Post-workout woes like muscle strain and restricted mobility are common issues people experience. Many people assume their most recent workout was too tough. Others might take it as a sign to take a long rest before their next workout session. In reality, you might just need some tweaks in your recovery routine.
Below are some mistakes you might be making with your post-workout recovery. These mistakes might lead to delayed muscle healing, an increase in injuries, and more downtime, which can hinder your fitness goals.
Not Properly Stretching Afterward
Stretching is one of the most integral parts of post-workout recovery. Stretching after exercising not only makes for a great cool-down after an intense workout, but it can also help you decrease your risk of developing a delayed-onset injury from your recent exercise session.
Stretching helps loosen up tight muscles and stiff joints, which are common after working out. By relaxing rigid muscles and joints, you can improve your flexibility and general mobility – helping you avoid unnecessary pain or injury.
For post-workout recovery, mobility stretching is a great option to consider. During a mobility stretching session, you work alongside a professional who will help you stretch properly to minimize muscle stiffness, pain, and inflammation after exercising.
Avoiding Active Recovery
While you should listen to your body and give it the rest it needs, too much rest and a lack of active recovery could actually delay your healing progress. Resting after working out can give the muscles time to recover. However, active recovery can help remove waste products from the muscles and boost blood circulation to promote healing.
So, what is active recovery? It involves engaging in light activity between workouts to promote post-workout healing and keep the body active. Active recovery can involve activities such as swimming, jogging, walking, yoga, or foam rolling.
Refraining from Getting Enough Sleep
Sleep doesn’t just keep you energized for your workouts. It also plays a crucial role in your post-workout recovery. Quality sleep helps rebuild damaged muscle tissue, reduce inflammation, and regulate your hormones. It can also keep your coordination and reaction times sharp, which are essential when engaging in athletics, especially sports.
Having trouble getting a good night’s rest? There are wellness services to help. Look into hyperbaric oxygen therapy, cryotherapy, or red light therapy to naturally support your sleep cycle and stress levels to allow for better rest each night.
Ignoring Post-Workout Inflammation and Pain
Some muscle soreness after working out is inevitable. Mild to moderate soreness can be a sign of your muscles getting stronger. However, when the soreness is severe, long-lasting, or paired with inflammation and/or loss of flexibility or mobility, your body is signaling for help.
Turning to recovery services like cupping, mobility stretching, or percussion therapy can help reduce swelling and muscle soreness. This way, you can take fewer rest days and reduce your chances of workout-related injuries.
Looking for a way to enhance your workout recovery? We have several wellness services to help you recover faster and boost your performance. Call Recovery Lab today to learn more.
