This is called progressive overload, a principle used in many Sweat programs where your training routine undergoes regular small adjustments to your workout volume, intensity, density and frequency. All of our bodies are different, so keep checking in with how you feel during your training sessions and as you recover.

If an exercise feels too strenuous, take a modification. If a weight feels too heavy, go lighter. Based on their findings, Sports Performance Bulletin highlights that while technology can be a useful way to monitor performance and fatigue, you should never neglect the power of self-monitoring.

Only YOU know how you truly feel - both in relation to fatigue, soreness and your training. To avoid burnout or overtraining , be aware of telltale signs like poor sleep, fatigue, lowered immunity or constant achy muscles.

Feeling rested, recovered and ready to get back into it? Check out our trainers' top workout tips. The above information should not be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or medical condition.

Please consult your doctor before making any changes to your diet, sleep methods, daily activity, or fitness routine. Sweat assumes no responsibility for any personal injury or damage sustained by any recommendations, opinions, or advice given in this article.

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Pick a username Username is invalid or already taken. Save Changes. Home Blog fitness How To Speed Up Muscle Recovery: 14 Proven Ways Home Blog Fitness How To Speed Up Muscle Recovery: 14 Proven Ways.

Sweat - sweat. How to speed up muscle recovery The Sweat trainers often receive questions from the Sweat Community about how to relieve sore muscles after a workout. Hydrate Drinking water is essential for your overall health and post-workout recovery, including muscle repair. What about supplements?

Warm up before your workouts According to Mayo Clinic , taking the time to complete an effective warm-up may help to reduce muscle soreness and risk of injury. Make time to cool down Alongside a warm-up, the Mayo Clinic recommends including cool-down exercises after your workout to allow your heart rate, breathing and blood pressure to gradually recover from a tough workout or HIIT session.

Foam roll A meta-analysis of the effects of foam rolling on performance and recovery found that foam rolling before and after a workout can also help improve performance while also promoting flexibility. Take a cool bath or shower Post-workout soreness is usually caused by micro-tears in your muscles - a normal process that occurs as your muscles adapt to the workload and become stronger.

Keep moving Light movement in between your workouts, such as walking and stretching, can help to promote blood flow, bringing nutrients to repair the muscles and assisting with the removal of metabolic waste. Wear compression tights Research from on the effects of compression garments on recovery observed significant positive effects on performance, with the researchers recommending athletes wear compression tights immediately after intense exercise based on these results.

Reduce stress Did you know your emotional and mental wellbeing can affect your muscle recovery? Listen to your body All of our bodies are different, so keep checking in with how you feel during your training sessions and as you recover.

More Blogs fitness. National Fitness Month: Bring The Energy With Free Workouts And More. Leave a comment Newest Oldest. Stay in the loop with the world's largest female fitness community!

Kayla Itsines. Kelsey Wells. Sjana Elise. Chontel Duncan. Thanks for signing up! As a college athlete, I complete high-intensity, cardio, weightlifting and resistance workouts regularly as a part of my training sessions. I quickly learned that post-workout recovery is equally as important as my training to be able to perform well.

This content is meant to be informative, but should not be taken as medical advice. It is not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention or treatment of health problems. Always speak with your doctor before starting any new supplement or exercise regimen.

After a tough workout, you will likely experience muscle soreness and fatigue because of the strain placed on your body while exercising.

This soreness may be due to lactic acid build-up, blood-flow imbalance, nerve fatigue or the small tearing of your muscle fibers during repetitive muscle contractions.

Post-workout recovery is necessary to nourish and rejuvenate your muscles so that they can repair and grow from the damage that occurred during a workout. Apart from muscle soreness, your body is also depleted of essential nutrients and water after strenuous workouts.

When you sweat, your body loses the energy, electrolytes and water it stores to keep your body functioning. Another essential element of post-workout recovery is to replenish these nutrients by refueling.

Without recovering, your body will not be able to perform at the same performance level in subsequent workouts. For instance, research has found sleep deprivation can lead to decreased aerobic endurance and limit muscle repair.

