After putting your body through so much strain and stress during a good workout, it’s critical to give your muscles proper rest and recovery time. From ice baths to foam rolling, everyone has their own unique method. Here is how we recommend you recover post-workout!
STEP 1: Massage your muscles – Massages feel amazing at any point in time, but can be especially effective after a workout. According to a study from McMaster University, a 10-minute soft tissue massage “reduced the production of cytokines, which play a critical role in inflammation, and stimulated mitochondria—the tiny powerhouses inside your cells that convert glucose into energy for cell function and repair.”
STEP 2: Roll out the lactic acid with foam rolling – Stretching is an important part of any pre- and post-workout routine. Stretching with a foam roller can further help relieve any tightness or pain. Increasing your muscles’ elasticity helps break up knots, that could otherwise cause chronic pain. Furthermore, a study from the American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation showed that the use of vibrating foam rollers after resistance training helped penetrate deeper into the muscles and significantly recovered athletes’ ranges of motion.
STEP 3: Put on some soothing tunes – Just as how fast-tempo music is great for helping us power through a workout, listening to relaxing music during your cooldown can aid in exercise recovery. Slow-tempo songs can help reduce your heart rate and bring it back down to resting-level more easily.
STEP 4: Fill up the tub with your favorite Laki Magnesium Bath Soak – Consuming and soaking in magnesium after a workout helps muscles to relax, and counteracts the role that calcium plays in contracting the muscles. Laki Magnesium Bath Soaks come in seven different scents – including Unscented – and are great relieving muscle tightness and tension. Make the bathtub your happy place and learn how to turn your bathtub into a sanctuary.
Plus, a recent study in The Journal of Physiology suggested that "warm baths provide moist heat, which is the most beneficial type of heat for muscle repair and recovery," says Katrina Kneeskern, D.P.T., a physical therapist at LifeClinic Physical Therapy and Chiropractic in Plymouth, MN. She explains that since our bodies are 70 percent water, moist heat can seep deeper into muscles and tissues, allowing them to relax. To learn more about the benefits of baths, check out our blog.
STEP 5: Give it a rest and get some additional sleep – When you enter deep sleep, your body’s natural production of growth hormone (responsible tissue growth and repair) and protein synthesis increases. It’s important to get enough sleep so these amazing things can take place in your body! Using Magnesium transdermally can help with sleep check out this blog post to learn more about how Magnesium can help you sleep better.
Your post-workout routine has a huge impact on athletic performance and fitness gains. It’s crucial to let your body recover properly so that you can train effectively. We hope you find that one or several of these recovery methods work well for you. Did you learn something new? Share the knowledge and share this article with a workout buddy, brother, or friend!
Love,
Team Laki