins from the body through increased sweating, reduces swelling and thereby cuts down on fluid build-up under the skin.
EMS electronic muscle stimulator
Thanks to silly TV shopping ads, many people are left with the impression that electric muscle stimulators are the biggest waste of money going. Those ads try to sell the devices as miracle machines that build muscle, and they most certainly are not that. But as a tool for reducing injuries and muscle fatigue, they are genuinely effective. The only downside is that they are extremely expensive. So what can you do with one? At low intensity and a frequency of 1-9 Hz, you can stimulate blood flow to the muscles and create a pump effect. It is also possible to relax the muscles and separate muscle cells that have fused together or become stuck in a shortened form. 15-20 minutes of use is enough. To speed up recovery after training, use the device 15 minutes after drinking a recovery drink. This pumps amino acids and glucose into the muscles and helps them heal and supercompensate faster.
Cryotherapy
Cryotherapy, or cold therapy, is a simple and effective treatment for sore and overtrained muscles. Start by applying a little massage oil, petroleum jelly or baby oil to the sore area. Then place a frozen container in the middle of the muscle and rub it in small circular movements. Gradually increase the amplitude of the circles and keep rubbing for 5-10 minutes. If you don’t have a special cryo container, you can use an ordinary paper cup filled with water and frozen. Afterwards, cut away the edges of the cup. Ice massage is especially effective for preventing inflammation.
Foam rolling
Foam rolling is a simple and inexpensive self-massage method that works in several different ways: as a pain reliever, an injury preventer and a performance booster. Unlike stretching, foam rolling focuses on improving the quality of soft tissue, not its length. When we talk about soft tissue quality, we mean the density of the muscle tissue, and above all the areas where density has increased (trigger points). If an area of a muscle has become dense, it makes no difference how much you stretch it; all that increases is the length of the muscle cells next to the trigger point. Stretching can’t get rid of trigger points, and it may only make the situation worse. These muscle knots can only be released with strong, intense massage. That is why foam rolling should be your first choice. Lie on the roller and find a dense spot, which will let you know with tenderness and/or pain, then roll back and forth over that spot until the unpleasant feeling goes away. Once the quality of the muscle tissue has improved, you can start to increase its length with stretching.
Sauna therapy
The sauna is a quite effective recovery method. Its particular benefits are faster blood circulation, sweating out toxins, and relaxation of the muscles and nervous system.
Sauna and recovery, tips:
– The temperature should stay below 90 degrees, with relative humidity at 5-15%.
– Before going into the sauna, wash yourself clean and dry off thoroughly. This optimizes the conditions for sweating and body temperature regulation.
– The best time for a sauna is 1-2 hours after training.
– Research has found that the best option is 2-3 ten-minute sauna rounds. Between rounds, take a short break of 30-60 seconds and step under a cold shower (about 20 degrees).
Cold and warm showers
This is another simple way to speed up recovery by stimulating blood circulation. This method is not recommended if you have an overuse injury or inflammation, and it should be used only for recovery purposes after training. Take 30 seconds of cold water (around 10-15 degrees) and then 2 minutes of a warm shower. Very warm water (about 45-50 degrees) reduces tension in the muscles, while warm water (35-38 degrees) has a relaxing effect. Repeat 3-4 times.
Shower therapy should be matched to the type of exercise. The usual recommendation is alternating warm and cold showers after strength training or explosive training, and cold baths after endurance training. Cold showers have also proven effective in treating muscle injuries. In that case, water at 5-15 degrees for 7-10 minutes is recommended.
The pool
Active recovery in the pool is another popular method, usually done the day after a hard workout. It also has a therapeutic effect on both body and mind. It lets the body float and shed its own weight, allowing a light workout with minimal impact on the body.
Active recovery in the pool: tips
– Water temperature: 20-28 degrees.
– Training session length: 10-20 minutes at low intensity.
– The best recovery exercises are walking, light jogging, treading water, simple swimming strokes and stretching.
Massage
Massage has plenty of benefits, and if at all possible, it should be part of every recovery process. The only thing counting against it is the price, which makes foam rolling more attractive to anyone watching their wallet.
Contrary to popular belief, massage does not speed up blood flow to the muscles. Instead, it helps the lymphatic system increase the circulation of lymph cells. Massage also helps release muscle tension and cramps and reduce inflammation (especially deep tissue massage).
Massage also affects the nervous system by activating reflex mechanisms. For example, a neck massage has a calming, relaxing effect, while massaging the long back muscles has the opposite effect. In other words, you can put your body into a recovery state by massaging the neck area, or prepare it for performance by massaging the back muscles.
How long a massage lasts depends on your body weight and the areas being massaged. A full-body massage takes about 40 minutes if you weigh 60 kg, or longer if you weigh over 100 kg. You shouldn’t have a full-body massage more than two times a week unless you are dealing with overtraining.
These were some of the methods in use that could help you recover faster and train harder. Of course, there are others too, such as acupuncture, vibration methods and so on. The most important thing is, naturally, to find the methods that suit you and your training, and add them to your training program.
Translated from Body magazine; Author: Joachim Bartoll
Author: Greta
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