Happy New Year! After a bit of a workout “break” this winter I have jumped back in this week! No resolutions, just ready to get back in the swing of things, start feeling stronger and healthier; mentally and physically. So, if you’re like me and embarking on a new or revived workout routine, you’re probably sore as shit. For real, I am sore in places I shouldn’t be. Have you ever taken a spin class and the next day you don’t even want to go to the bathroom because it hurts so bad to squat? Yep, that’s the level I was at all day yesterday. So, the name of the game is Recover Your Body!
Thankfully, I am feeling better today, so I wanted to share a few of my favorite at-home tools and a few tips and tricks to help you recover more quickly. Because the goal here is not to let the soreness be an excuse to quit! Do you really want to feel like this every time you start and stop a workout program? Me either! I do want to be sore, because that means changes are happening in my body, but that initial soreness and shock to the system, I can live without. 🙂
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Recover Tips
Tip #1: Drink a lot of water. At a minimum you should be drinking half your body weight in fluid ounces daily. Super important for flushing lactic acid off your muscles. My favorite bottle is the HydroFlask, this sucker will keep your water cold for days (or hot) and comes in a ton of sizes, as well as cups for tea and coffee (and wine)!
Tip #2: Stretch! So many people want to skip the cool down at the end of the workout. This is one of the most important things you can do for your body. Not only to recover your muscles, but the more flexible you become, the more you’ll be able to get out of your workouts. Win-win!
Tip #3: Take salt baths. This is a great way to detox and relax your body and give your muscles a chance to release toxins. My fav combo of ingredients is; Epsom salt, baking soda, fun bubbles and lavender essential oil. You’ll thank me tomorrow. 🙂 To get the perfect bath combo and learn about the extensive benefits of using salts and baking soda, check out this post, Benefits of Taking a Detox Bath.
Tip #4: Rest. Do not confuse this with making an excuse to take a day off. You can do active recovery, like yoga or Pilates. But listen to your body and take a day every 4-5 to let your body heal, especially if you’re lifting weights. Your muscles need down time to rebuild.
Recover Tools
Tool #1: Foam Rollers. There are a ton of options out there. Doesn’t matter if it’s three feet tall or a smaller version great for travel, just invest in one. This was a game changer for me. Depending on how I’m feeling, I’ll use it before and after my workout, and even in-between. Also, I love it if we’ve been on the road and I just need to loosen up and work out the stiffness! You can also use a tennis ball in a pinch!
Tool #2: Athletic Roller/Trigger Point Stick. Very similar to a foam roller, only it allows you to get into those nooks and crannies (think hip flexors) that are hard to hit with a larger roller.
Tool #3: Ice. This is a timeless true-and-tested method for relieving sore muscles and inflammation. Plain o’l ice from the freezer is great or invest in a couple of good reusable ones in various sizes. Like these that come in eight sizes! Another awesome form of ice therapy is using a large ice cube, like a whiskey ball, or you can get small paper cups and fill them half to 3/4 full with water, freeze and then peel down the paper cup to get to the ice. This type of therapy is direct contact with the skin, and you only need to work one concentrated area for 3-5 minutes to get the equivalent of having an ice pack on for 15 minutes.
Tip #4: Recovery Drink: After a high intensity workout and I also believe it’s important the first week you’re jumping back into a routine given the level of soreness you’ll have. Not all recovery drinks are created equal, so do your research. This is my Performance Recovery drink, I love both the chocolate and orange. They are great on their own or you can add it your smoothie post-workout. Awesome stuff. When I’m lifting heavy or doing MIT, I’ll also do Recharge, which is a formula that specifically helps your muscles recover and rebuild while you sleep. Genius!
I hope these help you get back to feeling great and crushing your workouts! If you have some tips and tricks of your own, I’d love to hear them!
Now, stop reading and go workout!
xo, Tiff