Intense exercise can really knock you down for a few days. Soreness, fatigue, and muscle tightness are all classic symptoms of a strenuous workout. To mitigate these nasty side effects, we’ll go over four simple strategies that will help attack every workout with intensity.
Hydrate
Your body needs water, plain and simple. The average human is composed of between 55-60% water. If you don’t replenish these stores, dehydration sets in and so does increased fatigue, soreness, and decreased performance. Don’t just drink when you’re thirsty– especially when on an exercise routine. Drink before, during, and after exercise.
Electrolyte rich sports recovery drinks can help as well, but make sure you understand the detrimental effects of sugar intake. At the end of the day, there isn’t anything better than good old-fashioned H2O.
Sleep
To avoid any unnecessary complications from exercise, make sure to get your 7-8 hours of shut-eye.
Science backs it up. A 2018 systematic review of published studies suggest that sleep interventions, such as sleep extension, can play an important role in some aspects of athletes’ performance and recovery.
If you don’t have a ton of time to get in extra hours, try waiting a few hours before taking a 20 minute nap. It’ll boost recovery and decrease fatigue for the day.
Protein
An athlete needs more protein than we think. Research from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the Dietitians of Canada. According to this research, which focused on how much protein athletes need and when they need it, you should consume 0.54-0.91g per pound of body weight daily.
You can find lots of protein in legumes, beans, yogurt, lean meat, and eggs as well as other foods, both plant-based and animal-based.
Rest Days
The basic rule is to leave 48 hours of recovery time after exercising a certain muscle group before working it again. This gives your body time to repair all the little microscopic muscle tears that come when you intensely exercise.
Instead of overexerting, stretch your muscles in this recovery period. Go on a walk or do some yoga– this is called active recovery, and will help keep you mobile without over-exerting.