Recovery
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Recovery is one of the most forgotten things of exercise. We do the hard work and we get started and get in a routine but we forget to look after our bodies. Its not until the soreness and the stiffness kicks in and then our bodies start to break down.
As the body hits middle aged life, it needs a continued combination of supplementation and general recovery activities to maintain it. It's not about ice baths and compression wear and keeping hydrated. Its about all those things but also includes stretching, supplements, food and sleep.
When doing physical activity where the muscles incur a lot of impact this inevitably results in a sore body. This is generally a good sign because it means that the muscle is working hard. However, when the body is sore, the muscles swell and become inflamed. I started running and the impact on my body was tough. I endured months of soreness before I realised the body needed help. I never warmed up and I never stretched it before or after any of my runs in the beginning. I learnt on the go and did my research as I went along.
Generally, it takes 72 hours for muscle soreness to subside. The amount of soreness also depends on whether it is a new activity or a build up of intensity or exercise load. It often doesn't appear for a few hours. Also called Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) it is a normal result of physical activity. The easiest form of activity is doing a small walking activity to keep the body moving.
Some other ways to deal with soreness is:
- Spending time cooling down by stretching
- Get more sleep
- Drink fluids
- Use a good quality Whey Protein drink to assist in the repair of muscle
- Wearing compression wear
- Ice bath/shower
- Listen to your body
- Rest and extra day when needed
- Get more sleep
- Drink fluids
- Use a good quality Whey Protein drink to assist in the repair of muscle
- Wearing compression wear
- Ice bath/shower
- Listen to your body
- Rest and extra day when needed
Ultimately if soreness continues, consult your health practitioner. It is good to challenge and push the body , but there is no point doing it at the expense of your health. A continued and consistent will help the body ∫r quicker and the evolution of your fitness will naturally evolve.
A good supplement to take is magnesium. There is more information about how this can help you here.
