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Go From Sore to Soar After Your Workout

by Anne Roderique-Jones

Adding massage therapy, hydration, or contrast bath therapy to your workout routine is as important as the workout itself.

We are quick to repair, say, our car. Or our homes. And our laptops. But why do we often neglect to repair our bodies? Here’s a refreshing bit of science: When it comes to a well- rounded workout, rest is equally as important as the sweat session.

“Recovery is where the magic happens,” says Laura Flynn Endres, personal trainer and founder of Get Fit Done. “Your workout is the catalyst for change, where you put the necessary healthy stress on your heart, lungs, and muscles so they can get stronger and more efficient. Your workout actually causes microscopic damage to your muscle fibers, which causes a temporary reduction in strength, endurance, and energy. And that reduction in performance will continue until your body recovers. But it’s in the recovery period where your body repairs the damage from the workout stress and makes adaptations in order to handle your next intense workout.”

Why is recovery important?

Endres says she gets two types of clients: the ones she can’t convince to exercise enough, and the ones she can’t get to stop from over-exercising. “I had a client who worked with me for a year and lost nearly 100 pounds when she hit a plateau,” she says. “No matter what we changed—exercises, intensity, nutrition—she stayed stuck at that weight. She also exercised every day as hard as she could, despite my recommendations otherwise. Well, life happens and she had an unplanned two-week break from workouts while she handled a small family crisis, and when she returned she lost 3 pounds in her first week back.” This was 12 years ago and Endres is always using this story to help her clients understand why rest and recovery is necessary.

Here, we share four forms of recovery necessary for the ideal workout.

MASSAGE

Massage is more than a relaxing rubdown. Marie Watkinson, LMT - Licensed Massage Therapist and founder of Spa Chicks On The Go, says that massage is a universal recovery tool for post- workouts. Her clients include Pete Davidson, Mr. T, Tina Fey, Busy Philipps, Cynthia Nixon, and more. She explains that massages can be gentle and relaxing to deep and invigorating—and that every session is different. “If someone wants to relax after a long flight or trip, the massage would be much different than if they came to me for chronic back pain,” she says.

When it comes to recovery, Watkinson prefers long, lengthening strokes with light to medium pressure. “You want to avoid deep tissue work in the recovery phase as you can possibly injure the recovering muscles,” she says. “I also love to do petrissage, which ‘kneads’ the muscle and helps to release the lactic acid buildup in muscles (a byproduct of working out). I also use ice massages or ice baths depending on body area.”

HYDRATION

Take a spin down the drink aisle in any health store and the options for hydrating the body can be so dizzying it’s as if you were actually dehydrated. Endres says that her top choice is both free and easy: H20.

“Water is absolutely important to recovery,” she says. “Many people don’t like to drink too much before and during their workouts because it can be uncomfortable to have a stomach full of water, but it’s wise to hydrate during the hours before your workout and especially after your workout.” She does add that while water is absolutely the best option, endurance and high- intensity exercisers might also benefit from adding electrolytes.

So, how does water aid in recovery? Endres explains that, “Dehydration can cause you to experience low energy, muscle cramps and fatigue, and lightheadedness during your workouts.” The biggest question is: How much should you drink? “Despite the common advice to drink at least 64 ounces or half your bodyweight in ounces per day, hydration is truly an individual thing and there’s no research to support a specific assignment.

That said, water is a necessary ingredient to all the processes your body does, including burning fat, digestion, and yes, workout recovery,” Endres says.

She points out that there are three ways to know if your body is properly hydrated. The first is thirst levels. Are you experiencing discomfort during and after workouts? The second is to track your urine output. “If you are not needing the bathroom at least every 2 to 3 hours and your urine is dark yellow, you need more water,” Endres says. And the third is the turgor test. “Pinch the skin on the back of your hand for a few seconds; when you let go, your skin should not hold that pinched shape. If it does, you need more water,” she explains.

And finally, Endres has a simple pro tip: If you need an equation to follow for how much water to drink after a workout, use this method from Tamara Hew-Butler, professor of exercise and sports science at Wayne State University. Stand on a scale before your workout and then again after to see how much “weight” you lost. Then, drink that amount of water because you can assume that’s how much you lost. So, if you’re down 1 pound after your workout, drink 16 ounces within the first hour post-workout.

“It’s in the recovery period where your body repairs the damage from the workout stress and makes adaptations in order to handle your next intense workout.”

—Laura Flynn Endres, personal trainer and founder of Get Fit Done

CONTRAST BATH THERAPY

Anyone else have an Instagram feed that’s chock-full of cold plunging? It’s not just social media hype. Research suggests that alternating between hot and cold water immersion can more effectively bring oxygenated blood to tired muscles, reduce the inflammation caused by your workout, enhance the recovery adaptations your muscles undergo, and, according to Endres, even give a little boost to your metabolism to support fat loss.

She adds, “I also see it as a challenge to do hard things. Getting in is the hard part; once you’re in, if you stay still, your body heat forms a thin thermal layer of warmer water, making it oddly doable. That makes sitting in a cold tub of water easier than, say, turning the shower on cold, because any movement removes that thermal layer. I feel invigorated after a cold plunge! I aim to do two sessions per week of about 6 minutes, and get in up to my chin—after a countdown and a lot of yelping as I lower in.”

“Getting good sleep will help improve performance and reduce risk of injury since muscles will have time to recover and in turn grow stronger.”

– Sandra Gail Frayna, founder of Hudson Premier Physical Therapy & Sports

SLEEP

Here’s your excuse for (finally) getting that good night’s sleep. Sandra Gail Frayna, founder of Hudson Premier Physical Therapy & Sports, says that sleep is crucial for workout recovery due to its regenerative process on the body, its ability to repair muscle tissue, restore energy, and reduce inflammation. “Getting good sleep will help improve performance and reduce risk of injury since muscles will have time to recover and in turn grow stronger,” Frayna says.

In fact, numerous studies have indicated that people require proper sleep for optimal cognitive, motor, and physiological functions. Frayna cites one of her patients—a marathon runner, who was super dedicated to her training—who always seemed to hit a wall when it came to recovery. She’d put in the miles, do all the right strength work, and follow her nutrition plan, but she kept getting these nagging injuries. The missing link? Her patient was only getting 5 hours of sleep per night. “I convinced her to try prioritizing her sleep for a few weeks, aiming for 7 to 8 hours a night, and the change was almost immediate; not only did her soreness decrease, but she also started noticing improvements in her runs—faster times, better endurance, and fewer aches and pains,” she says. “It was a huge wake-up call for her (no pun intended) that sleep is a crucial part of the recovery process, especially for athletes pushing their bodies to the limit.”

Massage Your Way to Faster Recovery

Marie Watkinson, LMT – Licensed Massage Therapist, explains why massage is important for recovery.

Increases Circulation/FlushesToxins/ Brings Oxygen to Muscles: Massage increases your blood circulation, which brings oxygen to your muscles (which they need for recovery) and also flushes the toxins from them (such as lactic acid).

Lengthens Muscles: Massage helps to extend the muscles in the recovery stage since they will be in a tightened/ overuse state. It helps to relax and bring the body back to homeostasis.

Alleviates Pain: When your muscles have decreased lactic acid, more oxygen, and are being stretched, you will experience less pain overall.

Helps with Endorphins: Massage helps the body to secrete the “feel- good” endorphins, which further help you with reducing pain and overall sense of wellbeing.

Promotes Rest/Sleep: The endorphin release also helps with overall promotion of general relaxation and improvement of sleep.

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