The post-workout recovery tips that really work
Supercharge your downtime and step up your post-workout recovery
You’ve pumped, pushed and shredded. You’ve clocked in the KMs and ramped up your heart’s BPM. Now it’s the most important bit – recovery.
Try these tips now and recover quicker to perform better:
1. Pimp up your ice pack
We all know the power of ice to help sore muscles chill out. But it’s time to ditch your frozen bag of veg for something a bit smarter. Ice baths are now in every athlete's schedule for muscle recovery - from Andy Murray over Floyd Mayweather to Cristiano Ronaldo - everyone is on the baths. Freeze your muscles with the Win Hof method and feel refreshed like never before!
2. Sleep. And get yourself a Celliant mattress.
Sounds obvious, but sleep is the ultimate downtime for active bodies. Those of us who suffer from sleep problems know this can rattle the recovery of your muscles as they simple don't get enough rest. Maximise your chances of getting a powerful night’s sleep by investing in your sleep kit - and make your mattress a priority. Try to look out for mattresses that are actually build to improve your recovery and use blood flow improving technologies, like smart Celliant® fabric technology. If you've never heard of this magical fabric technology you will be surprised how powerful it is. Scientifically proven to improve blood flow, Celliant uses the body’s natural energy to increase circulation and renew and repair cells - all while you sleep. Some of the world’s leading research institutions (University of California Irvine, the University of Calgary and many more) have proven that Celliant® helps recovery after exercising and enhances the restorative effects of sleep.
You see, mattresses using Celliant are definitely one of our top tips for post-workout recovery. Try it and together with a few of our our sleep tips you are going to sleep like a baby.
3. Try a double-shot shower
A hot bath (ideally with a handful or two of Epsom salts added to the mix) is a powerfully restorative post-workout fix. But if you’re short on time – or lounging in the bath just isn’t your thing – you could try our favourite: the double-shot shower.
Blasting your body with a shot of cold water, followed by shot of hot water is a super quick, super effective way of increasing peripheral blood flow. And increased peripheral blood flow = faster recovery.
Alternate between 30 seconds of cold water and two minutes of hot water. Do this three or four times. You can adjust the temperature of the hot water shot depending on the effect you want. Very hot water (104-113 Fahrenheit or 40-45 degrees Celsius) lowers muscle tension and decreases neuralgia. Warm water (95-99 Fahrenheit or 35-38 degrees Celsius) will mostly have a general relaxing effect.
So after a high-intensity workout (strength or speed-strength work), you might choose to alternate between 30 seconds of cool water (but not too cold) and two minutes of hot water. After a high volume workout (hypertrophy or strength-endurance work), you might want to alternate between 30 seconds of cold (as cold as you can stand) and two minutes of warm water.
Pro-tip – don't use the double-shot method if you’re recovering from an overuse injury or excessive inflammation. The hot/cold contrast will be too overwhelming for stressed muscle. Stick with a warm-to-hot bath/shower instead.
4. Boil up a bone broth
Ok, this is might sound like a wacky concept, but bone broth – every nutritionist’s super potion of choice – could actually help you recover faster from your workout. Bone broth – a basic soup made with animal bones, among other ingredients – is an excellent, easily-digestible source of minerals, like calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and potassium. These are important for bone health and muscle function, and the sodium content makes it a good choice if you’re training for or recovering from a long-distance race.
Bone broth is also thought to be rich in amino acids, collagen and anti-inflammatory compounds, like chondroitin sulphate and glucosamine. These nutrients improve digestion, aid in muscle repair and growth, reduce joint pain, promote a balanced nervous system, and strengthen the immune system – a win-win when it comes to recovery. There are tonnes of quick and easy bone broth recipes online but here’s a good one from Australia’s own Healthy Chef Teresa Cutter https://www.thehealthychef.com/2015/07/bone-broth-healthy-chef/
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