Fast recovery after training: nutrition, drugs and recommendations. How to recover quickly after a hard workout

Sore muscles after strength training? So you are not yet ready for the loads. Learn how to recover faster and progress as quickly as possible.

Whether you're trying to gain muscle mass, increase strength, or lose weight, you need to take care of yourself 24 hours a day. This is not an exaggeration. Of course, an hour or two of training is serious, but they only set an incentive for growth. What you do the rest of the time will determine whether you can achieve your goals.

The recovery process that takes place outside the gym is primarily nutrition related. It is probably nutrition that has the greatest effect on your form. But the recovery process does not end there. There are many subtleties and nuances.

What is the importance of muscle recovery after training?

During training, many biochemical processes take place. Muscle fibers are injured, glycogen is consumed. The response to the load is most often manifested in pain after training. Of course, you can leave the gym and spend the rest of the day as if there was no training. But the essence of proper recovery is to squeeze the maximum benefit and reduce all the negative consequences of muscle microtrauma.

According to A. Barnett's 2006 Inter-Workout Recovery Schedule for Advanced Athletes, neglecting recovery will leave you unable to train properly and produce the right amount of work the next time you hit the gym. Fatigue can lead to injury. Moreover, full recovery is essential for optimal athletic performance.

Unfortunately, recovery is a purely individual matter. Factors like age, genetics, training style and experience are extremely important. A 25-year-old professional bodybuilder and a rookie woman in her 50s will recover differently. However, the following 6 tips will help almost everyone recover as effectively as possible.

Useful article:

1. Consume BCAAs and Carbs During Your Workout

Drinking plain water between sets is essential for normal hydration and body temperature regulation. But by adding carbohydrates or amino acids to your water, you will also improve energy and well-being.

“Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for your muscles,– says nutritionist Paul Salter.The harder and more intense you train, the more fuel your body needs in the form of carbohydrates. This is especially true for sports like powerlifting and bodybuilding where there is little time under tension.”

But energizing during exercise is only the beginning. “Carbohydrates have an anti-catabolic function. They minimize muscle breakdown Salter writes. - If consumed during training, they will reduce overall muscle damage from exertion. They have a positive effect on recovery time because fewer muscle cells get injured.”

To get the most benefit, consume the “right” carbs. Fast carbohydrates like glucose, dextrose or carbohydrate sports nutrition products are suitable for us. It is also important to consider the duration of the workout and the amount of carbohydrates consumed so as not to overload the gastrointestinal tract.

Carbohydrate intake during exercise

Workout duration

Amount of carbohydrates

Amount of water

Less than 45 minutes

0 grams

500 - 750 ml

45 – 60 minutes

15 - 30 grams

500 - 750 ml

60 – 90 minutes

30 - 50 grams

750 ml

Over 90 minutes

50 - 75 grams

1 l


Carbohydrates are great on their own, and when combined with branched chain amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, and valine), they become even better. and are designed to reduce the breakdown of muscle tissue and cortisol levels, which cannot be said about ordinary water. In addition, taking them before or during a workout will reduce post-workout pain.

2. Massage roller after training

Massage is wonderful. But often there is not enough money or time for it, and not many studies have confirmed its benefits for recovery. This does not mean that you should refuse a massage if you like it. For example, R. M. Tiidus in his work "Alternative treatment of muscle microtraumas" recommends massage after training. You can simply resort to a more affordable option, such as self-massage with a roller.

Over the past few years, research has been conducted on the benefits of myofascial release. A 2015 Canadian study (Massage Roller for Muscle Fatigue and Dynamic Recovery) found that the use of a massage roller reduced post-workout pain. The subjects performed self-massage on the roller immediately after training, 24 and 48 hours later.

Someone might think that a massage roller can be replaced with a regular stretch. But it's not. A 2011 study by R.D. Herbert and M. de Norona, Stretching as a Way to Prevent Muscle Soreness after Exercise, showed that stretching was ineffective in recovery.

