2 Recovery Lessons for Strength Training Workouts

Lots of people have already written about strength training workouts and we don’t have to add to it, but how to recover from strength training would be something that we should be researching since there are only a few articles about it, but it is as important as the workout itself. Time and time again, people shared their knowledge about breaking down tissue. However, one of the most important aspects of strength training is the recovery period, which most people don’t care about.

Recovery Lesson #1 – Avoid Over-training

It is crucial that you know about muscle growth and recovery. Remember to warm up before beginning any workout. Don’t be a show-off and overdo an exercise routine. Know when to do repetitions and when not to do extra set. Three of each exercise would be enough if you are just a newbie. You might see those professional muscle builders and follow their routine, but if you are just a newbie, you would be better off to go a week or two at half volume.

Some tips for Working Out

• Stretch those muscles before and after your workout session.
• Try to rest for a while after working out.
• Always make sure that you are well-hydrated. We need at least a gallon of water daily. If you are into heavy workouts, consider taking one of those sports drink as it would help in replacing all the electrolytes lost during workouts.
• If you feel something then you need to take the time to rest and apply cold compress on the affected body part.
• Have a walk between workouts. The whole idea about walking is getting that nutrient rich blood flowing better through your joints, pump some extra oxygen to your brain and muscles and also get outside for a dose of vitamin D from the sun.
• Sleep for eight hours.
• Eat a well-balanced diet.
• Take warm baths twice or thrice a week between strength training workouts. It would help in soothing those tired muscles of yours.
• Get a massage. If you can afford to get a professional massage then do so. Otherwise, consider getting electric massage device.
• Each muscle fiber is different from the others, thus each one needs different amount of time to recover. In general, larger muscle would need more time than the little ones.

Recovery Lesson # 2 – Take a Layoff

Take a week-off from training. If are missing certain number of reps, get tired easily and injure then you need to take a time-off. Thinking about training every time is also a sign that you are overdoing it. As you gain experience on exercising, you would know when to take a break.