After a workout, muscle recovery is important. It allows for improved performance and the body to heal itself in preparation for the next workout load. In turn, this helps increase the risk of injuries.
There are many ways to increase muscle recovery time, from eating the right foods to taking the right supplements. In this post, we’ll talk about the best tips to help you maximise muscle recovery.
Foods
There are plenty of foods that can aid with muscle recovery:
- Protein post-workout: Consuming protein after a workout can give the body the raw material it requires for muscle damage repair.
- Protein pre-workout: Eating protein before a workout may help increase muscle protein synthesis.
- Carbohydrates post-workout: Muscles store carbs as glycogen for energy. During short-duration intense exercise, your muscles will use the glycogen as their primary form of energy. Therefore, consuming carbs with a glycemic range of over 70 will be helpful to restore glycogen levels in less than four hours.
- Balanced diet: Eating an overall healthy diet will ensure you don’t develop nutrient deficiencies that could impair your muscles’ ability to recover.
Drinks
Along with foods, you need to be mindful of what you drink, too. Stay hydrated: If you’re dehydrated, you can impair your muscles’ ability to repair themselves. Therefore, make sure you drink plenty of water.
Lifestyle
A good lifestyle is crucial to muscle recovery. To ensure your lifestyle is aligned, here are tips:
- Get enough sleep: Sleep will give you muscles time to recover from exercise. If you frequently do high-intensity workouts, you need more rest than the average person. Professional athletes are known to sleep over 10 hours or more per night.
- Have a massage: A massage can help reduce muscle soreness, which can aid in muscle recovery.
Supplements
Supplements play an important role in muscle recovery:
- Creatine monohydrate: It is the most studied supplement, and it shows it helps improve muscular strength when paired with resistance training. Moreover, creatine also helps athletes recover from intense training as it can help reduce muscle damage and inflammation.
- Protein powder: It is a convenient way to have more protein in your diet.
What to Avoid
Aside from the things you need to support muscle recovery, you also need to know about what you should avoid. Some of them are:
- Alcohol: Alcohol can impair the muscles’ ability to replenish glycogen and synthesise protein.
- Tobacco: Some pieces of evidence show that smoking is associated with an increased risk of muscular injury. It is also associated with joint disease and bone fracture.
Conclusion
If you work out frequently, muscle recovery is important. Paying attention to how your muscle recovers will help you have more effective workouts and achieve your desired results. Use these tips to ensure your muscles recover well after intense workouts. That way, you can make the most out of your exercise routines, and every sweat will be worth it.
Investing in the right supplements is an easy way to support muscle recovery. So, make sure you research high-quality ones that work for you.
Recov offers the best recovery supplement in Australia. We pride ourselves in offering an ultra-powerful and potent protein concentrate scientifically designed and tested to optimise healing, recovery and strength. Get yours today.