How to quickly restore muscles after a hard workout? Quick recovery after training: nutrition, drugs and recommendations

Muscle pain, apathy, loss of motivation - not an indicator of your weakness. This is only evidence that the body did not have time to recover from the previous load. After a workout, it is important to give the body the opportunity to rest from stress and recover for the next lesson. How better recovery, the more likely it is to turn everything gained by hard training into excellent result. For a quick recovery, you need to follow simple rules according to the daily routine and nutrition, as well as use additional funds that will help restore strength and desire to train.

So what helps you recover faster after a workout?

1. Meals during the day

The rate at which your body recovers depends on how you eat. The diet should be balanced, ie. proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, trace elements and water must be present in the required proportions and contain enough calories.

What can you eat before a workout

Can't find a snack to your taste? Try one of these ways to quickly refresh yourself.

180 m orange juice + ½ scoop protein powder
Greek yogurt + 1 cup berries
Blend: 1 cup cereals high content fiber, 2 tablespoons dried fruit, 2 tablespoons nuts
½ nutrition bar
½ turkey sandwich on whole grain bread + fruit
½ sandwich with peanut butter and jam
Small cup of cereal with milk and ½ banana

2. Nutrition after training

On the physical exercises the body expends energy, which must be restored at the end of the session. Immediately after training, it is worth taking a serving of protein, which will protect the muscles from damage and help the body recover. After an hour, you need to take a portion of carbohydrates and replenish glycogen. Don't forget to drink during and after your workout!

What can you eat after a workout - a sample menu

Not sure what to eat after a tough workout? Try one of these quick fixes:

¾ cup cottage cheese with fruit
600 ml skimmed milk
Fruit smoothie with protein
1 sourdough muffin + 2 hard boiled eggs + tomato slice
1 cup chopped turkey on salad with whole grain bread
120g canned tuna + whole wheat pita
Greek yogurt with fruits + honey

3. Sleep

The main condition for recovery after a workout is a sufficient amount of sleep. In a dream, there is an intensive restoration of the body as a whole and muscles in particular. The required duration of sleep depends on the individual characteristics of the body and averages 8 hours. Lack of sleep can lead to an increase in the time it takes the body to recover, problems with concentration, and feeling unwell.

4. Warm up and cool down

You should never skip a warm-up - during this time you prepare for training not only muscles and joints, but also nervous and cardiovascular system. Subsequent training will not become a “shock” for the body, and the concentration of lactic acid (lactate) in the blood and muscles will decrease. A hitch helps tired muscles get rid of accumulated hydrogen ions and utilize lactic acid, so the athlete feels much better after training: the muscles will not be so stiff and heavy, the risk of injury will decrease, fatigue will be much less, and mood will be better. Stretching exercises are great as a hitch.

5. Massage

Massage - the best remedy for quick regeneration after training. Massage improves blood circulation in the muscles and internal organs, relaxation of overstressed and pain relief in damaged muscles, improves muscle regeneration and recovery processes, helps to increase the flow of lymph, activate metabolic processes and eliminate congestion in tissues, improve mobility in the joints.

6. Bath

A warm bath increases circulation and metabolic processes in the body, and relaxes the muscles. Take a bath no later than 2-3 hours after training, best before bed. cold bath less often taken for recovery, usually to reduce muscle pain. Blood drains from the vessels, reducing tension in the muscles, and flows again after the procedure, helping to flush out decay products from the body. It is recommended to drink hot tea after a cool bath and cover yourself with a blanket.

7. Bath and sauna

Russian bath and Turkish sauna are one of the oldest ways to get rid of fatigue. The body temperature rises, the heart rate and respiratory rate increase, the flow of arterial blood into the tissues of the body increases, and decay products are excreted. All this contributes to the speedy recovery of the body after physical activity.

8. Contrast shower

A contrast shower has a positive effect on blood vessels, ligaments, and connective tissue. Different temperatures cause alternate constriction and expansion of blood vessels, resulting in improved blood supply to organs and tissues and metabolism. In addition, a contrast shower increases vitality and makes it easier to wake up in the morning.

Which of these methods to use is up to you. You can combine these methods. use the appropriate ones as needed. Remember, the main indicator that the body has recovered after exercise is the strongest desire to return to training as soon as possible!