Similarly, overtraining, going too many days with an off-day or proper recovery, can cause extreme dehydration and fatigue.

Recovery will vary by individual, but it often includes, refueling, resting, ice baths and many other options. The bottom line? In order to see results, such as muscle growth or improved fitness, your body needs to take time to repair itself between workouts.

Before starting any new supplement, weight loss or exercise regimen, talk with your doctor. While warming up is all about preparing your body for a hard workout, cooling down, an often-forgotten component of recovery, is all about preparing your body to recover so you can go again the next day.

Five to 10 minutes of easy movement a slow jog, walk, swim, etc. following a workout begins the gradual recovery process by allowing your heart rate and blood pressure to lower to their normal, pre-exercise levels , according to the Mayo Clinic.

Whether that be a cooldown—like a slow jog, run, walk or stretching—or even just resting for a minute letting your heart rate come down and not just getting done with a workout and going straight to your car and driving.

Instead of slamming on the brakes immediately after a workout, try walking for a few minutes to slowly let your heart and blood vessels recover from the stress of the training session.

While continuing to move is probably the last thing you want to do after a hard workout, your heart and blood vessels will thank you. When it comes to muscle recovery, nothing beats rehydrating with water.

The human body needs water to survive and function, and your body loses large amounts of water during workouts, especially in hot or humid environments where you are sweating more. Although there are tons of hydrating sports drinks on the market, simply consuming water with solid food will do the trick , as the water hydrates and the food replenishes lost electrolytes, according to research published in the Journal of Sports Science.

The amount of water needed to rehydrate post-workout will vary from person to person depending on the amount you sweat and the length of the workout. If you want to know how much water to consume post-workout, try weighing yourself before and after the workout— every two pounds lost equals approximately one liter of water lost.

Electrolytes are elements that help maintain fluid balance, conduct electrical charges to help muscles contract, regulate chemical reactions and many other essential body functions.

We get electrolytes from the food and beverages we consume. Sodium is the primary electrolyte lost through sweat during workouts, so the electrolyte drink must contain moderately high levels of sodium approximately one gram of sodium per hour of exercise when there is heavy sweat loss to be effective in rehydration.

Other important electrolytes include potassium, magnesium, calcium, chloride and phosphate. Sodium and potassium are definitely important, but also the amount of electrolytes that you have is very dependent on you.

You may notice it after you're done with a workout if you have like a black T-shirt on or something and there's a white ring around your neck, that's all the salt that you just excreted through your skin.

Try looking for a salt ring as Kelly suggests or pay attention to the amount you sweat to have a better idea of the amount of electrolytes you need to replenish.

If you want to see muscle growth from your workouts, consuming protein immediately after a strenuous workout is essential. Research shows that protein helps stimulate protein synthesis, or the creation of new muscle protein in the body.

The newly created muscle proteins are used to build muscle mass in the body and repair the trauma your muscles suffered during your training session. It is highly accepted in this area that a high protein diet or protein in general, is the key to maintaining or building muscle mass," Kelly says.

The best time to take protein is within two hours of a workout, but it can also be helpful to drink a protein shake before bed for additional muscle support.

Studies show that 20 grams of protein is a sufficient serving to see results after a workout. You can incorporate protein into your diet in several ways, but in my experience, one of the easiest and fastest ways to get protein in after a workout is through protein powder or a protein shake.

There is a range of protein powders on the market, including hemp , casein and plant-based protein powder , which makes it easy to find a product that fits your preferences and fitness goals.

However, research suggests that whey protein is the most effective type of protein for stimulating muscle growth , so we recommend picking a whey-based protein supplement if you are looking to gain muscle mass.

While eating carbohydrates before a workout is important to fuel your body, it is equally important to replenish what you burned by eating carbohydrates after training. Your body stores the carbohydrates you ingest as energy glycogen in your muscles to help power through a workout and repair tired and fatigued muscles during recovery.

No matter your fitness goals, it is important to eat a carb-filled snack after your training session. The recommended amount of carbohydrates varies based on the intensity of your workout and body weight.

