Completing a workout routine, especially a challenging one, is without a doubt rewarding. Perhaps you have achieved a new record timing running or were able to increase the number of repetitions or the intensity of your exercises: you feel exhausted but elated. However, what you do after you finish your training is equally important for your performance and for your physical wellbeing as the commitment you put into your exercises. Gabriela Zerger, Wellbeing Manager at Aspria Uhlenhorst, explains why recovery is the essential step you should always include in your training programme.

Scientific research has shown, that stretching changes the mechanical correlation between muscles and their tendons and how they work together. It also improves joint flexibility, which helps us to move freely and strain-free. The first thing to understand about post-workout recovery, however, is that it is not just stretching, mobility and foam-rolling, but so much more than that. And everyone has unique requirements dependent on their fitness level, the type of exercise they prefer and even the various factors that influence their lifestyle – from sleep patterns to stress resilience. All these have an impact on the way your body recovers following a strenuous physical activity.

What is common to all, however, whether you are beginner or an experienced athlete, is that ensuring your muscles relax and properly rest after a workout session provides significant advantages.

Preventing Injury

“During intense training or physical activity, we can over-exert our bodies; meaning we strain the muscles in our bodies and due to over-strain and a lack of oxygen in the muscles they release lactate, which is why we feel sore after intense sessions”, Gabriela explains. “A post-workout recovery routine, consisting of static stretches as well as ballistic stretches and mobility, allows the muscles to relax and therefore reduce the amount of lactate. As a result, our muscles maintain their normal functions without the pain we experience when we are sore. Normal function of our muscles and joints allows for proper movement and thus prevents injury in the long run.”

Maintaining Physical Resilience & Protecting Against Vulnerabilities

Our bodies are amazing: they can adapt, change, grow, heal and so much more.  Younger people can invest in their bodies, by incorporating range of motion, foam rolling and a variety of stretches to prevent injury and minimise age-related challenges in the future. Being fit and healthy is so much more than just working out for strength and cardio. It is prioritising form over weights and calculating enough time for your cool-down phase. Because, if we want to live long and healthy lives, we have to focus and pay attention to post-workout recovery from a young age.
And the good news for mature people is, that our bodies can still change at any age. It may take more patience and follow-through, but our bodies have a “reversal effect”; this means that our body can undo something to a certain degree. Stay diligent and keep doing the right things and over time you will see a change.

Maximising Training Results

Sometimes when we keep training the same way for prolonged periods of time, we can hit a plateau. This is where it seems as if our progress stagnates. In those situations, it is helpful to include one or more sessions where we overreach. Overreaching means we load heavier on the weight but repeat fewer reps to maintain good form. Or we join a plyometric drill instead of our regular cardio. This stimulates our brain and muscles to build new neuro-muscle connections and breaks the experienced cap or limit.

But while it is good to challenge ourselves in our fitness programmes on occasion, we should remain aware to not continually push ourselves too hard. Overreaching is great for limited sessions and must be ended with a thorough stretching and mobility series.
“In life and training everything needs to have a balance. We sleep during the night, so we are fit during the day. We take vacations from work and school. The same applies to our workout. Because if we don’t, we start to over-train. Over-training happens when we push ourselves too hard for too long and can lead to serious physical and mental issues, for example: you can lose the muscles you’ve been building, you become more prone to illness, experience joint pain, sleep poorly and lose cognitive ability.”

Especially when you have a specific goal in mind, the risk of over-training is very real, and by not allowing our bodies to reset, “our emotional balance is off, which can lead to a lack of performance at work and in the gym”.

The dictionary defines recovery as “regaining something that was lost or taken away” and the act of “making up for something to oneself”. So, when we recover after a training, we are “giving back” to our body. And here are two important distinctions in recovery: Passive and Active recovery.

Passive recovery is what we do right after training and before the next workout. This is everything we do to prevent soreness and help our muscles recover as quickly as possible to do it all over again in a short period of time.
Active recovery on the other hand, is that kind of recovery where we switch things up: instead of doing a cardio session at the gym we go for a walk outside or a hike in the mountains. Instead of lifting weights we attend a Yoga class or ride a bike for a fun outing outdoors. We are basically recovering by taking a break from the regular routine - while still being active. Active recovery always happens at a slower pace and in a relaxed setting (preferably outside of the gym), but it is not sitting on the couch doing nothing. And active recovery is sometimes exactly what we need to come back to our regular fitness routine stronger and more focused because it also helps our mind to reset and find peace.

Passive and Active recovery have both their rightful place in our recovery processes and neither is better or more important than the other, because both help us to “give back” to ourselves.

1.  STRETCHING

“The recommendation I give my PT clients is, that the area that primarily ‘worked’ that day (for example, legs on leg day) should be stretched immediately after a workout. This can be static stretches: hold a stretch for around 40-45 seconds and take deep breathes to slowly force the muscle to ease off. Ballistic stretches are excellent to do right after a workout. This is a stretch with tiny movement or pulses. The famous Cat-Camel-Stretch is one example. The-Worlds-Greatest-Stretch, shoulder-neck-rolls and low-squatting side-to-side rotations are also some ballistic stretch examples you can try. It is also important to spend some time on stretching the lower back and spine as this helps to move fluidly and relieves the spinal cord from potential tension. However, before bedtime it can be beneficial to include a full body stretch and work on Range of Motion or even try foam rolling.”