The main mistake of beginners and people who dream in short time lose weight or, conversely, increase muscle mass, is the neglect of the recovery procedure. Many are sure that rest significantly delays the process of obtaining the desired results, and continuous and enhanced training gives 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 absence 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.

O simple ways, allowing you to recover quickly, MedAboutMe will tell!

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 desirable to drink acidified drinks, for example, non-carbonated 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. You can carry out massage manipulations manually, using natural vegetable oil, or with a hand roller. The optimal massage time is 20 minutes.

Method 4. Take a cool bath

Staying in a cool bath or taking a contrast shower - at least effective method recover quickly after 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 have an unfortunate twisting of your leg or a bruise 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 products containing big number squirrel or minimal amount carbohydrates, such as boiled chicken breast skinless 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 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 he 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. It should also be remembered that on sports nutrition you can’t build your diet, 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 exercises should be given to 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 correct work 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!

Sports pharmacology - this is, first of all, the pharmacology of a healthy person, which allows expanding the possibilities of adapting the body to the extremely large loads of high performance sports, which border on the capabilities of a particular athlete. Rational use of drugs (under the concept of "drugs" in the pharmacology of sports should be understood as medicines and dietary supplements - DD) under extreme training and competitive loads contributes to the achievement of its own record result, therefore, the pharmacology of sports studies the effect of drugs that increase physical endurance, mental stability and the body's ability to quickly restore the athlete's resources.

Fatigue always accompanies human activities where there are extreme physical and mental overloads (stress), depending on their duration and intensity (marathon running, 100 km cross-country skiing, climbing mountain peaks, performing combat missions associated with long transitions, running, swimming, lifting weights, the work of miners, steelworkers, camera work, work in hypoxic conditions, physical inactivity among astronauts, etc.).

To maintain the performance of athletes, accelerate recovery processes after heavy loads, with acute and chronic fatigue, overwork, and a painful condition in modern sports, various pharmacological agents are used. Particular attention is paid to pharmacological preparations of plant origin. In each case, the doctor and the coach decide on the use of certain restorative agents.

1. Vitamins.

Among the pharmacological means of restoring sports performance and preventing overwork, vitamins occupy a special place. Their lack in the body leads to a decrease in efficiency, fatigue and various painful conditions.

Currently, in sports, as a rule, complex preparations are used. The most common multivitamins include:

Undevit- used for high-speed power loads; under endurance loads.

Aerovit- applied 1 tablet 1 time per day (course 30 days).

Glutamevit- it is used during the period of great physical exertion, during training in the middle mountains, in a hot climate.

Complevit

Oligovit- contains trace elements, salts.

Decamevit- enhances protective functions body, has a tonic effect. It is used for high physical exertion, sleep disorders.

Polivita complex- indicated for fatigue and overwork.

2. Antihypoxic agents.

The following substances meet the antihypoxic requirements: cytochrome-C, ascorbic, aspartic, folic, pantathenic acids, etc. These drugs have a positive effect on the body during the development of oxygen deficiency. Under their influence, general well-being improves, the intensity of hypoxia symptoms decreases, and physical performance increases.

Bemitil- Promotes faster recovery and improved performance.

Glutamic acid (monosodium glutamate)- stimulates oxidative processes.

Gutimin- increases the intensity of glycolysis, reduces the consumption of glycogen during exercise, limits the accumulation of excess lactate.

3. Drugs that affect energy and metabolic processes.

Cernilton- gives a general strengthening effect, increases the body's resistance to infections and inflammations. It is used as a prophylactic, as well as when changing the time zone.

Picamilon- relieves psycho-emotional excitability, fatigue, improves mood, has an anti-stress effect, accelerates recovery processes, improves sleep.

Asparkam- has antiarrhythmic properties, lowering the excitability of the myocardium. It is used in the prevention of overwork, during training in a hot climate.

succinic acid- improves metabolic processes.

Pantocrine- used as a tonic for overwork, asthenic conditions, hypotension.

Riboxin- takes a direct part in the metabolism of glucose, activates the enzymes of pyruvic acid, which ensures the normal process of respiration. Indications: Acute and chronic overstrain of the heart, cardiac arrhythmia, intense training, etc.

Potassium orotate- has an antidystrophic effect, so it can be prescribed for high physical exertion. Indications: acute and chronic overexertion of the heart, hepatic pain syndrome, cardiac arrhythmias.

