One of the reasons I’ve decided to go back to basics with this new training cycle is that I’ve had a hard time recovering lately.

This is likely due to a myriad of reason; stress, over training, lack of sleep, mobility work, stretching etc.

I will admit my recovery work has been lacking to say the least.  It certainly hasn’t been non existent but with the stress of opening my own training facility I need to do more!

I’m big on practicing what you preach so this is my way of staying accountable.  I refuse to write about something and not do it myself.  I don’t want my readers to do what I say I want you to do as I do!

So, I’m bringing back an old post about my favorite recover methods.  Here are three ways to enhance mine and your recovery ability.

Food

We’ve all seen the EAS commercials with NFL quarterback Brady Quinn telling us not to waste our workout!  I know he’s hocking EAS products but the message of the commercial is dead on.  Your muscles need nutrients to grow and the easiest way to refuel your muscles after a tough training session is to eat within 60 minutes of your workout.  Your post workout meal helps to refuel your muscle’s glycogen stores.  Not only does this help with muscle recovery but prevents your body from using your muscle as fuel, promoting fat metabolism.  The bottom line is your muscles need fuel to grow and recover and if they don’t get enough, you simply won’t grow.

The Warm Up

I’m not a huge fan of stretching before you train. Your muscles are too cold and too tight to start pulling on them.  Instead, I prefer movement based dynamic warm up.  Movements such as walking toe touches, walking lunges, pushups, squats, and band pull aparts are my favorites.  A movement based warm up will get your muscles warm and get your CNS firing.  This is especially helpful if you’re still sore from the previous workout.  I also like to use this on off days when my muscles are particularly sore.  This will force blood into the sore muscles aiding in recovery without further exhausting them.

Soft Tissue Work

This might be the most neglected aspect of recovery.  The easiest way to stimulate the soft tissue and to message the muscle is to use a foam roller, tennis or lacrosse ball, or message stick.  Foam rolling helps to message the muscle, forcing blood into it, thus aiding in recovery.  This is not the most pleasant experience in the world as I have been reduced to high pitched shrieks when using these methods.  But trust me, you’ll feel like a million bucks afterward. Get rolling immediately after your workout.  This type of soft tissue work will help reduce scar tissue build up, which over time can lead to muscles becoming extremely tight and achy.  Foam rollers and message stick are wonderful but if you have a particular knot, my favorite is a lacrosse or tennis ball because you can really hone in on one spot.  You can use the balls just like a roller or stick but they’re particularly helpful for those hard to reach areas of the back.  Simply place the ball between you and a wall and start moving about.  When you get to a tight spot keep the pressure for 15-30 seconds before moving on.

I’m glad I ran across this old post.  I will be redoubling my efforts to put in the time to do more foam rolling, dynamic stretching, and mobility.

What are your favorite methods to enhance your ability to recover.

Drop a comment and let me know!