If after training there is no time and energy left for massage with a roller, try this: use a roller after each approach in the last exercise. You will get all the benefits without stretching your time in the gym.

3. Infrared sauna for recovery

Muscle recovery is faster in an infrared sauna.

Infrared saunas increase body temperature. In one study, subjects experienced reduced muscle soreness after exercising with regular sauna visits. Infrared sauna is a favorite way to de-stress American football players.

“Infrared saunas relax tired muscles and joints, which is necessary for people involved in power sports,” researchers F. Oosterveld and B. Westhuis state in the scientific article “Infrared Saunas and Health; physiological effects of hyperthermia. "Because infrared saunas increase body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure and sweating, you need to be hydrated enough."

Do not confuse infrared therapy with a regular sauna, bath or jacuzzi. After a good workout, the body temperature is already elevated. Sauna after exercise will lead to dehydration, cramps, and in some cases, hyperthermia. For this reason, infrared saunas are not recommended immediately after exercise.

Infrared saunas can be used in many spas. If you are actively training and preparing for competitions, an infrared sauna is a good way to reward yourself for your efforts in the gym.

4. Eat More Protein Post-Workout

Most add about 20 grams of protein powder to their carbs in their post-workout shake. But scientists advise doubling this amount for better protein synthesis and recovery (L. S. McNaughton, “Muscle Protein Synthesis Response After Exhausting All Muscle Groups on 40 and 20 Grams of Whey Protein”).

Studies have shown that protein synthesis increased by 20% in those who consumed 40 grams of protein. In addition, the improvement in protein synthesis did not even depend on the percentage of fat in the subject's body.

0 6284 1 year ago

Full recovery after training is a factor no less important for achieving the desired result than the training itself. Without understanding the basics of the process, it is impossible to progress. Neither proper nutrition, nor vitamins with sports nutrition, nor even drugs will help. This article is about how to properly recover and steadily increase physical performance.

Theoretical Foundations of Recovery

The human body is a complex self-healing and self-sustaining system. At rest, all subsystems are at a point of equilibrium - the processes proceed at the usual pace for a particular organism. Going beyond the stable state provokes the body to turn to reserves. As a result of active physical activity and recovery, the adaptive capabilities of a person increase.


Serious sports results are unattainable without powerful training. The recovery phase must be adequate to the loads. The body must “understand” that it cannot survive without adapting to new realities. But he also needs the opportunity to find the strength to adapt to stress - an increase in performance occurs during this period. One without the other makes no sense.

If you neglect muscle recovery after training, you can very quickly come to a training plateau (stagnation). Least. In the worst case, the athlete is expected to overtrain. And hence the drop in results and health problems.

There are 4 main recovery phases:

  • Fast recovery after training. It starts immediately after the end of the workout and lasts about 30 minutes. At this time, the body is in a "panic" and seeks to make up for losses as quickly as possible. It is very important to restore the balance of nutrients.
  • Slow. After achieving metabolic balance, the body begins to heal damaged tissues and cells. In this phase, protein, amino acid and enzyme synthesis is activated, the water-electrolyte balance returns to normal, the digestive system actively absorbs substances that serve as a building material for muscles.
  • Supercompensation. The phase that occurs 2-3 days after heavy loads. The duration of the period is up to 5 days. Super recovery resembles a slow phase, but the difference lies in the fact that at this time there is an increase in physical performance. The next workout must be done before the body leaves the supercompensation stage, otherwise the training will turn into marking time.
  • Delayed. If you skip workouts, you can achieve a good recovery, but without increasing athletic performance. This stage takes place if the previous one is delayed.

How long does it take for muscles to recover?

The specified duration of the third phase of recovery after a hard workout is somewhat arbitrary. Training to complete muscle failure may require more time to compensate for the loss. Theorists and practitioners of bodybuilding (for example, M. Mentzer), using the examples of their students, demonstrate the need for a longer rest to achieve serious results.