4. Drugs that enhance protein synthesis.

Potassium orotate (orotic acid)- is prescribed for athletes with low hemoglobin and red blood cells during the acclimatization period, increases the number of red blood cells in the blood and the oxygen capacity of the blood.

Purposes of application:

Increased overall performance during training that develops endurance.

An increase in muscle mass during training that develops strength qualities.

Improving the formation of motor skills in complex coordination sports.

An increase in hemoglobin levels with their decrease in athletes.

Inosine (hypoxanthine riboside)- significantly increases the effect of potassium orotate. The use of the complex makes it possible to significantly increase the volume and intensity of training loads.

5. Preparations of energetic action.

Panangin- it is used in violation of blood circulation and metabolic processes in the myocardium, violation of cardiac conduction, tachyarrhythmia, as well as to accelerate recovery processes in sports practice.

Glutamic acid- accelerates the recovery of working capacity after heavy loads and prevents the development of negative changes in the myocardium during endurance work.

Calcium glycerophosphate- It is used as a general tonic and tonic for overwork. The action is associated with an effect on metabolism, leading to an increase in anabolic processes.

Lecithin- takes part in the metabolism of amino acids, in the synthesis of proteins, stimulates the tone of muscle contractions, increases the body's resistance to oxygen starvation, to fatigue, accelerates recovery. The drug is harmless.

6. Tonic drugs.

Eleutherococcus liquid extract is a general tonic and tonic drug that increases physical and mental performance, has low toxicity. It is used as a tonic during the training period, during competitions and during overtraining.

Steps to help your body recover faster after a workout.

After a workout, it is very important to give the body the opportunity to rest from stress and recover for the next lesson. The better the recovery, the more likely it is to turn everything gained by hard training into an excellent result. To ensure maximum recovery, you need to follow simple rules on the daily routine, nutrition, and devote time to recovery procedures.

Meals throughout the day

How you carry the load and recover from exercise is greatly influenced by nutrition. Nutrition should be balanced, i.e. nutrients(proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, trace elements, water) should be supplied in the right proportions, and contain a sufficient amount of calories. It is necessary to eat at least 3 times a day, observing the diet.

Nutrition after training

After training, it is necessary to restore the supply of consumed nutrients in the muscles and liver, restore the fluid lost with sweat, as well as the immune system. In the first 30-40 minutes after a workout, you need to take a portion of proteins (to prevent the destruction of muscle tissue and start recovery processes) and carbohydrates (to compensate for energy costs and restore glycogen stores). Fluids are best replenished with water or a sports drink.

Dream

In a dream, there is an intensive restoration of the body as a whole and muscles in particular. The required duration of sleep depends on the individual characteristics of the body and averages 8 hours. If an athlete starts training with heavy loads (for example, two workouts a day), he should add another 1-2 hours of sleep to his usual rate. Intensively training athletes and those who practice more than 1 time per day are also shown daytime sleep. Lack of sleep can lead to reduced productivity, loss of energy, lack of concentration.

Warm up and cool down

Properly done warm-up allows the athlete to warm up the muscles, increase the range of motion, prepare the cardiovascular system for the load, reduce the accumulation of lactic acid (lactate) in the blood and muscles, and reduce the likelihood of injury. All this speeds up the subsequent recovery.

A hitch helps tired muscles get rid of accumulated hydrogen ions and utilize lactic acid, so the athlete feels much better after training: the muscles will not be so stiff and heavy, the risk of injury will decrease, fatigue will be much less, and mood will be better. In athletes who do not neglect the hitch, muscles recover faster. The hitch should include exercises performed without tension, slow running, free unhurried swimming.

It is very correct to include exercises for flexibility and muscle stretching in the warm-up and cool-down, such exercises increase muscle elasticity and increase blood circulation. Stretching the muscles will also help in the fight against delayed muscle pain syndrome.

Massage

Massage and self-massage is a great means of recovery. Massage after a workout helps in the regeneration of muscle cells, and relaxes after an intense workout. Massage enhances blood circulation in muscles and internal organs, relaxes overstressed and relieves pain in damaged muscles, improves muscle regeneration and recovery processes, enhances lymph flow, activates metabolic processes and eliminates congestion in tissues, improves joint mobility.

There are several types of massage, different in intensity of impact and tasks.

