The Case For The Recovery Run

It’s Tuesday, I go to the gym. A 35 lb alternating reverse lunge + air squats + 400 meter run workout got the best of me.

My legs were toast the next day.

Like when you wake up and you know before you’ve barely moved that it’s going to hurt to walk. The I’m dreading going to the bathroom because I have to sit down kind of sore.

Those muscles were annnnngry at me.

We’ve all been there, you kill it in a workout one day, only to find you out did yourself the next day (or sometimes two days later). The inevitable has set in: DOMS [delayed onset muscle soreness] has had its way with you.

To Workout or Not To Workout With DOMS?

Deadlifts were on the schedule for the Thursday following my last leg workout. Only 48 hours post leg-killer on Tuesday.

Yea, right.

I couldn’t fathom trying to deadlift so I decided to switch it up against my body telling me “please let’s just rest!”

So, I went for a run.

It was a 4 mile easy-paced run during my lunch break. Afterwards, I stretched for a few minutes and went back to my day.

Later that evening I noticed something, or rather, a lack of something…

The pain that had once plagued my every move for two days had faded away. I wasn’t nearly as in-pain-sore as I had been just that morning.

This isn’t typical for me. I normally deal with DOMS for quite a few days after a weightlifting workout, but this time was different. I was back in action the next day with minimal to no soreness.

This got me thinking.

Did the run help relieve my sore muscles? Is there something to steady state cardio to speed up recovery?

“’Steady-state cardio is a great active recovery tool,’ says Mary Edwards, MS, CSCS, ACSM, the fitness director and professional fitness trainer at Cooper Fitness Center, part of Cooper Aerobics Center in Dallas. ‘Using longer, slower cardio as an active recovery protocol can help remove the metabolic waste products from your muscles that contribute to soreness and also can help lube joints to improve your range of motion and mobility. It also allows you to get in some activity and burn some calories on a day when you’re simply too tired/sore/hungry to do a HIIT workout.’” https://www.muscleandperformance.com/training-performance/must-try-steady-state-cardio-12422

If you are working on making fitness a lifestyle, steady state cardio means going for a jog, swim, bike ride, hike, or a similar steady cardiovascular type of workout.

Steady state cardio is nothing new. Years ago, this was the main type of workout everyone did. You wouldn’t do sprints unless you were a competitive athlete. HIIT, and CrossFit weren’t around yet. In the last decade or so, the high intensity workouts have become all the rage in the fitness community.

I understand why HIIT workouts have become popular and I perform these types of workouts myself in a CrossFit setting. However, there is still something to be said about finding a middle ground.

Somewhere between a rest day and a high intensity workout or weightlifting routine lives a perfectly placed steady state cardio day. To ignore a staple in fitness programming such as steady state cardio seems like a big miss. After all, diversifying your workouts keeps your routine interesting and keeps your body guessing.

I apply this to my life when I know I want to workout, but some days CrossFit is too intense, yoga doesn’t fit the mood, so a run wins the day as my workout of choice.

Plus, I run because I enjoy it. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – it’s the ultimate multi-tasker: Learning (podcast/audio books) while working out.

Steady state cardio will always stay in rotation in my fitness programming. A long run is a great way to unplug or in my case plug-in (to podcasts and audio books), decompress, and enjoy the outdoors. Plus, how can I not take advantage of the oh-so-perfect Southern California weather.

For me, steady state cardio is a form of active recovery, a great way to mix up my workout routine, and a way to provide balance to my life.

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own. This post is intended for educational, inspirational, or entertainment purposes only. I am not a doctor, the content on this blog is not intended to be substituted for medical advice.