The ability to recover is individual and, moreover, depends on the presence or absence of pharmaceutical support. Personal parameters can only be found experimentally.

The table shows the average muscle recovery time after a workout.


Recovery rates

It's not just muscles that recover. It is important to know about the indicators of recovery of the body after training in general and the time required to bring biochemical processes back to normal.

Recovery rates:

  • increase in results - only with the complete completion of the recovery processes;
  • well-being - with a lack of recovery, the athlete may feel unwell, the desire to train may disappear, there is a decline in volitional indicators;
  • sleep - recovering correctly, the athlete has the right to count on a healthy and productive sleep; otherwise, a constant feeling of drowsiness (especially in the morning) and problems with falling asleep are in the order of things;
  • pulse - normal - 75 beats / min a couple of hours after training; with a higher heart rate, you need to think either about the presence of overtraining, or about deeper problems (for example, with the heart).

The following table shows the time it takes the body to complete the recovery biochemical processes after active physical activity.

Recovery techniques after fatigue

You can recover in different ways. Better - in a complex, using various techniques. The greater the load on the body and the factors that negatively affect the ability to recover, the more attention should be paid to rehabilitation aspects. Approximately half of sports success depends on how competent recovery after training is. If the results are not encouraging, you need to look for the cause not only in the imperfection of the training approach, but also in problems regarding the opposite phase. Further - how to reduce the time of rehabilitation and increase athletic performance.

Active Recovery

Lactic acid will leave the muscles faster if moderate aerobic exercise helps it. A 10-minute run helps to accelerate the removal of decay products - during this time, about 60% of the acid is removed. The next 10 minutes of easy running equals about 25% more lactic acid. Conclusion - after heavy training, aerobic exercise is useful. A 20-minute jog will help to significantly increase the rate of elimination of unwanted substances from the muscles.


Complete rest or passive rest

The fundamental need of the human body and the athlete in particular. Intense training forces athletes to sleep at least 8-10 hours a day. This time includes 1-2 short phases of daytime sleep. By stealing sleep from himself, the athlete deprives himself of the hope of revealing his physical potential.

Quality is just as important as quantity. Certain aspects must be followed, including:

  • Regime compliance. You need to get up and go to bed at the same time.
  • Sleep continuity. You can’t sleep in fits and starts - 3 “approaches” of 3 hours are by no means equal to 9 hours of uninterrupted sleep.
  • Maintain a small interval between training and sleep. The body needs at least 30-40 minutes to prepare for sleep.
  • Comfort. The process should not cause inconvenience even at a subconscious level. It is recommended to sleep on an orthopedic bed in a room with optimal temperature and other conditions.


Massage

(and one of its options - recovery) - a prerequisite for the training of professional athletes. The effect of working with soft tissues is achieved through mechanical and sensory stimulation.

The mechanical effect is expressed in:

  • reduced swelling of muscle tissue;
  • relief of muscle fatigue;
  • improvement of lymph and blood circulation;
  • removal of muscle spasms;
  • saturation of tissues with oxygen;
  • accelerate the elimination of metabolic products from tissues.

The sensory effect is relatively unexplored. "Massage" recovery after strength training helps to reduce pain. This is achieved through a gradual increase in sensory input to the CNS. In order to achieve such a result, the damaged (actively participating in the training process) muscle groups should be massaged slowly and gently.

Light stimulation of the skin promotes short-term capillary expansion. More intense exposure leads to a lasting effect.

Restorative massage is performed 10-15 minutes after the end of the workout. This is one of the differences between this type of mechanical tissue stimulation and others. The interval can be increased, but it is not recommended to tighten it too much.

The average duration of a session is 15-20 minutes. An hour after the procedure, it is desirable to repeat it, but in a truncated form - no more than 5 minutes. First of all, the “working” muscles are massaged. If training involves a load on the whole body, all muscle groups are “processed”. But at the same time, a little more attention to large muscles that require more recovery time.