Sports massage is an excellent means of rehabilitation in fitness, it helps to remove decay products from muscles, makes muscles more elastic, and accelerates recovery processes. The main type of sports massage is a restorative massage, the purpose of which is to restore and increase the overall performance of an athlete after fatigue. If the purpose of the massage is different, then it cannot be considered restorative. Massage, for example, can be preliminary, mobilizing, training, preventive.

Restorative massage is used after physical exertion and with any degree of fatigue. The higher the level of loads (both in terms of volume and intensity), the more urgent the need to restore the body becomes.

Restorative massage can be used during training sessions (for example, between approaches to the weightlifter's barbell, exercises on individual apparatus - for gymnasts), between training sessions (if they are held several times a day), after training sessions; during the competition and after the end of the competition.

The greatest effect is achieved by daily massage that affects the muscles of the whole body (general massage). General massage is recommended to be done 2.5-3 hours after a lot of physical activity (physically trained people can undergo a massage procedure earlier) and no later than 12 hours before the next workout.

Local massage well relieves fatigue that occurs during the intensive work of a certain muscle group, for example, arms or legs. The total duration of local massage is 10-15 minutes. Local massage can be done even between particularly intense periods of training and immediately after it.

If it is not possible to use the services of a massage therapist, self-massage can be used to combat fatigue and restore working capacity. Self-massage can be general and local.

Doing self-massage, first in the supine position massage the back, legs, chest and abdomen; then in a sitting position - arms, neck and head. Hands should be massaged moving from the fingers to the elbow, from the elbow to the armpit; legs - from the foot to the knees, from the knees to the region of the inguinal lymph nodes; chest and back - from the middle to the sides; neck - from top to bottom. The order of techniques is as follows: stroking, rubbing, squeezing, final stroking. In case of injuries and after severe fatigue, shock techniques should not be used. The thigh, feet, lower leg, lumbar region are massaged with both hands. The total duration of the massage is 10-25 minutes.

Another type of massage - vibration massage - is performed using a special apparatus-vibration massager, which causes response muscle vibrations. Vibromassage reduces muscle tone and excitability of the nervous system. The frequency of vibrations on tired muscles is 15 hertz, on others - 25 hertz. Higher frequency is ineffective. Duration of vibromassage is from 5-15 minutes.

Before the competition, professional athletes are given a special massage that tones the muscles and nerve endings and sets them up for maximum results, and after the competition, a restorative massage is done.

Russian bath and Finnish sauna

The steam bath is one of the oldest ways to get rid of fatigue. From exposure to hot air, blood circulation is accelerated, a person is forced to breathe more often and deeper. All tissues of the body receive additional portions of arterial blood, delivering oxygen and nutrients and carrying away metabolic products accumulated during physical work. Due to the increase in body temperature, the activity of the sweating system is activated, thus, decay products are removed faster. During warming up, the muscles relax, sensations in the joints improve, tension in the spine is relieved. All this contributes to the speedy recovery of the body after physical activity. Also, the bath helps prevent colds.

According to the effect on the body, a bath can be equated to training with an average load. Usually the bath is visited at the end of the week. Before the bath and after it, the training load should be slightly reduced. You can visit the bathhouse immediately after training, but it is undesirable to train the next day. It is useful to go to the bath a week before the start of responsible competitions.

In sports practice, a wet steam bath (Russian bath) and a dry steam bath (Finnish bath or sauna) are used.

In a Russian bath, due to excessive air humidity, sweat does not evaporate, but flows down the skin, which leads to overheating of the body and may be accompanied by unpleasant subjective sensations.

In the steam room of the Russian bath you need to go 2-3 times for 5-7 minutes. When entering, you should first sit down a bit until the first sweating, then go upstairs for 3-5 minutes (you can take a steam bath with a broom made of birch, eucalyptus, oak branches), then go down again, sit a little, and then exit the steam room. Leaving the steam room, you should wash off the lot with a cool shower. Temperature fluctuations additionally train the mechanisms of thermoregulation and make it easier to stay in the bath. In between visits, rest calmly, covered with a sheet.

The Finnish dry-air bath provides recovery more efficiently than the Russian steam bath. Unlike the Russian bath, the air in the sauna is dry (relative humidity 5-10%), so the temperature of 80-100 degrees is easily tolerated in the Finnish sauna.

Take a shower before visiting the sauna. You need to enter the sauna 2-3 times for no more than 5 minutes. After leaving the sauna, take a cool shower or immerse yourself in cold water for no more than a minute.

