AD – This is a collaborative post // A particularly strenuous workout results in muscle soreness. It’s totally fine and doesn’t indicate you’ve done damage to your body. It means you’ve stretched your body to the point that you have caused some muscle changes. However, we can tame this burning, aching, and jelly-leg feeling with these simple techniques.
Photo by John Fornander on Unsplash
Eat the right food
- Berries — rich in antioxidants and vitamins A, E, and C, help reduce inflammation and muscle soreness.
- Vegetables — also a source of antioxidants, especially broccoli, spinach, and carrots. Spinach has a large content of antioxidants and is also an excellent source of fiber. Broccoli contains phytonutrients, which seem to lower the risk of many types of cancers. Carrots contain beta-carotene (also an antioxidant), which protects against free radical damage.
- Meat and fish. You may tear your muscles during a workout and need protein to restore them.
Take BCAAs
Consider consuming BCAAs in between meals to help your muscles recover. BCAA stands for branched-chain amino acids. It is a group of three essential amino acids: valine, leucine, and isoleucine. Your body uses BCAAs to build muscle protein and produce energy. The amino acids may also have an effect on your brain that reduces fatigue.
Five grams of BCAAs in between meals will make sure protein synthesis is spiked throughout the day.
One way BCAAs help your muscles feel less sore after exercise is by lowering blood levels of two enzymes — lactate dehydrogenase and creatine kinase, which are involved in muscle damage. When choosing a BCAA product, you need to make sure it contains around one gram of valine, two grams of leucine, and one gram of isoleucine.
Apply a CBD topical
A CBD cream, lotion, salve, or balm can also help you reduce muscle soreness due to cannabidiol infused into it. Topical CBD products work locally on specific parts of the body. CBD gets absorbed directly by the skin and doesn’t enter the bloodstream. A CBD-infused topical interacts with the high concentration of cannabinoid receptors in the skin. The receptors are a part of the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS), which is responsible for maintaining homeostasis across many functions, including pain management.
Use a foam roll
Rolling on a foam roll helps to break up little muscle adhesions that cause muscle imbalances. The practice improves your flexibility and joint function. We recommend using a foam roll after and before a workout for 15 minutes. Before-workout practice can help to limber up and improve muscle function. After-workout usage can help flush out toxins and lactic acid from a muscle.
Use mobility tactics
Similarly to a foam roll, lacrosse ball, massaging tools, and even using voodoo bands can all help you recover. They help to bring nutrient-rich blood to muscles needed for a speedy recovery.
Take micro naps
In addition to a good night’s rest, we recommend getting at least one 20-minute nap during the day. These naps Small naps are good for your blood pressure, heart, stress levels, and weight management.
Take a cold bath
Taking a cold, full-body plunge after a strenuous workout can significantly reduce soreness and inflammation after exercise. Fill your bathtub up with cold water and drop several ice cubes. Submerge your body in the water for around 10 minutes.
[…] Top Ways To Recover After An Intense Workout […]
this is a helpful tips. this is very important to know to balance the condition of our body after workout. just curious about BCAAs, what are the example product of this? also I suggest egg and banana for our diet when we workout 🙂
Thank you for these tips for recovering after exercise 🙂 I’ve only just started getting back into home workouts (so they’re definitely not very intense haha) but I think it’s great to know how to look after your body and mind- and it’s recovery care that some people don’t think of investing in after exercise x
This is a really useful post! I sometimes feel like my body needs a lot of recovery time, especially when I do long cardio workouts. I need to eat more berries! Thanks for all these tips! 🙂 x
Julia x
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Some great tips! On the rare occasion I work out, I find eating well afterwards definitely helps 🙂
I think the cold bath is something I will try in the Spring/Summer – not right now with this cold weather! I love all these other tips Jenny, I need to take these on board as I exercise every day and the only thing I do to recover is a stretch and that’s it! x
Lucy | http://www.lucymary.co.uk
Using a foam roller makes such a difference!
Katy | http://www.katystephenson.com
Yes! Finally, i’ve got some hope to ease my neck out and hold it straight again!
These are all such great tips to recover from hard workouts. I have never tried to take a cold bath before! I always love soaking in a scalding hot tub though lol
Very good tips! It is so important that we eat the right foods…great refresher course here on the things we should be doing to take care of ourselves. I was always told that it was so important to have enough protein when you exercise…
I love my foam roller! I get cramp quite a lot so I like it even when I haven’t done a workout but after a run it feels heavenly! That was the only tip I’d actually heard of though, so definitely going to look some more into the others – not sure I can bring myself to have an ice bath mind you.
Drinking chocolate milk also helps your muscles recover after an intense workout. However, you have to drink it within half an hour or less after the workout for it to work. I’ve tried it, it really works.
All the best, Michelle (michellesclutterbox.com)
These are some wonderful tips! I eat better after a workout and it sure helps me out. The CBD lotion sounds great!
While iknow it’s a good pain meaning that the workout got the needed effect on the muscles.. i HATE the pain and don’t wanna continue afterward 🙃
So thank you for thoses tips! I’ve saved them and will try them next time .. though that cold bath sure is a big nope for me 😅