Recovery starts with a good warm-up
Recovery begins before you’ve even finished your last set. If you skip the warm-up and a calm cool-down, the workout may feel shorter, but your body often makes you pay for it with stiffness, feeling worse and slower progress.
A simple truth: training isn’t only about the weight, the repetitions and a sweaty shirt. Just as important is how you prepare your body for the training load and how you calm it down afterwards.
Why does recovery start before your workout?
Many people rush straight to the bar or machine in the gym. The reason is familiar: time is short and the “real” workout feels more important. In fact, the warm-up is part of the real workout, not an annoying extra.
At rest, only 15-20% of your blood circulates in the muscles. During exertion this can rise to about 75%. That’s a big difference. When a muscle gets more blood, oxygen and nutrients reach it more easily, and the movement starts to feel more confident.
The point of a warm-up isn’t to tire yourself out before training. It’s more about getting the body going slowly. Dynamic movement suits this better than long static stretching, because static muscle work can close off capillaries. So it makes sense to start with walking, a rowing machine, a cross trainer or some other calm movement.
How does recovery begin in a workout?
A warm-up broadly falls into two parts. First comes the general warm-up, which gets the larger muscle groups working and raises your body temperature. The goal here isn’t to build up lactic acid or send your heart rate through the roof. Lactic acid starts to form in greater amounts once your heart rate rises above 70% of maximum.
At the start, rotations, flexions and short 5-10 second muscle-activating stretches also work well. They signal to the body that work is coming. If you feel your joints moving more freely and your breathing getting a little quicker, you’re on the right track.
The second part is a more specific warm-up. On chest day, that doesn’t mean only the chest. Your shoulders, back and abs come into play too, and depending on technique, your hips and legs as well. Before the sets at your actual training load, it’s worth doing a couple of lighter sets and increasing the weight gradually. That way your nervous system gets used to the movement and the risk of injury drops.
The initial warm-up should last at least 10 minutes. But that isn’t set in stone. If you head to a leg-day workout in winter in 30-degree frost, 10 minutes is no longer enough to warm up your legs. The harder the training session ahead, the longer the preparation needs to be.
Practical tips for after your workout
The aim of the cool-down is to kick-start recovery and help the body clear the byproducts built up during training, such as lactate, more effectively. It doesn’t have to be complicated. Often a calm walk is enough, so that your heart rate doesn’t drop to a complete stop in an instant.
It used to be widely believed that after strength training you should immediately stretch the muscle back to its “normal length”. Today this is approached more cautiously. After training, a muscle can remain in a shortened state for about 3-5 hours. If you stretch very hard right after heavy work, the muscle is tired at the same time, energy stores are low and the protective mechanisms aren’t working at their best.
Honestly, it makes sense to stay modest here. After a workout, about 10 minutes of calm walking at a heart rate of 60% of maximum works well. Walking gives the body a gentle jolt and helps metabolic waste products start moving. An exercise bike, rowing and a cross trainer are also good options, but after a heavy gym session walking can be a simpler, more natural choice.
Longer stretches can be done later, for example after 3-6 hours, or on a separate day. Yes, there’s one problem: if you leave stretching for later, it may slip your mind. That’s why it’s worth trying two options. For one period, take a calm walk after training and stretch later. For another period, finish with short, light stretches right away. The body signals fairly quickly which one suits you better.
Don’t forget a recovery meal either. If training has drained your energy stores, your body needs food and fluids. It doesn’t have to be an elaborate ritual. What matters is that you don’t put off eating endlessly, especially after heavy strength training.
FAQ: recovery and warm-up
Do you always have to stretch before a workout?
Long static stretching isn’t the best way to start before a heavy workout. Do a calm general warm-up instead, add dynamic movements and use short muscle-activating stretches.
Do you have to stretch hard right after a workout?
No. Right after heavy training the muscle is sensitive. A calm walk and stretching later may be the better choice, especially if you feel very tired after the workout.
How long should a warm-up be?
Start with a warm-up of at least 10 minutes and adjust it to the day. Cold weather, a heavy leg day or a stiff body need more time.
Translated from Body magazine
Translated by: Greta
Come and train! ArtGym