It is best to quench your thirst after visiting the steam room with mineral water (no more than 1 glass). You can drink a glass of tea with lemon or eat an orange.

Bath visits usually take from half an hour to an hour.

For greater efficiency, a visit to the bath can be combined with a massage or self-massage.

Bath

A warm bath increases circulation and metabolic processes in the body, and relaxes the muscles. Warm baths can be taken within half an hour after strenuous muscular work or in the evening before going to bed. Water temperature - up to 55 ° C, duration - up to 20 minutes. Adding a glass of sea salt to your bath can help remove toxins and relieve muscle pain. After a warm bath, you can do a little stretching, because the muscles will be flexible and elastic. For greater effect you can combine a warm bath with a massage, which should be carried out 2-2.5 hours after the water procedure.

Ice baths are increasingly being used in sports for recovery, especially swimming. Such a bath has a cooling healing effect on the muscles, reduces muscle pain, inflammation and tension, and improves healing processes. While taking an ice bath, the blood vessels of the body surface narrow and the blood rushes to the internal organs, saturating them with oxygen, which improves the removal of unnecessary substances accumulated as a result of physical activity from the body. After taking an ice bath, fresh blood rushes to the muscles, washing away the remaining toxins. The duration of the procedure is 5-10 minutes. Water temperature 12-15 °С. Toes should be covered with special socks, this will reduce pain. Within 30-40 minutes after the ice bath, you need to warm up, run, jump in order to better disperse the blood and enhance the effect of the procedure. Also, after the ice bath, you can take a warm shower or drink hot tea or milk.

An ice bath can be alternated with a hot shower or a hot bath. To do this, you need to be in an ice bath for 1-2 minutes, 1-2 minutes in a hot shower or hot tub. Repeat the cycle 3-5 times. This technique allows you to effectively get rid of harmful substances.

Cold and hot shower

A contrast shower is a water procedure during which hot water alternates with cold, which has health effect on the body. A contrast shower has a positive effect on blood vessels, ligaments, and connective tissue. Different temperatures cause alternating narrowing and expansion of blood vessels, resulting in improved blood supply to organs and tissues and metabolism, toxins are removed from the body faster. A contrast shower hardens the body well, increases vitality. The duration of taking a contrast shower is 10-15 minutes.

To enhance the effect of the procedure after a contrast shower, you can use rubbing with a towel, which is a mini massage for the muscles.

Green tea

Include green tea in your daily diet. It contains many antioxidants - substances that remove old toxins and prevent the formation of new ones. In addition, green tea restores the depleted nervous system; gives cheerfulness and good mood; prevents the deposition of fats and fat-like substances on the walls of blood vessels and destroys already deposited fatty layers, serving to prevent atherosclerosis; promotes weight loss; reduces the risk of myocardial infarction and cancerous tumors; boosts immunity.

Walk in the fresh air

Walking in the air, and especially walking combined with very light training, allows you to speed up the recovery process better than ordinary passive rest. In the fresh air, the body receives a large amount of oxygen, while light training saturates the muscles with blood, supplying them with the necessary for recovery and helping to accelerate the regeneration processes in muscle tissues with useful elements.

self-suggested rest

This technique is aimed at reducing the activity of all body systems to a minimum level, while optimal conditions are created in the tissues of the body for the absorption of energy and nutrients.

You can just sit for 10 minutes with your eyes closed, relaxing your muscles. Either lying on a flat surface or sitting in a chair with your feet on the chair, close your eyes and try to completely relax. Do not think about anything or remember pleasant, but calm life moments. One can imagine calm natural scenes: the sea, an endless meadow, clouds.

As soon as you leave the gym, the body switches to recovery and muscle growth mode. Optimize these processes to prepare for your next workout!

Many bodybuilders pay close attention to every aspect of training - from selection the best exercises to specialized training protocols and the smallest details in the process - and then consider the job done as soon as they cross the threshold of the gym. But in order to achieve results - or rather, to optimize them - you need to treat the post-workout protocol with the same attention as the training itself, otherwise you will not reach your full potential.

“In my opinion, the most underestimated aspect of the entire mass-building cycle,” says Mike Kundla, competing in the Mens Physicist category. - Your body needs adequate rest and recovery. He needs to repair muscle fibers damaged during training, replenish muscle glycogen stores, allow the central nervous system to recover.”

