You’re constantly told what to do before and during a workout but what about after you’re done? Here are 5 practices you should tack on to the end of every workout. By following these workout recovery guidelines, you’ll make the most of your time spent in the gym:
1. Cool. A simple five-minute cool-down is sufficient in preventing the pooling of blood in your extremities, which can otherwise make you dizzy and increase your risk of fainting.
2. Stretch! Once your heart rate is slow and steady, stretching your muscles and joints while they’re still warm helps prevent tight muscles and stiff joints and improves your flexibility. Don’t try to just stretch real quick as soon as you workout. It’s important to wait those few minutes until your heart rate slows down to really get an efficient stretch.
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3. Refuel. It’s the key to improving strength and fitness. But burning off a lot of calories isn’t a valid excuse for eating a double cheeseburger. Instead, fuel up within 30 minutes after exercise by eating a carb-rich snack combined with some lean protein such as an orange plus one serving of low-fat yogurt or a banana with peanut butter.
4. Water. It may sound simple, but there are a number of people who drink water during their workout, but don’t when…
…it’s over. So you’re pretty much negating what you did by drinking on your pounds again. Or worse, setting yourself up for cramps later on in the day. It’s very important before, during and after your workout to drink just plain water, so don’t forget to water-proof your exercise.
5. Include rest days in your fitness plan to prevent any plateaus. You should always give your body 24 hours of rest in between doing specific exercises. For example, do your weight-lifting routine every other day with cardio sessions in between.
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