In the last few years, fitness has become a part of all our lives. We have people running or doing a variety of exercise regimes through the week. Something, that needs to be addressed today is the importance of Rest and Recovery. As,  overtraining can lead to burnout and injury.

Workout recovery doesn’t just mean lying on the couch and kicking up your feet. The best post-workout recovery means using a variety of strategies to help your muscles heal.

4 strategies to Rest and Recover

1) Passive Recovery

A complete cessation from exercise, passive recovery is synonymous with complete rest. This depends on multiple factors, including your current fitness level and how intense your workouts are. If you are weight training and doing intense cardio, passive recovery is a great idea.

2) Active Recovery 

Try a gentle yoga practice to stretch out tired muscles. Or a leisurely walk, foam rolling, or mobility work.  Keeping your muscles activated on a consistent basis can have profound benefits. Not only will it prevent soreness, but these simple techniques can also help increase your blood flow, eliminate toxins, and reduce the buildup of the much-dreaded lactic acid.

3) Nutritional Recovery 

Nutrition is the foundation of any recovery routine, regardless of the activity you’re recovering from. The foods you eat provide your body with the building blocks needed to repair muscles and promote recovery. A whole-foods-based diet rich in antioxidants, whole carbohydrates, and lean protein; can help trigger the right changes in your body between workouts.

4) Sleep 

This is a large part of the recovery equation. During sleep, the body produces the majority of its growth factors and hormones that aid in daily muscle repair and recovery.

Recovery doesn’t happen on a particular day. It is an all round endeavor. Letting your body come to rest (especially when you’re asleep) is one of the best ways to avoid injury, recharge your energy, and let your muscles heal. Recovery happens all day and night, so make sure you’re spacing your meals out.

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