Heat and cold therapy

The massage is perfectly complemented by thermotherapy – sauna with a bath, steam baths, hot wrap. Thermal procedures well prepare the body for mechanical stimulation.

If a bath with a sauna is not always available, then it is not necessary to deprive yourself of a wrap. Although the procedure has a beneficial effect primarily on the skin, there is also a considerable overall effect. If you act on the body for 20-30 minutes, the blood will begin to circulate in the muscles much more actively. But sometimes the heating of the skin is excessive, while the useful heat does not have time to reach the soft tissues. Therefore, wrapping is best viewed as a means to relax athletes and quickly increase body surface temperature.

How to speed up recovery after a workout? Low temperature is also helpful. Cold therapy helps to reduce muscle swelling and has an overall positive physical effect. Therapy may include:

  • cold wrap - 10-15 minutes;
  • ice baths - 5-10 minutes;
  • rubbing the muscles with ice.

The most powerful effect of ice is achieved during the procedure performed immediately after the end of the workout.

Diet and nutritional supplements


Nutrition is the most important factor that determines the adaptive capacity of the body. It is important to understand how and what to take for post-workout recovery. The general rule of nutrition implies that the intake of nutrients should approximately equal their consumption. When mass gaining, they proceed from a larger “income”, during a fat race, from greater energy losses.

Diet is extremely important. In addition to the main building blocks - proteins, the body is in dire need of carbohydrates. If the intake of the latter is not enough, recovery is much slower.

The timing of meals is also important. The classic three meals a day scheme is less effective than the model, which implies a more fractional diet. Meals should be at least four times a day. Recommended ratio of meals (% of the daily diet):

  • breakfast - 20-25;
  • second breakfast - 15-20;
  • lunch - 30-35;
  • dinner - 20-25.

At the same time, the interval between approaches to the table is a maximum of 4 hours, and between extreme methods - no more than 12 hours. Just before training, do not fill your stomach. After training, it is advisable to refrain from poorly digested food - at this time, gastric juice is not enough for its effective splitting.

A balanced diet for athletes who regularly train hard is not enough. Vitamin and mineral supplements cannot be ignored. In most cases, we can talk about the lack of the entire vitamin complex. The only exception is vitamin A, which can be fully obtained from ordinary food.

The amount of supplementation depends on the training phase. Stages of lower intensity are not as demanding on the intake of minerals and vitamins as periods of powerful preparation for competitions.

Be sure to satisfy the body's need for fluid. During training, athletes need to compensate for the lack of water by drinking the latter in small sips. It must be remembered that drinking after a workout for recovery - a lot and often - is no less important than following a proper diet.

Psychological recovery

The intensity of training is determined by both physical and psychological well-being. Overtraining inevitably leads to a drop in motivation. And this is necessarily followed by problems with strong-willed qualities. The brain loses the ability to concentrate - the body receives less load.

But it is not enough to rest as much as you need. Problems outside of sports affect the body in a similar way. Therefore, it is extremely important to learn to resist emotional discomfort. The first assistant in this is regular relaxation. Meditation and physical relaxation will help to adequately respond to circumstances and avoid negative psychological outbursts.

How to understand that the muscles have recovered?

The absence of muscle pain, high motivation, a surge of strength are signs that it's time to go back to the gym. But it is not always possible to believe the obvious "signs". The most important feature is a combination of these factors with regular progress. The absence of the latter may also indicate an illiterate approach to training. But if you know that everything is in order with the training scheme, and there is no end to stagnation, you need to think hard.

Training requires constant introspection. This is the only way to get a relatively complete picture of the training and individual characteristics.

In today's article, I will tell you how to quickly restore muscles after a workout, why your muscles may not grow and what to do in this case. You will also learn which supplements are useful for recovery, and which are completely useless.

As you know, during training, our muscles are destroyed and only after training, when we rest, they begin to recover. In fact, the recovery process is the key to muscle growth. So guys, if you want to be big and strong, you need to be able not only to train in the gym, but also to relax!