However, studies show that eating a high-carbohydrate diet for 24 hours after a workout will restore over 90 percent of your muscle glycogen. Your body can then use this newly stored glycogen to perform in your next training session. Research suggests eating a mix of carbs and protein within an hour of finishing a workout will kickstart your recovery.

A balanced meal typically includes fruits and vegetables, a grain and protein. That's also going to adjust what you want to [eat]. If you want to maintain muscle mass, but lose a little bit of fat mass, then you need to have more protein. If you want to maintain your weight, then you're probably going to follow the recommended guideline.

If you want to lose, like lose total weight, then you're going to have to decrease just about everything," she says. Vitamins and minerals are natural micronutrients that are essential to perform many bodily functions.

We get them from our food, but chances are not all of us have a perfect diet and may be missing some minerals. A multivitamin can help fill in the gaps, but sometimes individuals need more specific supplements to target a certain vitamin or mineral deficiency.

An iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency worldwide. Iron plays a crucial role in blood health because it is a significant component of hemoglobin.

Kelly says that calcium is another common deficiency, and it has an important role in bone health, muscle contractions and nerve function. A shortage of calcium can lead to bone injuries and muscle cramps during a workout. If you are deficient in calcium, iron or another specific vitamin or mineral, it can have a devastating impact on your performance.

Luckily, there are supplements that can help replenish your lack of nutrients. If you suspect that you are lacking specific vitamins and minerals we recommend consulting a medical professional to ask about which supplements you should incorporate into your routine. They might suggest different vitamins that will probably also help with your recovery," Kelly said.

Related Post: The Best Workout Recovery Supplements. Your body is in a fully parasympathetic state, and it can actually recover from that point," said Kelly. Your body uses sleep to rest and repair itself to continue working the next day.

While your body is in a parasympathetic state, blood circulation increases, which also increases the flow of oxygen and nutrients to your muscles. Growth hormones that help repair muscle damage and grow muscle tissue are also released.

These are two of many examples of recovery-promoting body processes that occur during sleep. The consequences of sleep deprivation can have staggering effects on your performance and recovery process.

The average adult needs seven to nine hours of sleep every night. Sleeping under the essential amount can cause fatigue, headaches and slowed reflexes—all of which could detrimentally affect future training sessions. If you have trouble sleeping, changing your sleep habits or taking a sleep supplement can help improve your sleep quality.

Easy ways to improve your sleep hygiene include staying away from blue light the light emitted by electronics like your phone or TV before bed, keeping a sleep schedule and developing a consistent bedtime routine.

Sleep supplements like melatonin and magnesium can also help improve your sleep quality and help you fall asleep faster. Delayed onset muscle soreness is not only painful, but it can interfere with everyday life. I know that I am often still struggling to walk days after a heavy squat workout.

One of my favorite—and most relaxing—ways to prevent this soreness is by getting a massage. Studies show just a minute massage after a workout can decrease delayed onset muscle soreness by over 30 percent.

The pressure and movement from a massage increase blood circulation, which can decrease muscle stiffness and inflammation. And, if you have back-to-back workouts, it helps your muscles recover faster so that you can be ready to go in no time. A cheap and easy alternative to getting a massage is investing in a foam roller.

Foam rolling is a self-myofascial release SMR ; a self-massaging technique that helps relieve muscle tightness and soreness. You can use a foam roller to target particularly tight and sore muscles to reduce muscle inflammation and increase blood circulation to ease pain and aid in muscle recovery.

While stretching may be one of the most well-known recovery methods, it is important to do it the right way and at the right times to see results. A common misconception about stretching is that it should be done before a workout, as part of the warm-up. However, to see the best results, it is best to stretch after a workout when your muscles are already warm.

Additionally, stretching cold muscles could actually lead to injuries and harm your performance by weakening muscles. The Mayo Clinic advises individuals to be careful when stretching injured muscles because strained muscles can be further harmed if stretched incorrectly.

When done correctly, stretching can help prevent injuries and improve future performance by increasing your mobility and flexibility. Personally, I have never been a fan of taking an ice bath, but the benefits of the freezing water after an intense exercise motivate me to take them multiple times a week during a hard training cycle.

