It’s surprising to many people to find out that much of injury prevention during a workout actually occurs on either side of those times when you’re running or lifting weights. Someone who has perfect form throughout their workout but nevertheless fails to take the proper precautions when they’re finishes could still be susceptible to a serious injury. To make sure you don’t fall into that column, you might consider some of the recovery techniques discussed in a new report from Men’s Fitness.
First, don’t look upon recovery as some sort of weakness. People who take the time to recover aren’t weaklings who can’t cope with the rigors of a strenuous workout. They’re using their brains as well as exercising their muscles. You don’t have to derive satisfaction from the fact that you’re incredibly sore after a workout. This could just as easily mean that you’re injured as it does that you’re improving your body.
Instead, make ample rest as vital a part of your workout as the weights you lift or the distance you run, especially if you’re going to be pushing yourself hard during the workout. In most cases, you’ll want a full day with which to recuperate from intense regimens, and if you do experience excessive soreness, that rest should be increased to around three days.
In addition to getting rest between every workout, you also want to make sure sure that you’re not focusing on intensity week in and week out. Every month or so, give your body a break for around a week. You don’t have to skip the gym entirely, but what you might do is only push yourself half as hard as you normally would. Run half the distance or do a smaller amount of reps. You’ll feel great after doing so, and when that week is over, you’ll be reenergized and ready to approach your workout with a new perspective.
Sleep can’t get short shrift either, which is something that many fitness enthusiasts who wake up as early as possible tend to miss out on. You can work out at 6 am before you go into work, but that means you should be going to sleep each night before 10 pm. Sleeping for eight hours allows your body to repair damage. When this amount of sleep is supplemented by drinking plenty of water and maintaining a healthy diet, your body’s healing potential is fully unleashed.
Finally, never underestimate what you can get out of a massage. Getting a massage on a regular basis, or at least when you get particularly sore, enables you to recover more quickly. It allows you to take care of muscle damage long before minor damage turns into something more serious.
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