Post Workout Recovery
I get asked all the time about what should happen after the workout…how should nutrition look, should we stretch, what to do if we’re sore, etc.
I want to start by clearing up one big misconception – being sore is NOT an indicator of a good workout and likewise, not getting sore isn’t an indicator of a not good workout.
Soreness is a sign of a change in the stimulus on the muscle. That change could be a different movement, different rep range, heavier weight, etc.
Sometimes soreness can be an indication of poor nutrition such as not enough protein, missing nutrients, or poor hydration. Your goal for workouts should NOT be soreness.
If you ARE chasing soreness, you’re doing it wrong.
You’ve just completed your workout – now what?
First, I’m going to recommend some stretching and mobility work post workout. We save most stretching until after your workout when your muscles are warm – it’s the ideal time to get a much better, deeper stretch.
Before your workout, you should be doing what’s called “dynamic stretching” which is movement through the full range of motion of the joints that you will be working. For post workout, I am referring to static stretching which is just holding a stretch like, for example, touching your toes.
In addition to stretching and mobility, adding in some soft tissue work can also be really helpful and feel good. By soft tissue work, I am referring to foam rolling or using a lacrosse ball for trigger point massaging. There are lots of tools that you can use for soft tissue work, if you’re curious about more of these tools, check out my Amazon Storefront for mobility and recovery here.
Now let’s talk nutrition.
Before your workout, you should be eating carbs and protein. The same goes for post workout. Carbs will stop the cortisol response that happens when we exercise (which can begin to eat away at muscle) and protein helps the muscle repair process.
Fats should be eaten outside of your workout window – they are slower to digest and so they occupy the body with digestion rather than recovery.
An example of a post workout meal might be cottage cheese with fruit, Greek yogurt with fruit, chicken and veggies, etc. Also be sure to hydrate as well as you can to decrease inflammation and ensure all nutrients are being delivered to the muscle.
There are also supplements that can help with recovery too besides protein powder.
Creatine is the most well studied supplement available. It helps with muscle growth and has been indicated in improving recovery by assisting with the muscle repair process and by drawing water into the muscle.
Beyond muscle growth and recovery, creatine has been indicated in cognitive improvements, less brain fog, and more!
The recommended daily dose of creatine is 3-5g per day and make sure you’re always well hydrated – creatine takes water and pulls it into muscle to assist with the muscle repair and growth process so you need to make sure you’ve got enough.
Other supplements assisting in recovery are things that can improve sleep like magnesium glycinate at about 200-400mg per night. Sleep is when our body repairs and recovers so if you’ve got poor sleep, you will have poor recovery. Make it a priority.
Finally, my last piece of recovery advice is to chill the f out.
You HAVE to take rest days.
Working out 7 days a week isn’t impressive or cool – it’s limiting your gains and it’s preventing your body from recovering. Workout 5 days at the most (I prefer 4) and you can do active recovery on your other days if you must.
Things like taking a walk, hiking, slow biking, yoga, etc. are good examples of active rest. This will also help to keep your hormones in check and promote repair, recovery, and just overall feeling good.
Badasses are made in the rest and recovery. Don't forget that.
I hope that helps clear up some confusion about post workout recovery! Reach out to me with what questions you have about this!
Shoot me an email about it and let's chat! ➡️ [email protected]
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