Training is tough and can take its toll on the body. One huge mistake people often make is to train, train, train and not give themselves a chance to recover. Allowing your body to rest, allows it recover and rebuild. Without this you may be selling yourself short in the gym. The ability to get the most out of every single session is vital for performance. Make sure you can be on top form every time by following the 4 R’s of recovery.
Refuel
This is the time to eat. If you’re looking to put on muscle or improve your aerobic performance it’s likely you need to be in a calorie surplus. Just because you’re resting doesn’t mean you don’t need to fuel up. Providing your body with nutrient dense foods provide the building blocks for optimal recovery. Don’t shy away from Carbohydrates either, they are your main fuel source!
If you’re new to training and nutrition, try splitting your diet in 40, 30, 30. So 40% carbs, 30% protein and 30% fats. This may be as simple as portioning out your plate to roughly those sizes. If you find that doable you can look to go a little deeper.
Repair
In terms of completely repairing your muscle fibres, your diet is going to go a long way. However, if you are looking to approach your training from all angles there are plenty of things you can do to aid the repairing process.
Move through range of motion and spend some time stretching. Whilst the jury may be out on the exact mechanisms of how it works, it is worth a shot! Have a play, you don’t have to become the next big thing in yoga. Simply promoting fresh blood flow and smoothing out knots can aid the recovery process.
Rehydrate
You lose fluids and electrolytes when you sweat. Simply put, you need to replace what you lost in training and more! You don’t need to go overboard, just consider increasing your intake. Furthermore, simply glugging down a pint of water may not be your best strategy.
Other drinks have been found to be better at rehydrating the body post exercise. Milk has been identified as a good way to rehydrate, however electrolyte drinks are hard to beat. In contrast coffee and cold water come bottom of the list.
Relax
Whatever works for you. Keep this simple, it may be a nap, a gentle walk in the park or some light meditation. Essentially you are looking to get your body into a state of calm and relaxation. Once in this state your body is able to focus on recovery and is in the perfect state to do so.
Try listening to some music and avoiding the blue light of phones for 30 minutes. You may already know what works for you. Any non strenuous hobby is going to go someway to aiding you recovery.
Personal Training and Recovery
As a personal trainer in Richmond, London, I often work with clients looking to reach the next level with their performance. Often the training itself isn’t a miss, simply the lifestyle surrounding it. Personal Training is far more than simply acting as a cheerleader while you workout. Ensuring recovery is optimal can go a long way when looking to improve performance.