Fitness trainer Brandon Strong believes that this is far from the only reason for optimizing recovery. “You want to be 100% ready for your next workout, and recovery plays a very important role in preparation,” he says.

We decided to draw on the knowledge of two successful athletes and asked them about their post-workout protocols to determine which recovery strategy is most effective. What steps help them train to their limits day in and day out?

1. Start with Stretching and Cooling Down After Your Workout

The journey to optimizing recovery begins before you even leave the gym. First stop after the main workout: static stretch and cool down.

If you don't work on flexibility, muscles will shorten and lose elasticity over time. Static stretching increases the range of motion in the joints, and this is of great importance in minimizing the risk of injury.

To pave shortest way To recovery, Strong stretches for at least 10 minutes after every workout and uses a Pilates topper on leg days. “I also do 15-20 minutes of cold water bathing after an intense leg workout; I have noticed that it helps me reduce muscle inflammation,” says Strong.

Kundla doesn't like the cold, although he puts ice on his knees for an hour after a workout to ease the pain from old football injuries. His recovery protocol varies depending on the specifics of the workout. Some of his days are purely power: he works with a lot of weight and combines into supersets, like variations and. His other days are auxiliary: the athlete does, for example, and, and at the same time cardio and exercises for general physical fitness.

“Power days require more intense recovery, which takes longer,” says Kundla. - I do a lot of stretching using three elements. sports equipment that every athlete should include in their recovery arsenal: kettlebells, a lacrosse ball (or tennis ball), and a Pilates top hat.”

On accessory training days, Kundla does more static stretches in classical style. “So do I these days: 100 bipedal jumps, 100 alternating legs, and another 50 single leg jumps,” he says. “It strengthens the muscles and ligaments of the foot and ankle, which helps reduce the risk of injury.”

Mike Kundla's Post Workout Protocol on Strength Days

10-15 - camel to remove stiffness in the back and shoulders.
, muscles of the back of the thigh and back on the cylinder for Pilates; as an alternative for the legs, you can use a barbell.
Work out the trigger zones of the shoulder, pelvis and calves with a lacrosse ball: 30 seconds of pressure in 2-3 sets for each zone.
10-15 with own weight (for each leg).
20 circular movements of the hands in each direction.
3-5 minutes cooldown on a stationary bike.

2. Water - not just for hydration

Water plays an important role in recovery and both athletes emphasize the importance of water. Not only should you drink water to keep your body properly hydrated - which is critical to achieving peak physical performance - but also use water for active recovery.

“Once a week I train in the pool for active recovery. Either swim or run in shallow water, combining it with pelvic and leg exercises, Strong says. - Water resistance helps to relax stiff muscles, which is especially effective after a hard leg workout. At the same time cold water Helps to normalize body temperature after exercise.

3. Break your post-workout "nutrition" into two meals

Both athletes use the two-step principle of post-workout nutrition, which consists of covering immediate needs and post-workout meals. This approach not only speeds up recovery, but also begins preparation for tomorrow's workout.

Before leaving the gym, Kundla takes care of the hydration of the body by adding 1.5 scoops to a shaker with water. "It gives me a great combination of and that helps speed up my recovery." An hour later, he cooks 1.5 cups of egg whites with 30-60 grams of young broccoli or green vegetables, or takes about 40 grams, in which no more than 5 grams and fat. “When I have to run errands, I stir 1.5 scoops of 100% Combat Isolate MusclePharm into water.”

Strong's post-workout dressing starts with MusclePharm products, which he takes right away: Amino 1 supplemented with 5 grams of glutamine to help with recovery, and the Combat Crunch Bar, which provides 20 grams of protein and 25 grams of carbohydrates. An hour after a workout, Strong prefers nutrient-dense foods: his favorite meal is the delicious Burrito Salad, loaded with protein to the top.

When 24 hours in a day is no longer enough, many people begin to sacrifice sleep. But in terms of muscle recovery, you need to do exactly the opposite; a special role in the secretion of hormones and the general replenishment of the body's strength makes sleep one of the most important aspects recovery. Both athletes say that really getting enough sleep is always hard.

Everyone has developed a specific evening ritual for themselves. Kundla begins by soothing sore muscles. “I often use evening myofascial relaxation by applying ice or warm compresses to certain areas that are painful or inflamed. In addition, after 6 pm I reduce my fluid intake so that I do not wake up again at night.

