How to Recover for Free

Recovery after a workout doesn’t have to be expensive. Here are some of the basic things everyone should be doing to optimize recovery for free;

Rest and Sleep
When you exercise your muscles are put under a large amount of stress, which causes small microtears in the muscle fibers. This damage triggers the body’s natural repair processes, forming stronger and more resilient muscle fibers. In general, it takes 24 – 48 hours for muscle groups to fully recover. High quality sleep and rest can help you recover faster.

Hydration
Water is vital for several body functions, including maintaining body temperature, transporting nutrients and removing waste products. Dehydration can lead to muscle cramps, headaches and fatigue. Drinking a sufficient amount of water can help replenish fluids lost during physical exertion and aid in the recovery process.

Nutrition
The body needs the right nutrients to repair and build muscle tissue. Consuming a balanced diet that includes; protein, healthy fats and complex carbohydrates can aid in physical recovery. Protein is particularly important for muscle recovery and growth.

Stretching and Mobility Exercises
Stretching is an excellent way to promote recovery and reduce muscle soreness post-workout. It helps to increase blood flow to your muscles, which can help reduce inflammation and promote muscle healing. Stretching exercises can increase flexibility whereas mobility exercises can increase your available range of motion, both helping to reduce risk of injury.

The Best Recovery Equipment for Home

There are a couple of recovery tools that are cost effective and can take your recovery to the next level. Here are some good examples of recovery equipment that you should consider investing in;

Foam Roller
This is a massage roller that you use to directly apply pressure onto soft tissues of the body like muscle. It has shown to improve circulation, reduce muscle tension and soreness, as well as increase flexibility and range of motion. It is a relatively inexpensive recovery option for those that don’t want to pay for a massage.

Stretch Out Strap
This is a long, adjustable strap that better allows you to control the intensity of your stretches, which can help you to achieve a deeper stretch than you would be able to on your own. Improving flexibility has been shown to promote healing and reduce risk of injury. It is also portable and convenient to use on the go or at home.

Ice pack
This is a pack filled with a cold, gel-like substance used to alleviate pain/muscle soreness, decrease inflammation, and speed up recovery time. Using an icepack is a form of localized cryotherapy which has also been shown to improve mood and sleep.

The Latest and Greatest in Performance and Recovery

If you have a couple of bucks saved up, these are some of the best recovery options money can buy;

Hypervolt
This is a type of percussion massage device that uses rapid vibration to massage and relax muscles. It is a popular and easy to use tool most athletes use to recover after intense exercise. It has multiple settings in which you can adjust the intensity of the massage to your liking. It has proven to reduce muscle soreness, enhance muscle recovery with the ability to target deeper muscle tissue, improves range of motion as well as alleviates pain.

Normatec Boots
These are compression recovery boots that inflate in cycles using air around both of your legs from your hip all the way down to your toes. From there, the boots deflate and re-inflate with varying pressure up and down the five different leg zones, a form of dynamic compression. Some of the many benefits Normatec boots offer are helping muscle recovery by flushing out waste products such as lactic acid, increasing blood flow, reducing muscle soreness and increasing sports performance.