Greatist only shows you brands and products that we stand behind. But fear not, fit fam. There are lots of productive ways to help you bounce back.

TBH, the exact relationship between sleep and exercise is still unclear. However, research suggests that not getting enough shut-eye can have a negative effect on performance and recovery.

After all, sleep affects your whole body and all its systems — including your brain, heart, and lungs. It also plays a major part in metabolism , immune function, mood, and disease resistance. Taking a nap after a workout can help support muscle recovery.

As you sleep, your pituitary gland releases a growth hormone that helps build and repair tissue. Not only is this essential for muscle growth, but it can also help speed up recovery.

Slow-tempo songs can help reduce your heart rate faster and get your blood lactate — the stuff that causes the pain in the first place — back down to resting levels more quickly after exercise.

In fact, researchers in a study found that periods of high stress were associated with slower recovery times. Meanwhile, lower stress levels were linked with faster recovery times. It may not always seem possible to reduce the amount of stress in your life. You can opt for any activity or lack thereof that helps you relax.

Breakfasts that are high in protein can keep the muscle rebuild chugging along. They might also reduce cravings later in the day and put the kibosh on evening snacking.

Studies show that this can help you bounce back better after exercise. In one study , participants took 40 grams of casein protein 30 minutes before sleep after resistance training. The researchers found that the protein increased amino acid levels and whole-body protein synthesis while improving protein balance.

All this had a positive effect on muscle recovery. Research shows that eating a little protein can speed up recovery. This is because protein contains amino acids — the building blocks of tissue — which help repair the tears caused by working out.

Yeah, science! Sensing a trend here? While protein helps your body do its repair work, eating something containing both carbohydrates and protein is a good idea immediately after exercise. The protein it contains will kick-start said muscle recovery. Also, actual studies have found that those chocolaty carbs can decrease muscle soreness and the amount of time it takes for the body to get ready for its next challenge.

Those of us who enjoy a post-workout happy hour might want to be careful of getting too much of a boozy thing. According to the National Strength and Conditioning Association , anything with 4 percent or more alcohol can increase how much you pee.

This can delay rehydration after exercise, which might lead to cramping and delayed recovery. Tart cherry juice or supplements might help reduce the swelling that occurs when muscles are damaged, allowing your body to recover faster and with less pain.

A research review that looked at the benefits of tart cherry supplements in athletes found that they reduced inflammation after exercise. BTW, curcumin, the active compound in turmeric , may offer similar anti-inflammatory benefits.

Better recovery could be just a glass or two, or three … away. Among its many other functions, H 2 O helps remove the metabolic waste a heavy workout produces. According to the American Council on Exercise , you should drink 8 ounces of water 30 minutes after exercise plus 16 to 24 ounces for every pound of body weight lost during exercise.

Factors like age and fitness level are important in determining how much rest we really need between weightlifting sessions. Schedule a few extra rest days if you notice that your performance is deteriorating from workout to workout. Anti-inflammatory medications have been found to speed up muscle recovery and reduce soreness, at least in the short term.

But they might not be great for your muscle development over time. So you might want to opt for natural anti-inflammatories like turmeric and willow bark instead. Research suggests that wearing compression garments can help decrease muscle recovery time, especially strength recovery, between intense bouts of exercise.

Rolling out muscles with foam or semi-rigid rollers can help remove those knots aka myofascial adhesions. It may also prevent muscle imbalances from forming. While foam rolling is not exactly known for being comfortable, the benefits are worth it.

Recovery back rubs, anyone? As though we really needed randomized controlled studies to tell us, research suggests that massage helps reduce post-exercise muscle soreness.

If your goal is bigger biceps, a little soreness might be part of the process. But there are lots of effective ways you can bounce back fast. You can also try strategies like taking a cold bath, taking anti-inflammatories, or eating more protein. Instead of spending the day on the couch watching Netflix after your next long run or maxed-out WOD, you might try some easy exercise to keep your….

Everyone needs electrolytes to function optimally, but daily activity level, medical conditions, and diet can affect electrolyte imbalance and lead to….

