
Your Holistic Guide To Exercise And Muscle Recovery
You’ve made it to the end of your workout – well done! Although it’s tempting to throw down a little water, stretch your legs and then go about your day, it’s actually beneficial to make sure you do a proper cool-down. Knowing what helps with muscle recovery can help you stay energised, reduce the risk of injury and ensure your body is ready for the next session.
Whether you’re doing yoga with the kids or working on your pelvic floor, here’s our holistic guide to exercise recovery, which encompasses movement, nutrition and mindfulness.
Keep moving your body with active recovery
When you’re short of time, it may be tempting to skip stretching after exercise, but stretching is an important step in post exercise recovery to help keep muscles flexible, strong and healthy, and prevent them from shortening and becoming tight¹. Target the muscle group you’ve been using and focus on ‘static stretching’, where you hold stretches without moving to the point of feeling mild tension (but not pain).
Eliza Milsom, Mindfulness and Wellbeing Expert, suggests Yin yoga as a useful tool for exercise recovery. “Yin yoga – in comparison to the fast pace of Yang yoga – moves through poses slowly, focusing on stretching and lengthening the body’s deeper connective tissues. From a physiological perspective, it can help keep muscles limber, flexible and strong, and enable faster recovery to support whatever exercise you are doing.” You can even get the kids involved in your post exercise recovery with some yoga for toddlers.
What is active recovery?
Active recovery means continuing to move your body but in a low intensity exercise, such as walking, doing yoga, swimming or gentle stretching. It’s typically best to do active recovery the day after a high-intensity workout, or before your next workout4.
Should I still workout if my muscles are sore?
If you’re feeling delayed onset muscle soreness (known as DOMS) after a workout, it may be beneficial to do active recovery exercises instead of a high intensity workout5. This can include resistance exercises, low intensity exercises and/ or stretching. To help prevent muscle soreness, you can incorporate ‘cool downs’ after exercise, which may look like a five-to-ten minute walk on a treadmill or stretching the muscles groups you’ve worked out.
Nourish and hydrate yourself with essential nutrients and protein after a workout
You’re no doubt feeling hungry after expending so much energy, but what should you eat to help your body get the best out of your workout? Here are some insight into eating for exercise recovery and post workout nutrients.
“Carbohydrates, protein and fat are key for muscle soreness recovery, as these macronutrients help restore muscle glycogen stores and maximise protein synthesis between workouts²", explains Eliza. “Aim to consume a well-balanced meal, such as an omelette with vegetables, ideally within a few hours of exercise.”
Best food for muscle recovery
To properly recover after a workout, you need to fuel your body with the major macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates and fats) in order for the recovery process to function properly6. Protein helps repair and build muscle while carbohydrates assist the post recovery process by replenishing glycogen stores2,7. Some good post-workout foods that cover these macros include:
- Sweet potatoes, fruits, and oatmeal (carbs)
- Eggs, Greek yoghurt, and chicken/salmon (proteins)
- Avocado, nuts and seeds (fats)
And, of course don’t forget, hydration which is essential for post-workout recovery.
Focus on your mind
The mind is just as important as the body when it comes to recovery after exercise. To help you recover after a workout, the final piece of the puzzle is breathwork. As Eliza explains: “The breath helps to regulate the nervous and circulatory systems. When we exercise, we put our body into a high-stress, fight-or-flight mode, which needs time and focus to regulate. Deep, mindful breathing helps activate our parasympathetic nervous system, which lowers the heart rate and puts the body into ‘rest and relax’ mode.³”
“Take a few moments after a workout to sit upright or lie on your back so your lungs can be filled with air more efficiently. Breathe in through your nose and ensure the breath fills your belly, not just your chest (putting a hand on your stomach can help). Hold your breath, and then exhale slowly through the mouth, counting to six.”
References:
1. The importance of stretching. Harvard Health. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-importance-of-stretching. Published March 14, 2022
2. Burke LM, Kiens B, Ivy JL. Carbohydrates and fat for training and recovery. J Sports Sci. 2004 Jan;22(1):15-30. doi: 10.1080/0264041031000140527. PMID: 14971430.
3. The Science of Stress: Stress Management Strategies/Relaxation. Stress & Development Lab. https://sdlab.fas.harvard.edu/relaxing/overview. Accessed August 31, 2022.
4. Khore (2021). Active Recovery: Benefits & Workout Ideas | AFA Blog. [online] Australian Fitness Academy. Available at: https://www.fitnesseducation.edu.au/blog/fitness/active-recovery-benefits-workout-ideas/.
5. Chertoff, J. (2018). What You Should Know About Working Out When Sore. [online] Healthline. Available at: https://www.healthline.com/health/working-out-when-sore.
6. Espinosa-Salas, S. and Gonzalez-Arias, M. (2023). Nutrition: Macronutrient Intake, Imbalances, and Interventions. [online] PubMed. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK594226/.
7. Kerksick, C.M., Arent, S., Schoenfeld, B.J., Stout, J.R., Campbell, B., Wilborn, C.D., Taylor, L., Kalman, D., Smith-Ryan, A.E., Kreider, R.B., Willoughby, D., Arciero, P.J., VanDusseldorp, T.A., Ormsbee, M.J., Wildman, R., Greenwood, M., Ziegenfuss, T.N., Aragon, A.A. and Antonio, J. (2017). International society of sports nutrition position stand: nutrient timing. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, [online] 14(1). doi:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-017-0189-4.