Maximising Recovery After Exercise

Exercise, particularly strenuous sessions, imposes stress on the body. During workouts, you're exerting and fatiguing different muscle groups, leading to microscopic damage to muscle cells.

While this process can ultimately benefit your body, it's essential to allow sufficient time for these positive changes to occur before subjecting your body to additional stress.

Read on to learn how to maximise recovery after a workout.

Infrared Sauna

Infrared saunas contribute to muscle recovery primarily by boosting blood flow. The heat emitted by the infrared rays causes blood vessels to dilate, facilitating enhanced blood circulation through the muscles. This increased blood flow delivers vital oxygen and nutrients to the muscles, promoting faster recovery and alleviating muscle inflammation. Furthermore, the heat generated by an infrared sauna can help muscles relax.

Cold plunge

The cold temperature of a cold plunge helps to diminish swelling and prevent tissue breakdown, while facilitating the removal of lactic acid from your muscles. Upon exiting the plunge, your muscle tissues and overall body temperature begin to rise, leading to increased circulation and muscle relaxation.

Stretch

Stretching contributes to muscle relaxation, which speeds up the healing process by increasing blood flow.

Coconut Water

Studies indicate that coconut water effectively rehydrates the body after physical activity, comparable to sports drinks and plain water. It replenishes essential electrolytes such as potassium and sodium lost during sweating.

Sleep

During sleep, the body secretes human growth hormone (HGH), which is vital for muscle repair and growth. HGH promotes protein synthesis, facilitating the repair of damaged muscle fibres and the formation of new muscle tissue.

Protein

Protein consists of amino acids, serving as the body's building blocks. Consuming protein after exercise provides your muscles with the necessary amino acids for repair and rebuilding.