Finding the best post workout recovery is an essential part of fitness.
Have you ever worked out one day, felt great about it, only to wake up the next day barely able to move?
Striking a balance in fitness means, getting your heart rate up, working up a sweat, pushing yourself to the point of being tired, getting adequate sleep, and waking up able to do it again the next day.
Working out takes a toll on our bodies. While it’s healthy to perform fitness activities, overtraining can cause your body to be fatigued and in pain if you’re not careful.
As such, finding a balance between giving it your all and being able to function normally is key.
When it comes to working out and leading a healthy lifestyle, there are some things you can do to help create that balance after an intense workout.
Here are my top recovery strategies to help you rock your workout and find balance in your fitness routine.
At Home Post Workout Recovery
Epsom salt baths
Nothing like a bath to relax the mind and body. An Epsom salt bath goes on double-duty for you by reducing muscle soreness while using heat to relax. Even 10 minutes in an epsom salt soak can do wonders for your muscles. Don’t underestimate this power!
For a spa-like experience get yourself a lavender or eucalyptus infused Epsom salt or bath bomb.
Supplements
Consider this your soreness prevention. I couldn’t do CrossFit without my BCAAs and Glutamine to support those heavy lifts. I take my supplements in a shaker bottle within an hour of finishing my workout. Some people like to take them before or during their workout, but this is just what works for me. And let me tell you – IT DOES WORK. If you are into lifting weights this is a must to greatly reduce your muscle fatigue and get you back at it the next day, relatively pain-free.
Foam Rolling
What would I do without my foam roller and roller ball. Absolute life-savers. Whether you like to roll or hold in the tension spot (my fave) this breaks up those knots and loosens up your muscles.
CBD
Natural pain relief in a bottle is just one of the touted benefits of CBD. This market is new but catching on quickly. Many people claim CBD gives them relief from sore muscles, headaches, menstrual cramps, or even helps them sleep better.
My go-to is the CBD rub. Have your partner give you a mini-massage and allow the CBD to penetrate your skin to give that sweet relief. If the smell of the CBD isn’t your thing, try oil drops taken orally.
Salonpas
For targeted muscle pain relief. I like to use this on my back, traps, and neck, especially for headaches. For more detail, check out my experience here.
Pranayama AKA Breath Work
Prana translates to life force, yama translates to control or restraint. Where workouts bring intensity, breath brings calmness, focus, and relaxation. Give it 3 solid minutes of effort and tell me you’re not relaxed after. Pranayama is good for your body and mind and at a price tag of $0, what a deal!
How To:
Start by closing your eyes while seated or lying down. Inhale for 4 seconds, hold your breath at the top for 2 seconds (lungs full of air), exhale for 4 seconds, hold at the bottom for 2 seconds (empty air out of lungs). You can increase this to counts of 6/3, 8/4, 10/5, etc. You can do this every day as a quick meditation and relaxation technique. I promise the results will surprise you.
Stretching
Often skipped altogether, which in my book is crazy. You need to keep your muscles limber to feel open and able to move easier. Or just do yoga which has stretching built in. Hold your stretches at least 30 seconds, for a long-lasting effect hold at least 90 seconds.
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Professional Services
The post workout recovery strategies require you to find a professional in your area. These can get a little pricey depending on the service so I wanted to break it down for you as to when and why you would want to shell out the extra time and money.
Acupuncture
Even my “mechanics minded” physical therapist said this is one holistic treatment he could tell makes a difference. He came to the realization that not everything is mechanical and there are healing remedies out there that do make an impact, acupuncture being at the top of the list.
I have had many different reasons to get acupuncture from back pain to regulating my cycle. I could probably write about this topic 50 times. Actually, give me time, I probably will. Muscle soreness, arthritis, knee pain, back pain, fertility, the list goes on. I recommend getting acupuncture post-workout or on an off day.
There are many great acupuncturists out there. If you are in San Diego, Hillcrest Community Acupuncture provides a sliding scale fee based on your income level, making it the most affordable location I’ve found so far.
Cupping
Ok, I love cupping. If you’ve been living under a rock or just aren’t into watching the Olympics, cupping creates the red circular marks on a person’s back.
This Traditional Chinese Medicine modality has a similar effect of acupuncture with a bigger emphasis on muscle relaxation, inflammation, detoxification, and pain management. The darker the red mark, the more stagnation a person had for that area.
“Where there’s stagnation, there will be pain. Remove the stagnation, and you remove the pain.” -Pacific College of Oriental Medicine
Each area of the body corresponds to a location on the back. So even if you have tight hamstrings, cupping the area of your back that relays back to your hamstrings will provide an opening and release of your hamstrings. It might sound like some voodoo witchery but based on my experiences, after a few days I feel more open, relaxed, and recovered. And the effects last weeks, not days.
Gua Sha
Sometimes referred to as scrapping, this is another Traditional Chinese Medicine healing remedy that lasts weeks. If you’re plagued with tension headaches, Gua Sha is your lifesaver.
Do you sit at a keyboard most days? Take a look at your posture. Are you leaning forward, wearing your shoulders as earrings?
Poor posture often leads to tension in your neck and upper back. Tension in your neck leads to headaches. Rather than popping a pain reliever, give this amazing healing modality a shot. Gua Sha is the answer to a stiff neck and is therefore, preventative for headaches. It’s my favorite tension reducing hack.
Be prepared however, it’s not super comfortable and it will give you some I’m not sure if she was strangled or has a bunch of hickies marks on your neck that last about 4 days.
Wearing a scarf in summer isn’t fun but the lasting effects of Gua Sha are beyond worth it. I get about 4-6 weeks of no neck pain or tension headaches. Deal!
San Diegans can head to Hillcrest Community Acupuncture and ask for Gua Sha as add-on or by itself.
Yoga
Like acupuncture, I could go on and on and on about yoga. I’m a big believer in this as a counter-balance activity and body awareness tool.
Yoga teaches us to be mindful in what our body is doing, how it’s feeling, where we are holding tension, being present in the moment, and so much more.
There are endless benefits of yoga. Regarding self-care and recovery, the opening that is created by doing yoga allows us to move more freely in our bodies. When we feel free and open we feel capable, strong, empowered, and of course, pain-free.
Not sure where to start? Find a local yoga studio in your area that offers beginner classes. If you are in the San Diego area and would like personal instruction, email me at shay@thebodybulletin.com.
Massage
This is an obvious self-care modality that is most people’s go-to. While I agree, it feels amazing, the effects just don’t last as long as the previous remedies. Whether you’re a deep-tissue or Thai style massage type, no one can deny this semi-luxury does wonders for the body.
In A Category Of It’s Own…
Rest Days
I would be remiss not to include this. Last and most important are rest days. Your body needs a day of recovery, or two, per week. There was a time in my life I thought rest days were for the weak. Post workout recovery is enables me to perform so much better on the days I do workout due to giving my body the breaks it needs.
Listen to your body, if you are exhausted when you wake up, it might be time for a day off. If you feel like you just need a little counter-balance, try one of the above recovery strategies. Rest should not be overlooked.
I would love to know what you do for recovery and self-care. Do you have a go-to tactic not mentioned? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. Have a longer story to share? Hit me up at shay@thebodybulletin.com.