Recovery phases

Alas, but no theory anywhere.

The recovery process is the return of the physical parameters of the body to a normal state with a simultaneous increase in its adaptive capabilities. The process itself can be divided into several stages (phases).

  • Rapid recovery phase

It occurs immediately after training and lasts about 30 minutes, at which point the metabolism changes in order to restore the balance in the body, which was disturbed by the training. This is the expected response of the body to the training load. During the period of rapid recovery, all energy substrates (glycogen, creatine phosphate, ATP) are replenished, some hormones also return to normal and anabolic hormones, which are so important for growth, are released.

  • slow recovery phase

When metabolic balance is restored, the process of repairing damaged muscle fibers begins, protein synthesis comes into play, enzymes and amino acids are restored, as well as water and electrolyte balance. The degree and rate of absorption of nutrients increases.

  • Supercompensation stage

The most important stage for you and me, iron fans, because it is at this moment that the functionality of your muscles exceeds the initial level. It comes in 2-3 for after training and lasts about 5 days. During this period, it's time to “give a thrashing” (train) to that muscle group that has gone through all these stages!

The problem is that a person can't tell by feeling when exactly their muscles are at the highest point of supercompensation, so you have to do it at random.

  • Delayed recovery phase

If you are at this stage, but have not yet loaded the muscle group that was recovering, then the train has already left = (Because in this phase, the functional characteristics of the muscles return to their pre-training state.

I think that any ardent fan of iron, and even an ordinary visitor to the gym, who still goes to the gym to train, and not share stories about exciting Sunday adventures, is interested in the fastest recovery of their muscles.

In addition, without proper recovery, there will be no growth, you will run into a training plateau and, as a result, the desire to train may disappear. So below I will give actionable tips to achieve the desired goal.

Tips for organizing the training process

  1. After each working set, perform light stretching, it will help improve blood flow in the muscles and remove the formed lactate.
  2. After training, devote 5-10 minutes to cool down, stretch, it is also recommended to do a light 10-minute cardio, again to improve blood flow, watch a video or picture with an illustration of how to properly stretch
  3. Train one muscle group once, maximum twice a week, remember I told you about the supercompensation phase? So if you train the same muscle group more often, then you simply won’t have time to recover, which will lead to marking time or even a deterioration in physical performance. Small muscle groups, which include the arms, can be trained 2 times a week, because due to their small relative size, their recovery period is shorter than, for example, those of the legs)
  4. The next day after a hard workout, do a light run for 30 minutes, or a light workout for the same muscle groups, reduce the weight and number of sets by 2 times, such training will speed up recovery

The speed of muscle recovery directly depends on a properly constructed diet, so remember:

Drink more water, it makes the blood more liquid, firstly it will reduce the load on the heart, and secondly it will improve blood flow and metabolic processes in the body

As you remember, after the end of the workout, there is a phase of rapid recovery, so it will be useful to take BCAA tablets (3-5 g), or BCAA in powder form, and taking creatine (4 g) to replenish creatine phosphate is no less important. The effect of glutamine, which is also recommended to be taken after training, is exaggerated, since in our body and without its intake from the outside, this essential amino acid is enough.

20-30 minutes after the end of the workout, take 50-70 grams of slow carbohydrates (cereals, cereals, whole grain pasta), this will help you replenish muscle glycogen stores and restore them faster

Along with carbohydrates, take a protein meal (boiled eggs, chicken breast) or protein, which is a more convenient way, since mixing a shaker is easier than carrying a container of breasts with you, and the liquid form of protein is absorbed much faster.

Protein will help prevent catabolism. But if you do not want to spend money, then it is quite possible to do without protein. Regular protein foods, despite some transportation inconveniences, will be a much better source of protein. And if you live near the hall, then you don’t have to carry containers with you

To make your life easier, here is an example of a post-workout meal:

50-70 grams of oatmeal in water (can be ground into powder, thrown into a shaker, diluted with hot water and consumed as a cocktail) + 30 grams of protein in water. Another option is the same oatmeal + 2-3 boiled eggs without yolks.

