Spring is in the air, and while you may have maintained a mediocre fitness routine during the winter, it is time to kick things into gear. If you are feeling the need to ramp up your cardio and weight lifting routine now that the Summer is looming around the corner, you are not alone. But don’t go rushing into a routine that you aren’t ready for. Burn-out, muscle fatigue and injury claim many fitness enthusiasts every Spring, don’t let it be you!
Muscle Recovery
Feeling the burn and soreness is a critical part of the muscle building process.
However, the real skill is in finding that balance where the soreness keeps you motivated, but doesn’t cause so much discomfort you toss your gym card out the window.
I have collected some expert advice on how to speed up muscle recovery after a workout to ensure you can stay injury free and enthusiastic about your fitness progress.
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1) Don’t Forget to Warm Up
The most common mistake in weightlifting that leads to injury is skimping on your warm up. When the desire for immediate gratification catapults you straight into big lifting, take a pause and go back to do a quality warm up. The warm up is crucial to loosen up your muscles, and can be as simple as a ten minute walk or cycle.
Another warm up option is to do incorporate warm up sets before your major lifts. Simple and effective equipment such as the barbell and weight sets will provide options for lighter weights and fewer reps. You can then use the same equipment to increase weights and intensity of your workout.
2) Train Through Soreness
This seems counter intuitive. However, a great way to resolve muscle soreness is to lightly train the sore muscle groups. This helps decrease future soreness and allows the body to adapt at a faster rate. Training sore muscle groups may be uncomfortable, so be sure to decrease the intensity and volume of lifts to avoid overdoing it. Most importantly, don’t resort to poor form because your muscles are fatigued.
3) Super Supplements
Body builders don’t rely on supplements merely for caloric intake needs.
They actually help in the recovery process. Certain supplements can help minimise some of the pain and discomfort from a heavy lifting day. Adding a high-quality protein powder to pre and post workout shakes is always a go-to for weightlifters.
If you are looking for more advanced supplements, try adding whey and casein before and after your workout. These supplements can help speed up recovery and repair damaged muscles. Another super supplement may come as a bit of a surprise! Fish oil is one of the most effective things to add to your nutrition routine when you are looking to build muscle.
Fish oils, taken for their richness in omega 3s, can aid in decreasing pain and swelling while increasing the range of emotion following intense exercise. Fish oil can be taken as a supplement or of course will be found in fresh fish.
Whether you are beginning a new weightlifting routine or training for a bodybuilding competition, soreness from lifting is inevitable. It is part of the process of muscle building, and should be viewed as progress if you build strength and muscle. As you increase the intensity and volume of your weightlifting, there are ways to minimize soreness to keep you motivated to continue your routine.
The three tips above are simple, inexpensive suggestions on how to speed up muscle recovery for any level of weight lifting. Incorporate them into your routine, and be sure you are not overdoing it, and you will be very pleased with the progress your body makes and ready in no time to show off a toned physique at the beaches this Summer.
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