2. MOBILITY

“In a nutshell, mobility is the ability to move freely and easily. Even though we are technically working with muscles and tendons, the focus with mobility actually lies on your joints. We are working on the full range of motion of a joint. For example, mobility of the shoulder means the ability of the arm to move in the entirety of its range in all directions.
Mobility is an essential part to living pain-free, prevent chronic injuries and increase strength, and if we want to remain fit, active and injury free throughout our lives, we must invest the time on post-workout recovery now.

Please talk to the friendly fitness staff in your local Aspria when you need some pointers for the right mobility exercises – we are here to help you.”

3. HYDRATION

“Our bodies consist of 50-65% of water, therefore hydrating with still water is important for our every-day-functions. A scientific study suggests drinking 1.5-2.5 litres water a day, but when it’s warm and sunny we need more.

Another important fact about hydration is making sure that our bodies have enough electrolytes. Our bodies store electrolytes through minerals and they help cognitive function as well as our general metabolic system. We lose electrolytes when we sweat, for example during an intense HIIT or Cardio session. A great way to get electrolytes back in our system after a good sweat session is to drink some coconut water or have a pinch of high-quality sea salt (full of minerals) to add to your next meal.”

4. NUTRITIONAL INTAKE

“During exercise we completely empty our bodies energy funds, also called “glycogen”. Having a snack or small meal within an hour after training is optimal to refill that energy fund and jump start the recovery process by getting the nutrients your muscles need for proper long-term recovery. But also combat fatigue, we might feel after the training, and energise our body.

For this reason, it is important, to make sure we eat something that contains carbs and protein. For example, eating a small meal of lean protein (meat, fish or tempeh) with sweet potato is optimal. But if you’re on the go and in a hurry, you can also drink a protein shake, eat a piece of fruit and some nuts/seeds, have some rice cakes with peanut butter and banana or some yoghurt with fruit.

5. SUPPLEMENTS

“If, despite your best recovery efforts, you end up having sore muscles supplements can help.

MAGNESIUM: This is the most important major mineral our bodies need, and it helps with repairing muscle fibres and maintain strength.
Because it is an important tool in repairing muscles it is known to soothe soreness. Try doubling your magnesium intake or buy a high-quality magnesium oil that you can apply to the skin.
ZINC: Besides helping to strengthen our immune system, zinc helps maintain a healthy blood supply as well as supporting muscle growth and recovery. If that soreness doesn’t go away after a day or two, try taking some zinc tablets.

BCAA (Branded-Chain-Amino-Acids): There are 9 essential amino acids our bodies need but that cannot be produced by our own bodies and therefore have to be taken via supplements. BCAA’s are great for reducing fatigue, speeding up the recovery process and supporting muscle gain. The best way to consume these is by adding a portion of BCAA powder to water and drink it during your workout.

PROTEIN POWDER: Protein is an essential macronutrient that not only helps build muscle, but also repairs tissue, produces enzymes and balances hormones. According to Medical News Today, the recommended daily intake of protein for people aged 19 and over is 46g for women and 56g for men.

When choosing a protein powder, regardless if it’s whey, casein or plant-based, make sure that it’s a complete protein containing some amino acids and purchase it from a reputable supplier.”

6. SLEEP

“For many years the importance of enough sleep has been studied and proven.
Without rest, meaning sleep, our bodies and muscles cannot fully recover. Exercise is always stress for the body; but while we sleep our muscles recover, the hormonal balance resets itself and our bodies replenish and renew themselves. Our bodies need 7-8 hours of quality sleep during the night for optimal rest and we owe it to ourselves to not neglect this intrinsic value. But it’s not just important that we sleep, the quality of our sleep is essential. Try implementing an evening routine and stay away from screen time right before bed. Maybe read a book or journal, mediate or simply have a cup of herbal tea – all of these are great ways to relax your mind, prepare your body to rest and sleep better.”

7. REDUCE INFLAMMATION & MUSCLE SORENESS  

“According to the National Library of Medicine, sweating it out in the sauna even reduces Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage (EIMD) which usually results in cramps, muscle strain, impaired muscle function and delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS).
Muscle damages, aches and cramps are not only uncomfortable, they can be the result of inflammation. A great way to reduce inflammation is a visit to the sauna (or steam room). This also stimulates blood flow to muscle tissues and aids in muscle recovery through its relieving effects. Another helpful tip for reducing inflammation is to take a cold shower after your visit to the sauna.”

8. LISTEN TO YOUR BODY

All of us are unique in who we are as a person. The same applies to your training programmes and recovery requirements.
“Alternating training days for different muscle groups (a split between legs and back, shoulders and chest the front of your body versus the backside of your body) can be a great way to ensure enough rest between the muscle groups being trained.

If you participate in a Yoga/Pilates workout, you’ll possibly need less post-workout recovery compared to a person doing intense cardio or strength training. And if you primarily train with heavy weights and hypertrophy, you should put more focus on mobility because it will increase range of motion amongst other benefits.

What is helpful for everyone however is to listen to the signals your body sends out. Maybe some active recovery is more important for you at this point. Or maybe you’ll need to refuel your body using supplements.
For those going through a season of stress in another area of your life (for example work), leaving you overwhelmed or unmotivated – take heart this too shall pass. Maybe try a new class or just sit in the sauna garden and read a book.
I encourage our members to always listen to their body, rather than their head, when it’s telling them what it needs. Because our bodies essentially know best how to stay fit and vibrant. And they tell us, if we only take the time to listen.”