Strong is an avid fan of a relaxing cup of hot tea before bed. He also takes from MusclePharm, which contains magnesium and to maintain natural levels and improve the quality of sleep.

According to Strong, meditation is another effective way to relax after a stressful day, and he spends 10-15 minutes a day on it. “I started meditating in college to help manage my stress levels and found that calming my mind and focusing on goals that I still have to achieve helps me a lot.”

5. Keep fueling up in the morning

Most guys think that by going to sleep, the recovery mission is done, but Kundla says that proper post-workout nutrition continues right up to the moment you pick up the dumbbells again. This period of time includes further refueling of your body the right products and food additives. Immediately after waking up, Kundla has breakfast and takes. "It has an excellent balance of vitamins, minerals and natural substances, as well as probiotics for the immune system and a complex for the heart and blood vessels."

Then he goes into the hall. But before taking on serious weights, Kundla begins a pre-workout warm-up and does a series of flexibility exercises that are similar to post-workout exercises, but in a different order. “You have to make time for stretching and flexibility both before and after your workout,” he says. - It is useful both for the training itself and for post-workout recovery. Stretching helps prevent injury and improves the quality of your workouts.”

Mike Kundla's Flexibility Pre-Workout Program

3-5 minutes warm-up on a stationary bike.
10-15 walking lunges with your own weight (each leg).
10 stretches in the cat-camel position.
20 deep with own weight.
Stretching the quadriceps and back on the Pilates cylinder; as an alternative for legs, you can take a barbell.
Stretching and kneading the calves with a barbell.
20 circular movements of the hands (in each direction).
with 13 kg kettlebell.

Strong is convinced that he needs to continue recovery the next day, so he starts the morning with a glass of water. "There's a saying that water makes us stronger," he says, meaning that even minimal dehydration can drastically impair physical performance. After breakfast, Strong uses another pre-workout tool, MusclePharm, a pre-workout energy drink and psychostimulant. “It energizes me and helps me pick up the pace of my workout,” he says. “I mix 1 scoop in water and drink the drink either while stretching before a workout or during a warm-up run.”

He also takes BCAAs before training - about two scoops - to fuel his muscles and greatly facilitate recovery by providing the body with substances that are used up during intense training.

2014-07-23 // Konstantin Belyaev

Rest and recovery is a necessary and important component of any training process whether it's running, cycling, bodybuilding or chess. The actions or inactions you take between workouts have a huge impact on how you perform and how you feel. Proper recovery allows you to train more, more often and more efficiently, while the wrong one throws you back and harms your health.

Unfortunately, most people do not pay enough attention to muscle recovery after a workout. This article will help you pay attention to essential elements recovery of the body after physical exertion.

Why recovery after exercise is so important

Recovery after training mainly affects the "repair" of torn muscles and tissues during physical activity, as well as increasing the strength and endurance of the whole organism. Recovery is especially important after hard training in gym or intense outdoor workouts.

In other words, in training we tortured our body and muscles, and now we must help bring it back to normal.

Muscle recovery time after training

Depending on the intensity of exercise, muscles take 24 to 48 hours to recover, and exercising too early leads to tissue breakdown instead of building.

Supercompensation

In this article, I will not touch on the topic of supercompensation strongly - I will leave it for a separate article. Here, I’ll just say that the idea (someone calls this idea a myth) of supercompensation is that after a workout there is a certain period of time when you need to start the next workout for maximum efficiency and increased athletic performance. For each person, this specific period of time is different, so everyone should investigate this issue on their own. Subscribe to blog updates so you don't miss this article

There are as many means of recovery as there are many athletes on the planet, but I will give the most common and recommended means of restoring the body after physical exertion.

Restoration of fluid in the body. You lose a lot of fluid during exercise, and ideally you should replenish it during training, but replenishing after exercise is the easiest way to start recovery processes in the body. Water accompanies all metabolic functions and the transport of nutrients in the body, so it is very important that there is enough water in the body. It is especially important to restore fluid in endurance sports, in which, within a few hours, sweat is excreted. great amount water.

