Do you ever feel like you just don't have enough time to recover from your last workout? You're not alone.
In today's world, it seems like everyone is always in a hurry. We're so busy that we often don't take the time to properly heal our bodies after exercise. But is this really the best way to approach health and fitness? Or are we risking injury by not allowing our bodies enough time to rest and rebuild?
In this blog post, we'll look at the science behind sports injuries and discuss how to recover from workouts quicker!
Can recovery prevent injuries?
Most people are familiar with the feeling of sore muscles after a workout. But what many don't realise is that this soreness is actually a sign of injury.
When you put your body through strenuous activity, you're actually causing microscopic tears in your muscle tissue. These tears are what cause the pain and stiffness of muscles, and they can also lead to more serious injuries if they're not properly treated!
Recovery, on the other hand, is the process of repairing these microscopic tears and allowing your muscles to heal. By giving your body time to recover, you can prevent more serious injuries from happening. Recovery, rest, diet and exercise are key to any fitness routine, and may even make your muscles stronger and more resilient.
Balance is always essential in sports injury prevention, and taking an 80/20 approach to this concept may just help you to push yourself to workout harder in the long run – 80% of time should be focused on your workout and diet, whereas 20% of time should be for rest days, recovering and leisure time.
So if you're looking for injury prevention, make sure you acknowledge active recovery and schedule rest days to allow for muscle repair. Here are some of our top tips on how to workout harder and prevent injury:
1. Stretching
When you think of stretching, you might picture someone touching their toes or taking a deep breath before a race. However, stretching is also an important part of recovery, especially after a tough workout as it helps to release post-workout tension and increase blood flow to the muscles. This can speed up the repair process, decrease soreness, reduce lactic acid and may even help you do daily activities.
In addition, stretching can help improve range of motion and prevent injuries in the future, making it easier to reach your fitness goals!
2. Diet
Supplements
As easy as it would be to have a go-to list of supplements for athletes, making sure you consume the right things to recover is much more than just taking a capsule or pill. In fact, many vitamins are better absorbed by the body when taken in liquid form, and can also be less harsh on the stomach.
Supplementing vitamin C may help to support your body’s muscle growth and tissue repair, whereas vitamin D may also contribute to the maintenance of healthy bones and muscles - these are all essential for post-workout recovery and injury prevention.
So stay topped up on supplements that offer potent doses of vitamins in order to keep that delayed onset muscle soreness at bay.
Protein, protein, protein!
When it comes to sports nutrition, everyone knows that protein is an essential element for building muscle. But what about preventing injuries? It turns out that protein can actually help to reduce the risk of exercise-related issues, too.
Protein helps to repair and rebuild damaged tissue, and also provides the building blocks for new bone and connective tissue. Essentially, protein helps to maintain fluid balance in the body, which is important for joint health.
Looking for a nourishing way to up your protein intake? Try a simple protein shake or a delicious Beetroot Falafel Salad to get those nutrients in!
3. Sleep
And last but not least – everyone’s favourite, sleep!
It's well known that exercise is good for you, but did you know that sleep is just as important for maintaining a healthy lifestyle?
When you work out, your body breaks down muscle tissue and burns calories. This process requires a lot of energy, and your body needs time to recover as a result. Sleep helps the body to repair those damaged tissue and aids muscle repair - it also provides the energy you need to power through your next workout.
In other words, sleep is essential for helping your body to get the most out of any form of exercise! So make sure you are getting between 7 to 8 hours per night.
Now that you know a little more about how to recover from workouts, it’s time to put this knowledge into practice. But how do you push yourself to workout harder? Incorporate some of the post-exercise recovery tips we shared today and see if you feel better after your next workout.
Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day, so don’t expect miracles overnight – but with consistency, you should start to notice a difference and get back in the gym sooner.
What are you waiting for? Start recovering like a pro today!
