Most of us are in such a hurry to get our workout over and done that we forget to recover properly.
Know what happens when you don’t respect the cool down? You get sore. Know what happens when you get sore? You blame the intensity of your workout and break your exercise routine until the soreness subsides.
But the truth is you could’ve avoided the soreness by adopting better recovery habits. By adding 10 minutes to the start of your workout and 10-15 at the end, you can avoid soreness and gain strength and flexibility … And it’s not even strenuous, so you have no excuse. The more you do this, the faster your body will produce endorphins, those hormone that give you a natural high.
Let’s hit the path to dependence with these products and tips.
Don’t forget to hydrate and consume protein post workout
Watermelon water is loaded with potassium and electrolytes but not loaded with sugar, so it makes for a good refueling juice. Protein will also help your muscles repair themselves and keep your metabolism processing fat. And magnesium supplements are great for muscle relaxation and will help you catch a solid 40 winks. Sleep is critical to helping your body recover, and it also improves hormone regulation, mitigating your urge to snack.
Mediation and yoga will reduce stress and help your body recover
Transcendental Meditation, touted by David Lynch and Clint Eastwood, is being used by people with high blood pressure and soldiers with PTSD. It works. Consider doing it — along with some yoga outdoors — as the sounds and smells of nature are also proven to reduce stress. Twisted Guru makes an eco-friendly yoga mat ideal for stretching on sand and grass.
As you age, past injuries become weak points. Use a compress.
OS1st foot sleeves are great because they target weak points while increasing blood flow. They’re also easy to clean.
Get a foam roller
And then learn how to use it. There’s no better way to work the kinks out of your body.
Invest in some props to help you recover while on the road
BakBalls, essentially two conjoined lacrosse balls, were designed by an Olympic physical therapist to help open up the upper back and shoulders. Carrying around a foam roller is a pain, but the collapsable one by MORPH inflates with the tug of a string to hold 350 pounds.
Get topical
A little bit of muscle ache is inevitable no matter how well you prepare, so pick up some creams for quick relief. Jack Black’s Dragon Ice uses natural ingredients and menthol for a soothing sensation that’s not overpowering, while Kush Creams is a CBD/THC-based topical that has been proven to reduce soreness and pain without getting you high. Arnica, a cream or gel made from a flower and available at health food stores, works for severe sprains and is as strong as ibuprofen without any side effects.
HyperIce makes an array of products that perform minor miracles
HyperIce’s Hypersphere is a palm-sized ball that vibrates as you roll on all the sore spots, releasing fascia and connective tissue around your joints and muscles. And if you’ve blown out your knee, elbow or back, their compression sleeves can be filled with ice and won’t leak.
Fast-twitch exercises will help build strength and release lactic acid
The Complex Wireless muscle stimulator has nodes that connect to various muscle groups, and allows you to send high-frequency shocks via your phone to stimulate muscles, a method proven to both strengthen muscle fiber while releasing lactic acid. Sounds scary, but it works (and is FDA approved).
Main image via: Facebook
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