Recovery- 4 Tips to Try and Why Yoga Should be One of Them

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Your body is a gift. And as long as you nourish it, train it properly and give yourself a break every now and then, it’ll take you far. But of course that doesn’t come without effort. It takes a carefully designed, intentional plan with your goals in mind. That’s how you achieve greatness. Proper nutrition, hydration, strength training and mobility all working together like a fine tuned machine. 

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Lifting heavy, hitting the gym and keeping your joints lubricated are important aspects of living your best life. But if you push too hard without proper recovery, that’s when trouble starts brewing. Workouts, as amazing as they are, put extra stress on the body. So you need to make sure your muscles have a chance to repair themselves. Recovery allows muscle tissues to rebuild and increases your stamina. That way next time you head to the gym, you’ll be stronger, and have greater endurance. Rest does wondrous things. 

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But recovery is more than just taking a day off here and there. It’s about giving your body a chance to feel relief and speed up muscle recovery. Ready for more? Check out 4 ways to optimize your muscle recovery. 

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1. Keep it Moving

Even if you’ve penciled a “rest day” into your workout plan, make sure you keep it moving. Light movement is key to continued progress. Staying stagnant is never a good idea. If you're stationary for too long, your body becomes stiff and bouncing back from your workouts, challenging.

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So what can you do on those off days? Take your pet for a walk, grab your partner or simply schedule a meet up with your gym buddies. Regardless of who you’re active with, make sure to move your body for at least 60 minutes on your rest day. This ensures  your muscles continue to grow and your joints stay lubricated. The more you move, the better.

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Movement, recovery they’re all important to function at your best.  And yes, light movement and activity is a good idea even if you’re sore. 

2. Nourish

If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it a thousand times. One of the biggest keys to wellness is nutrition. With a focused nutrition plan, you’ll be guaranteed long lasting results not only for your ticker but also your muscles.

Part of muscle recovery is providing your body with the nutrients to grow. Isn’t that the point? Cut fat, and boost muscle growth. But skimping doesn't do it.. What you put into your body determines your results. If you aren’t getting enough macros and are restricting your body from what it needs, you’ll never reach your potential. 

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Now what about post workout? Nourishing your body post workout is also important because it helps repair the microscopic muscle tears that occur during heavy lifting.  Certain foods can also help aid in muscle recovery. Foods like yogurt, energy power balls, nuts, certain fruits like bananas, berries and even dark leafy green vegetables all aid in muscle recovery.

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So fill up your plate. Make it colorful, make it delicious. Nutrition doesn't have to be complicated, it just has to be clean, lean and nutrient dense. Eat clean, eat lean for the best results. 

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3. Optimize Your Recovery with Sleep

It may be hard to get the recommended 7 hours of sleep a night, but it’s really an important part of recovery. Not only does it give your body another chance to rebuild, heal and rest but it also allows your mind a chance to unwind. And boy do we need that. Here are some tips to keep in mind once night falls.

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• Disconnect from electronics at least 30-40 minutes before sleep- The longer you’re on your device, the higher the chance it’ll impact your sleep cycle. The blue light emitted from devices can impact your body’s production of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep. So put two in two together. The more you're on your device, the harder it’ll be to unwind and enter your sleep cycle.

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• Shut down the kitchen at least 2-3 hours before bed- You wouldn’t run on a full stomach, so why nosh until bedtime? Shutting down your kitchen at least 2 hours before bed ensures enough time to properly digest your food. Sleep is so precious so doing anything that may get in the way of entering your sleep cycles should be a no no. 

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• Find a routine that works and stick with it- Maybe it’s reading for 30 minutes or performing some light meditation that helps you unwind. Whatever brings you down a notch, make sure to stick with it. Your body thrives on routine and sleep is no different. Figure out how to get in the right frame of mind for bed then make it your routine. Soon you’ll be sleeping like a baby and recovering like a champ.

4. Yoga for Better Performance

Yoga isn’t what it used to be. Over the last few years, yoga has gained a different level of respect, popularity and understanding. It’s more than just getting your “om” on. Studios are popping up everywhere and it’s quickly making its way into gyms all over.

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Take CrossFit Threefold for example. The newest CF sessions boast the benefits of yoga for muscle recovery and mobility. Which is huge! Especially when you’re a CrossFitter looking to gain better balance and improve mobility and stamina. 

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Yoga is a great addition to CrossFit’s already popular programs. Not to mention the benefits span far beyond the mental balance and calm it brings. Using yoga in the gym helps clients gain a better understanding of how to increase flexibility, gain mobility and of course assist in muscle recovery. 

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Yoga sessions that focus on a variety of muscle groups help CrossFitters recover faster than before. 

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Check out these amazing benefits-

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✔️Regain Range of Motion

✔️Improved Balance

✔️Stretch Deep Layers of Muscle Tissues

✔️Promotes Blood Flow (essential for healing muscle fibers)

✔️Increases Focus

✔️Lowers Stress/Improves Mood

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Now do you see how adding yoga into the mix can help you perform better and recover faster? 

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If you’ve never tried yoga before, now is the perfect time. Think of all the amazing ways your muscle groups will benefit from gentle stretching, mobility and increased flexibility. 

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Bottom line if you want to reach your full potential you have to hit all aspects of a successful fitness plan. Nutrition, strength training, consistency, mobility and recovery.  Now all you have to do is show up and give it your all. 

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