6 Proven Tips to Maximize Post-Training Muscle Recovery

You have been training hard and your strenuous workouts have left you with every athlete’s worst nightmare that is delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Yes, we are talking about the crippling muscle pain that lasts one or more days after a really tough workout. Many fitness enthusiasts talk about the phenomenon as a type of fitness hangover you go through when you’ve pushed yourself too much during your everyday workouts. And while the urge to overcome it via exercising more might be tempting, the truth is that some kind of muscle recovery is imperative amidst workouts to avoid putting yourself at risk of getting injured.

Science tells us that exercise stress causes small micro-tears to the muscles which need to be repaired by the body’s own muscle regeneration process-and that takes time. Often times we get far too many tears without allowing the body to regenerate through a recovery routine and that can lead to strains or injuries that can jeopardize our fitness schedule.

diPulse’s fitness philosophy is focused on two main fitness pillars: performance and post-training recovery. We believe a recovery routine is equally important for muscle wellness and regeneration-and we have the science to back it up. Read on to discover six proven ways to maximize muscle recovery and be ready for the next challenge!

Eat cleverly

Working out makes you hungry, but did you know there are specific food groups to eat before and after the workout? According to Sports Dietitians Australia (SDA), “...the urgency for carbohydrate and protein after exercise depends on how long the time is until your next exercise session... the body is most effective at replacing carbohydrates and promoting muscle repair and growth in the first 60-90min after exercise.”

Further research has shown that eating protein before your workout may help increase muscle protein synthesis while eating carbohydrates post-workout is beneficial to replenish all glycogen lost through intense exercise. Eating cleverly will allow your muscles to recover fast and without extra strain. As to the number of carbohydrates required; the International Society of Sports Nutrition recommends consuming 1.2 g/kg of body weight per hour with a focus on high glycemic index foods.

Go to bed

Going to sleep is one of the most beneficial things to do after a long hard workout or intense training. It is during sleep that muscles recover from exercise and repair strains to create healthy body muscle. People who exercise a lot and intensively may need more sleep than the average person even if they don’t feel tired. Research has shown that lack of sleep may obstruct recovery by impairing the production of hormones that aid muscle growth. No surprise that many elite athletes allegedly sleep 10n hours or more, they know it’s the best they can do for their body post-workout!

Hydrate-but take electrolytes

We all know drinking water is essential for post-workout recovery as it contributes to muscle repair. Still, may not be enough if you have worked out too hard or for a very long time. According to the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences at Loughborough University in the UK: “...rehydration will only be achieved if a volume of fluid in excess of the sweat loss is ingested together with sufficient electrolytes.” Those electrolytes such as magnesium, potassium, and sodium are present in water, in liquids such as milk or lemon juice, but also in other foods-and with a higher concentration. A diet full of fruits and vegetables along with the use of specific electrolyte-full drinks can provide your muscles with the necessary hydration along with the necessary electrolytes for muscle recovery.

Warm-up well before resistance training

Allowing enough time to warm up before a hard workout can even influence your post-workout recovery time and quality. According to Mayo Clinic in the USA, taking the time to complete a targeted warm-up may "...help to reduce muscle soreness and lessen your risk of injury.” This is particularly true if you plan to do aerobic exercise for a long time or follow a program with strong, yet slow repetitive movements such as deadlifts. Focus your stretching on the general muscle categories and then dynamically stretch the muscles you plan to engage the most during your training. Effective warm-up lengthens the muscle, making it more flexible and less prone to injuries, thus minimizing the overall recovery time and effort you will need after.

Go cold, really cold

Working out causes the muscle micro-damage so we need to fuel and muscle regeneration and rebuild muscle. This is a normal process but can result in soreness and inflammation as the muscles are working hard to adapt to the new workout challenges. This is where the cold comes in, as it has been found to reduce inflammation and facilitate muscle recovery. If your muscles feel sore long after your workout it’s time to add a really cool bath to your recovery regime.

Many elite athletes even try cryotherapy, a treatment that involves exposing the body to cold or near-freezing temperatures for short periods of time. In fact, researchers in Sydney, Australia investigating the effect of whole-body cryotherapy (WBC) on recovery after exercise found that “WBC may improve recovery from muscle damage, with multiple exposures more consistently exhibiting improvements in recovery from pain, loss of muscle function, and markers of inflammation and damage.” Ready to go the extra mile?

Make the most of your diPulse SmartWare

The diPulse philosophy is simple: we pay equal importance to performance and post-training recovery and we have designed our products to perfectly facilitate both. Using NMES technology during your recovery time is the revolutionary, science-backed way for effective muscle recovery in less time.