Better Workout Recovery in 7 Key Steps
You did it again, didn’t you?
You went way too hard last night at your gym class, pick up ball, Jiu-Jitsu, or something you’re embarrassed to admit, and this morning you can feel every one of those energy-sapping pains.
The bumps and bruises from earlier in the week haven’t even faded and now everything is sore… hands, neck, shoulders, knees, soft tissues, joints & ligaments, you name it.
While you are gathering enough momentum to stand out of bed, we put together our 7 best tools for post-workout recovery to keep you improving on the mats, gyms, courts, fields, or wherever you workout.
Stretch Out: Get Your Body Into Recovery Mode
When we are working out, our body gets into a “fight or flight” state so-to-speak where it is prepared to either run away, fight, or exert a large amount of energy. When our workout is done, it can take some time for our body to realize we’ve stopped working out and no longer need to either fight or run.
We don’t want to stay in the fight or flight mode for too long though as it can lead to extended inflammation in the body which is not good for anybody. We want to get our body into a recovery state as quickly as possible so it can begin to repair itself after our workout.
To help with this, make sure to have a stretching routine immediately after your workout. The best way to begin is to start with what our yogi friends call “legs up the wall.” For those unfamiliar, lets up the wall is basically laying on your back with your butt against the wall and legs straight up the wall, arms down to your sides. Laying in this position allows all of the new healthy blood cells you’ve created which are in your legs to trickle down into your most important organs.
Laying in this position for 30-60 seconds and taking deep breaths will help to calm your body and shift your body into recovery mode. If doing this at home or on a hardwood floor, its way more comfortable to use a gym or yoga mat. Our favorite is the Onnit Solo Mat…
Rub on the Recovery: Use a Topical CBD Salve Pre and Post Training
Apply the CBD salve where needed before you train to help loosen stiff muscles and prepare ligaments, tendons, and joints for the training that lies ahead. It’s a great way to get a head start on forthcoming inflammation.
Post-Training, apply it after your shower to ensure you have a good night’s rest and make sure the areas of your body most affected by the training or sparring get some attention. Staving off soreness and inflammation is the goal here.
Soak it in: Epsom Salt Baths
While we are more ‘shower’ guys here, Epsom salt baths work to relieve soreness and stiffness. Let the hot bathwater soothe your aching muscles and kick up the magnesium intake with the Epsom salt.
There are lot’s of great brands, but we love Dr. Teals, try their variety pack on Amazon.
Concentrate on it: High Strength Sublingual CBD Concentrates
A dose of concentrated CBD taken sublingually before bedtime can be a recovery gamechanger. Fight inflammation while you sleep to let your body heal more rapidly and sleep more deeply. The Gold Blend is one of our top sellers and our personal product favorite.
Tinctures, gummies, chocolates and more do taste better than this CBD concentrate, but none seem to work as well as this product. The gold label CBD Concentrate has zero added ingredients and for the most part, can be absorbed under the tongue (sublingually). Since it’s absorbed under the tongue, the CBD can almost immediately enter the bloodstream and begin working.
Chill Out: Ice Bath or Whole Body Cryotherapy
Not many will muster the courage or ice cubes required to take an ice bath, but those who do know the healing properties of cold therapy. The cold counteracts inflammation and painful swelling of joints and ligaments. More recently whole body cryotherapy has been brought to the masses and is available in most cities. The research around the treatment is pretty fresh, but we view the benefits as similar to an Ice Bath, but in a condensed period of time, typically 2 minutes or so per cryo session.
Roll Out: Foam Rolling
Release muscle tension, increase blood flow and give yourself a much-needed massage with a foam roller. There are many instructional videos online that can help you target specific areas and improve recovery times. It will be painful at first, so take it slow and work it into your after class cool down.
For those who can bear the pain, we recommend a rumble roller from Rogue which will really dig into those sore spots while releasing knots and tight tissues.
Fill Up: Hydration
We can’t say it enough, but hydration and nutrition are as critical an element to wellness as anything. On training days, hydrate before, during, and after activity to ensure you are at the top of your game. Hydration will also improve cognitive performance which can help in your retention of new techniques and tricks. We prefer coconut water to ‘sports drinks’ as it is jammed with potassium and typically has less sugar. Water with Lemon and a dash of salt is also a great option as the salt helps your body retain the water while the lemon provides a kick of flavor and vitamin C.
Do you have any tools you love not listed here? Let us know about it in the comments below!