Among other things, there are quite simple procedures that will help you relieve pain in the post-workout days and speed up the recovery of your muscles.

  • A hot bath is a good way to relieve muscle tension after a workout, as well as relax your nerves after you squatted with a 140 kg barbell under Rammstein. The optimal temperature for such a bath will be 40 degrees, this temperature will allow you to relax for about 20 minutes, and you don’t need more.
  • Bath or sauna after training (recommended the next day after training) - has an effect similar to a hot bath, also dilates blood vessels, improves blood flow and promotes the rapid removal of lactic acid from the muscles, and also, due to the production of endorphins, reduces muscle pain in post workout days. As with the bath, you should not stay in the steam room for more than 5 minutes at a time and in total no more than 20 minutes
  • Deep massage - the reasons for its benefits are all in the same improvement in blood circulation, I think unnecessary comments are needed. The only thing worth noting here is that it is better to contact a professional massage therapist, so you can get the most out of the massage.
  • One of the most important things is sleep. Because it is in a dream that the body patches all the holes and restores all the systems of the body. Sleep at least 8 hours a day and try to fall asleep before 11 pm, so in the morning you will feel more alert

Here is actually my short article and comes to an end. From the foregoing, we can summarize that there are many ways to restore muscles after training and everyone can choose something for themselves. But besides the optional items, there are those that need to be followed impeccably, such as sleep, nutrition and the organization of the training process, since your sports longevity and health depend on them!

An increase in the volume of muscle tissue occurs after a sports load, so the body needs a good rest. Those who adhere to all the rules, but do not give themselves time for muscle recovery after a workout, may not count on high results. Many people think that the more sports experience, the fewer hours it takes to restore the body, but this is not so. After mechanical stress, organs and systems need a break.

This is due to the need to replenish the energy potential, the ability to "repair" damaged fibers. If the myofibril is destroyed, lysosomes in 3 days break it down into molecules. A week later a new one appears in its place.

Compensation principles

Recovery time for muscle glycogen takes 15-48 hours. The speed depends on the intensity of the load and metabolism. To prepare the body for the next activity and avoid a sports plateau, the athlete needs to go through 4 phase.

  1. Quick Recovery muscles after training begins at the end of the lesson and lasts 30 minutes. The period is necessary to partially replenish the energy resource, activate the secretion of hormones, normalize the work of the heart and remove the products of oxidation of carbohydrates and fats.
  2. After metabolic equilibrium comes delayed phase.

At that time:

  • the body activates the synthesis of proteins, enzymes;
  • replenishes water and electrolyte balance;
  • immediately assimilates to restore muscles, accelerating repair processes in damaged cells.
  1. In few days replaces the previous phase supercompensation. with enhanced morphological characteristics. The period is used to increase volumes. The body works ahead of the curve, and throws all its forces into the excess growth of fibers. This often happens after working to failure.
  2. In the delayed phase in the absence of reloading, all indicators return to their previous parameters.

How to boost muscle recovery after strength training

In order for the body to have time to rest after intensive training, a split system is used. Its essence is the pumping of certain groups. So, if during the week the emphasis is shifted to the chest, the back has time to rest. But in any case, recovery cocktails are indispensable.

What to drink after a workout

  1. To inhibit catabolism, it immediately recommends swallowing up to 5 g.
  2. In order to replenish the reserve of creatine phosphate from 3 g.
  3. From sports nutrition, glutamine is suitable for quick recovery of the body. 5 g of the substance enhances the production of growth hormone and fills the fibrils with energy.
  4. To replenish the hydro-electrolyte balance, use 3 glasses of pure or table mineral water.
  5. Insulin, used for its anabolic and anti-catabolic effect, is effective after 40-60 minutes.