These stretches will give you a leg up. We tapped a top expert for unique stretches that ease stiffness and improve mobility. A few minutes of stretching could mean faster recovery and less soreness.

Check out these 19 pre- and post-workout stretches for your legs and butt. Is pilates better for your body than gym workouts? Read on to find out! The steam room isn't just super relaxing — it may have some pretty legit health benefits, too. A study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research looked at whether chronic mental stress affects muscle recovery, perceived energy, fatigue, and soreness after strenuous resistance exercise, over a four-day period.

The results showed that higher levels of stress resulted in lower recovery and, conversely, lower levels of stress were associated with superior recovery.

Stress can also impact everything from your sleep to eating patterns, hormones and general wellbeing. All of these things can impact your immune response, which is essential for muscle recovery.

Your stress levels can be impacted by a number of internal and external factors, and if stress is having a consistently negative impact on your daily life, reach out to a healthcare professional. Ideally, any resistance training program will gradually increase the intensity of each workout, within your limits.

This is called progressive overload, a principle used in many Sweat programs where your training routine undergoes regular small adjustments to your workout volume, intensity, density and frequency. All of our bodies are different, so keep checking in with how you feel during your training sessions and as you recover.

If an exercise feels too strenuous, take a modification. If a weight feels too heavy, go lighter. Based on their findings, Sports Performance Bulletin highlights that while technology can be a useful way to monitor performance and fatigue, you should never neglect the power of self-monitoring. Only YOU know how you truly feel - both in relation to fatigue, soreness and your training.

To avoid burnout or overtraining , be aware of telltale signs like poor sleep, fatigue, lowered immunity or constant achy muscles. Feeling rested, recovered and ready to get back into it? Check out our trainers' top workout tips.

The above information should not be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or medical condition. Please consult your doctor before making any changes to your diet, sleep methods, daily activity, or fitness routine.

Sweat assumes no responsibility for any personal injury or damage sustained by any recommendations, opinions, or advice given in this article.

There are some errors in your form. File size is larger than. Accepted formats are jpg, jpeg, gif and png. An error occurred. Please try again later. Forum username is blank. Please check your inbox and verify email address. Sign Up. Sweat Programs Articles Community Support.

Login with Facebook. Log In or Sign Up. Sweat App Logout. Pick a username Username is invalid or already taken. Save Changes. Home Blog fitness How To Speed Up Muscle Recovery: 14 Proven Ways Home Blog Fitness How To Speed Up Muscle Recovery: 14 Proven Ways. Sweat - sweat. How to speed up muscle recovery The Sweat trainers often receive questions from the Sweat Community about how to relieve sore muscles after a workout.

Hydrate Drinking water is essential for your overall health and post-workout recovery, including muscle repair. What about supplements? Warm up before your workouts According to Mayo Clinic , taking the time to complete an effective warm-up may help to reduce muscle soreness and risk of injury.

Make time to cool down Alongside a warm-up, the Mayo Clinic recommends including cool-down exercises after your workout to allow your heart rate, breathing and blood pressure to gradually recover from a tough workout or HIIT session.

Foam roll A meta-analysis of the effects of foam rolling on performance and recovery found that foam rolling before and after a workout can also help improve performance while also promoting flexibility.

Take a cool bath or shower Post-workout soreness is usually caused by micro-tears in your muscles - a normal process that occurs as your muscles adapt to the workload and become stronger.

Keep moving Light movement in between your workouts, such as walking and stretching, can help to promote blood flow, bringing nutrients to repair the muscles and assisting with the removal of metabolic waste.

Wear compression tights Research from on the effects of compression garments on recovery observed significant positive effects on performance, with the researchers recommending athletes wear compression tights immediately after intense exercise based on these results.

Reduce stress Did you know your emotional and mental wellbeing can affect your muscle recovery? Listen to your body All of our bodies are different, so keep checking in with how you feel during your training sessions and as you recover.

More Blogs fitness. National Fitness Month: Bring The Energy With Free Workouts And More. Leave a comment Newest Oldest.