Eat properly. In the process of exercise, energy reserves are depleted, so it is necessary to replenish these reserves so that the body can repair damaged muscles and tissues, become stronger and be ready for the next test. This is very important for people who play endurance sports, as well as for those who seek to increase muscle mass. Several important recommendations on this point:

Follow your daily calorie, protein, carbohydrate, and fat intake.
shortly before bedtime, eat some light protein food (such as cottage cheese or a protein shake) - this will add building material to be used at night
protein should be present in every breakfast - this will provide the body with the necessary ingredients to start/continue recovery from the very beginning of the day.
30-60 minutes before training, a light meal with proteins and carbohydrates (protein shake)
within 30-60 minutes after exercise, a copious amount of protein and carbohydrates to replenish depleted energy reserves.

Stretching. After each workout, do a set of stretches. It's simple and fast way help the muscles start recovery (I will write a separate article and video about stretching - subscribe not to miss)

Passive recovery and rest. Time one out better ways recover (or heal) from almost all stresses and illnesses. Our body has an amazing ability to heal if you give it time. Rest after heavy loads allows recovery processes to occur naturally. This is the easiest, but not the only way you should recover after a workout. Of course, you can sometimes use this easy method.

Active recovery. Light, gentle movement and exercise improves circulation, which helps transport nutrients and remove waste from the body. It helps muscle recovery and active energy replenishment. Active recovery is performed with with the help of a lung running, cycling, swimming in the first heart rate zone

Massage. Massage - pleasant procedure, which relieves muscle tension, improves circulation and allows you to completely relax. To avoid high costs for this process, it is possible to massage the legs yourself, and leave the rest of the body to the wife or husband

Cold recovery. AT recent times it becomes very popular to carry out recovery processes with the help of cold: cold baths, ice massage, contrast water procedures. All this allows you to recover faster, reduce muscle fatigue and prevent injury. In theory, repeatedly contracting and expanding, blood vessels help to remove (or wash away) waste products in the tissues.

within 24 hours after training, fully immerse yourself in cold bath(10-12 degrees Celsius) or a body of water with this temperature for 8-10 minutes
a contrast shower should be taken every morning and after training, finishing with cold water

Good dream. While you sleep, amazing things happen in your body. Good sleep is important for anyone who exercises regularly. During sleep, the body produces growth hormone, which is responsible for muscle growth and repair.

Avoid overtraining. In pursuit of results and big goals, we often create ambitious training programs and strive to follow them without deviating a single step. For our willpower, this may be good, but for the body it often ends in overtraining. Overtraining is a state of chronic decline in strength, when none of the recovery methods help.

The most important thing is to listen to your body and the body, which always tells us what it can and cannot do. It is better to skip a workout or do it in a more gentle mode (slower and / or shorter) than to deal with the consequences of overtraining for several weeks.

Meditation. Adding mental practices to your training process can be a great support. By practicing mental rehearsal or following a mindfulness program, it becomes possible to improve your calmness, clear attitude to processes, reduce anxiety and fussiness.

The famous climber Uli Steck, who broke several records with his speed ascents, pays autogenic training almost the same amount of time as physical.

Alcohol is the enemy of recovery. If you are an adherent of the theory of cultural drinking, then know that studies have shown that any amount of ethyl alcohol contained in alcoholic beverages interferes with the recovery process. I am not saying that we should completely ban the consumption of alcohol (we live in free time), but if you set yourself the goal of recovering faster, then you will have to cut alcohol out of your nutrition plan.

Listen to your body for fast post-workout recovery

Again, as this is the most important thing you should remember from this article - listen to your body. If you feel tired, sick, or notice a deterioration in your results, you should reduce the intensity and amount of exercise for a while. Just be able to distinguish between canceling a workout because of poor recovery and because of your laziness. Laziness, she is cunning - she will do everything so that you miss a workout, so be careful. Feeling great the day after a hard workout is no reason to slow down.

If you pay attention to your condition, in most cases your body will tell you what it needs and when it needs. The problem is that many of us are unwilling to listen to our body's warnings, and we say things like "I can't be tired - I didn't train at all yesterday" or "I need to train even more and more, despite what if I want to run / arrive / sail at the scheduled time"

To be honest, I myself have suffered several times in the past from not listening to my body. As a result, several weeks flew out of the training process, throwing them far back. Now I have become smarter and more experienced.

I hope that the post-workout recovery tools that I have provided in this article will help you recover more efficiently, train without injuries and unpleasant shocks.

Be sure to check out