Sports nutrition recommend 30 minutes after class ends. If the intake of the amino acid complex is not expected, the supplement is drunk immediately. For energy, carbohydrates are needed - 70-100 g. Starch, simple sugars are taken from foods. For muscle recovery are suitable: porridge, potatoes, honey. prone to fullness people limit their consumption up to 50 g.

What to Consider

The habit of working to "failure" in the future does not give anything. The accumulated physical fatigue leads to psychological stress. To avoid shocks, athletes use periodization and cycling, compensating for heavy loads with long rest to restore strength after a hard workout.

To minimize the effects of physiological stress and allow the body to gradually normalize blood pressure and heart rate, training is not abruptly interrupted. 5-10 minutes before the end is useful or at an easy pace. So after bodybuilding, leg muscles recover faster, and well-being improves.

At the end, a 5-minute stretch is required to relax. Spasmodic muscles reduce the range of motion, and together remove the results. Compared to dynamic, static is more useful. Standing in a certain position for a minute allows you to stretch the fibers and give volumes a shape. To reduce the average recovery time after training, self-massage is performed. After warming up, the ligamentous apparatus and joints acquire elasticity and expand the range of motion.

Preparations and vitamins for bodybuilders to restore potential

Synthetic vitamins and complex additives are used to replenish reserves and boost metabolic processes. The body always needs:

  • in macroelements - magnesium, calcium;
  • trace elements - zinc, iron;
  • vitamins - E, C, group B.

These nutrients contain - aerovit, undevit, glutamevit. To restore muscles, they drink pharmaceutical preparations of plastic action:

  • potassium ororate;
  • riboxin;
  • carnitine;
  • lecithin-silver;
  • cobamamide.

For a quick recovery during the rest period sleep, food, massage, sauna. It is useful to visit the pool, walk, play football,. Movements warm up the blood, activate the removal of toxic decay products.

The main mistake of beginners and people who dream of losing weight in a short time or, conversely, building muscle mass is to neglect the recovery procedure. Many are sure that rest significantly delays the process of obtaining the desired results, and continuous and enhanced training gives a slender body with cubes breaking through the shirt faster. In fact, everything is different! During training, the muscles undergo stress and, accordingly, are damaged. The lack of a recovery period further aggravates the situation, because the muscles are destroyed, in addition, they lose the ability to withstand a more intense load, which makes training ineffective and unsafe.

MedAboutMe will tell you about simple ways to quickly recover!

Method 1. Do not neglect the hitch

The hitch is an integral part of the workout, which appears at the last stage. It is designed to calm the muscles, and involves low-intensity exercise such as walking, jogging, exercising on a stationary bike or foam roller. The duration depends solely on the intensity of the workout, the more it is, the longer the hitch should be. Even if you feel extremely tired or in a hurry to leave the gym, devote at least 5 minutes to a hitch.

Physical activity involves active fluid loss. And, of course, it must be replenished. The same action increases the rate of recovery of the body after exercise, as it supports the process of nutrient delivery and improves metabolism. Especially plenty of fluids should be drunk after training in hot weather.

It is advisable to drink acidified drinks, such as still mineral water with lemon or lime juice and the addition of stevia powder (natural sweetener). You can also resort to isotonic drinks. These are fluids that provide a person with water and electrolytes that leave the body with sweat.

Isotonic drinks are on the market in two forms - dry concentrate in cans and liquid concentrate in bottles. The taste can be very diverse - from forest cherries to exotic passion fruit. The main thing is to pay attention to the composition when choosing, it should not contain acesulfate and saccharin. These are cheap sweeteners that do not make the composition balanced, moreover, they are dangerous to health. It is better to opt for drinks that contain salts, glucose polymers, dietary supplements and vitamins.

Method 3. Massage regularly

Massage improves blood circulation, which means it relieves muscle pain and speeds up the recovery process. Massage also minimizes the risk of injury. Massage manipulations can be carried out manually, using natural vegetable oil, or using a manual roller. The optimal massage time is 20 minutes.

