Quick and Easy Post-Workout Tips

Introduction

Fitness doesn’t end when you leave the gym! To help your body recover, a good post-workout routine is needed to help your muscles to repair.

Post workout care is also important to help your body get back some energy and fluid and allow you to stick to your workout plan by prepping your body for the next workout.

Here, we’ll talk you through some quick and easy but effective post-workout tips that can save both your muscles and your energy.

Five Simple Post Workout Tips to Speed Up Recovery

Here are some great post-workout remedies that can help your body maintain a positive post-workout recovery.

Stay Hydrated

Rehydration is essential after a workout, especially if you’ve broken a sweat. You need to replenish your fluid levels to improve muscle flexibility, build strength and prevent DOMS. Drinking enough water or healthy drinks (like green tea or coconut water) can prevent and relieve muscle cramping as well as allowing your body to keep performing at its best. You can also drink low sugar sports drinks following intense workouts that are full of electrolytes to keep your energy up.

Try a CBD Supplement

Including a CBD supplement into your post workout recovery can help keep the DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) at bay! CBD is naturally anti-inflammatory and can therefore help the microscopic tears to muscle fibres. CBD has healing properties that are known to reduce aches, pains and inflammation and so is a great addition to your protein shake! A few drops of CBD oil post workout will help your muscles recover quicker and reduce the amount of pain. You can even buy CBD oil drinks to help with your post workout recovery too!

Consume Protein Rich Foods

Protein helps to repair and build muscle, so choosing protein rich foods after a heavy lifting session can help with muscle growth. Exercise makes the muscle protein break down depending on the type of exercise and your level of training. By eating the right amount of protein, you’re giving your body the amino acids that it needs to repair and rebuild these proteins and helps your muscles build new tissue. Eating enough protein based on your weight and experience level will maximize your body’s ability to recover after an intense workout. A quality protein shake directly following your workout also goes a long way.

Make Sure to Stretch Your Muscles

When stretching straight after a workout while your muscles are still warm can help to elongate the muscles, relieve tension and enhance flexibility. It also helps to prevent muscle soreness and increase range of motion. As well as helping your muscles following exercise, stretching also improves heart function. After you’ve gotten your blood flowing to your heart, it’s important to get your heart rate to return to a normal level after which is greatly helped by stretching.

Be Sure to Get Some Quality Shut-eye

Many people totally neglect this super important aspect of recovery. It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day grind and sucked into our smartphones in the late evening hours as we unwind. Unfortunately, many of us walk around sleep deprived more often than we realize. If you don’t sleep enough, you’re setting your body up for failure. Deep sleep is rejuvenating for our muscles as well as our minds. Some ways you can improve your chances of getting a quality sleep is to turn off your phone at least an hour before bedtime, or at the minimum, use a blue light filter app. And if you struggle falling asleep at night despite taking this step, try drinking some sleepy teas like chamomile to help you get drowsy. There are special sleep brews that also work well and taste great.

The Takeaway

If you don’t give your body enough time to recover, they won’t be able to heal and repair. So, if you wake up the next day after a workout and are feeling very sore, it’s okay to take the day off, or at least train a completely different muscle group! Try taking a bath with Epsom salts, a cool shower, a massage or do some light yoga to help your muscles to heal without too much strain. And always remember to continue drinking water and eating protein rich foods the days following a workout.

About Theresa Duncan

Originally from Detroit, MI, Theresa has been offering health and fitness advice for the last 30 years while working as an engineer. She decided to turn her passion into a profession, and finds nothing more satisfying than helping others reach their health and fitness goals.