Why Recovery is Important for Exercisers & 6 Methods to Try
Regular exercise is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle, but it's important to remember that recovery is just as important. Recovery is the process of allowing your body to rest and repair after physical activity. We refer to this as purposeful recovery work, which is an action different from sleep. (It’s also critical to get enough sleep! Read our tips.)
How Much Recovery is Needed?
The best way to think about the amount of purposeful recovery work needed is on a weekly basis. Our rule of thumb is that for every hour you exercise, you should do at least 10 minutes of purposeful recovery work. For example, if you take 3 of our full classes each week, which are approximately 45 minutes long, that equals ~ 2.5 hours of exercise, which means that you should strive for at least 25 minutes of recovery work.
Your recovery work can be dispersed or done all at once (for example, in the case of a professional massage). Do what feels right for you!
6 Recovery Methods to Try
There are many different recovery methods that you can use to help your body recover after exercise:
One of the most popular methods is gentle stretching. Stretching helps to improve flexibility and range of motion, which can help to prevent injury and reduce muscle soreness.
Another popular recovery method is gentle self-massage with a tool like a foam roller or the palm of your hand. This can help to release tension in your muscles and improve circulation, which can help to reduce muscle soreness and improve recovery time.
Getting a professional massage is also a great way to help your body recover after exercise. A massage can help to loosen muscle fibers and improve circulation, which can help to reduce muscle soreness and improve recovery time.
If you have access to a steam room or sauna, this can also be a great way to help your body recover after exercise. The heat can help to improve circulation and reduce muscle soreness.
Ice can help to reduce inflammation and swelling, while heat can help to improve circulation and reduce muscle soreness. An ice bath can also be effective for reducing muscle soreness and improving recovery time.
Using a heating pad can also be an effective recovery method. The heat can help to improve circulation and reduce muscle soreness.
Remember, recovery is just as important as exercise when it comes to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. By incorporating these recovery methods into your routine, you can help to reduce muscle soreness, improve recovery time, and prevent injury. Remember to take care of your body and give it the rest and recovery it needs to perform at its best.
Sources:
Cherie Lamb
VeryWell Health