Method 4. Take a cool bath

Soaking in a cool bath or taking a contrast shower is an equally effective way to quickly recover from a workout. Cool water significantly reduces the soreness of trained muscles. Take a bath should not exceed 10 minutes. And to calm and prepare for sleep, you can add a little of your favorite essential oil to the water.

If you twist your leg unfortunately or get bruised during a workout, resort to a cold compress or apply a bag filled with ice cubes to the sore spot.

In addition to cool baths, on the way to recovery after intense training, you can turn to the sauna or steam bath. These establishments are a great place to relax and maintain health. Do not forget about hot wraps, they also have a beneficial effect on the muscles, and also improve the condition of the skin - moisturize, nourish and tighten.

Hot wraps have a number of contraindications. They are not recommended for oncology, diseases of the cardiovascular and endocrine systems, varicose veins, thrombophlebitis, diseases of the lymphatic vessels, pregnancy, gynecological diseases, as well as in the presence of cuts, wounds and other injuries on the cover.

Post-workout nutrition depends solely on the goal of training. If the goal is weight loss, experts recommend turning to foods that are high in protein or minimal in carbohydrates, such as boiled skinless chicken breast or steamed pollock.

If the goal of training is to gain muscle mass, you need to combine proteins and carbohydrates in a ratio of 1: 4. However, the exact numbers depend on the intensity of the training and the time spent on it, and, of course, health. This ratio is appropriate for absolutely healthy people who train intensively for an hour.

If you decide to resort to sports nutrition, consult your doctor first, because it has a number of side effects. Now there are three types of sports supplements - for building muscle mass, burning fat and recovering from physical exertion. Also on sale you can find multicomponent complexes aimed at solving several problems, and pre-workout complexes of amino acids and vitamins, designed to increase endurance, speed up metabolic processes and maintain hormonal levels.

Roskontrol experts assure that there is no universal recommendation for choosing sports nutrition. When buying, it is important to focus on the training program, the goal that you want to comprehend, and the recommendations of the trainer. You should also remember that you can’t build your diet on sports nutrition, they are just an additive that affects metabolic processes. Be sure to replenish the reserves of all vital substances by eating meat, fish, poultry, cottage cheese, cereals, vegetables and fruits.

Method 7. Perform stretching exercises

Stretching exercises are necessary for all trainees - whether it is a professional athlete, or a beginner trying to part with extra pounds. But special attention should be paid to exercises for people with joint problems. For example, knee-lifting steps, side steps, and arm rotations will increase joint mobility and minimize muscle imbalances. It is not necessary to overload yourself with stretching exercises, it is enough to devote 10 minutes a day to the process.

Doing nothing and lying on the couch after a workout is the easiest way, but this method will not relieve muscle pain, and it will reduce the effectiveness of training. Going home from the gym, walk or ride a bike, leave public transport and private cars alone. Not too intense movements also contribute to a quick recovery, especially if they are paired with fresh air.

Method 9. Get enough sleep

Sleep is an equally important aspect of a quick recovery. After all, healthy sleep, equal to 7-8 hours, activates protein synthesis and growth hormone, and also improves the proper functioning of the brain. Lack of sleep is extremely detrimental to the results of any training, as it reduces their effectiveness by several times.

It has been observed that people who neglect healthy sleep often break down by eating high-calorie foods. Indeed, lack of sleep stimulates appetite. In addition, lack of sleep leads to a deterioration in attention and responsiveness, which is simply unacceptable during intense training, especially with the participation of heavy sports equipment.

Method 10: Plan Your Workouts

For training to be successful, it is necessary to clearly identify the goal and, accordingly, develop a rational plan of action that will allow you to achieve the desired results faster. It is quite difficult to draw up a training plan on your own, especially for a beginner, so at the first stage you should contact a specialist with a specialized education who has extensive experience in sports. Only regular and systematic training will make the dream come true, but overwork and lack of a plan - never!