Whether you are someone who works out a lot or you are just starting out you probably know what it is like to have muscles after a workout. This soreness is called Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness or DOMS for short. It is like your muscles are telling you that they are getting stronger.. If you are in a lot of pain or it takes you a long time to recover it can slow you down.
The good news is that you do not just have to rest to recover. There are things you can do to help your muscles recover faster. Here are five ways to do it.
1. Eat Protein after Your Workout
When you exercise you hurt your muscles a bit. Your body fixes them. Makes them stronger but it needs protein to do it. If you eat protein within thirty to sixty minutes after your workout it can help your body fix your muscles. You should try to eat twenty to forty grams of protein.
Whey protein is a choice because it gets into your body quickly. It also has all the amino acids your body needs. Plant-based proteins like pea or soy protein are good too.
Remember to choose a protein supplement that is tested by someone and does not have any extra stuff in it.
2. Drink a Lot of Water
Drinking water is important for recovering from a workout. When you exercise, you. Lose water and electrolytes. If you do not have water in your body it can make your muscles sore and slow you down.
Water helps get nutrients to your muscles and helps keep your body temperature normal. Electrolytes like sodium, potassium and magnesium are also important. They help keep the amount of water in your body and help your nerves and muscles talk to each other.
Try to drink at least five hundred milliliters of water after your workout. You can also drink an electrolyte drink if you had a tough workout.
3. Do Something Active of Just Resting
It might be tempting to just lie on the couch after a workout but it is better to do something active. This is called recovery. It can be something like walking, swimming or yoga. It helps get blood to your muscles and gets rid of the stuff that builds up when you exercise.
A study found that active recovery helps reduce muscle soreness than just resting. Just twenty to thirty minutes of light exercise the day after a workout can make a big difference.
Try to do something for fifteen to twenty minutes on your rest days. It can help your muscles recover without making them work hard.
4. Get Sleep
Sleep is very important for recovering from a workout. When you sleep your body releases a hormone that helps fix your muscles. If you do not get sleep it can slow you down and even make your muscles smaller.
You should try to get seven to nine hours of sleep each night. If you are an athlete you might need more.
Remember to go to bed at the time every night and make your room cool and dark. It can help you sleep better.
5. Consider Taking Supplements
There are some supplements that can help your muscles recover.
- Branched-Chain Amino Acids or BCAAs can help reduce muscle soreness and fix your muscles.
- Creatine Monohydrate can help give your muscles energy and reduce inflammation.
- Magnesium can help your muscles relax and reduce cramping.
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids can help reduce inflammation and soreness.
Remember to choose supplements that are tested by someone and do not have any bad stuff in them.
Final Thoughts
Recovering from a workout is not something that happens on its own. You can do things to help your body recover. If you eat protein, drink water do something get good sleep and take supplements you can recover faster and get back to working out.
Remember that getting better at working out is not about the workout itself. It is also, about what you do. If you take care of your body it will reward you with muscles and less pain.
