Post workout is the prime time to recover your muscles. After a session, it feels like your muscles are screaming, “Save our soul!” The amount of damage you cause to your muscles during a session, how well they recover, and how well you can perform in the next session, depend a lot on how good your post workout recovery is.
Have you ever wondered why some people bounce back from workouts faster? The secret lies in their post-workout recovery. Many gym rats think that it’s the exercise that makes them stronger, but the truth is, it’s the recovery that plays the prime role.
So, if you want to accelerate your progress, it’s more important to learn how to recover properly than just how to train. Your overall progress is directly impacted by your recovery system. Every small step of recovery is important.
In this article, the methods you’re going to learn will help you recover more effectively and also help you feel fresh and ready to crush your next session.
1. Post Workout Stretching
A common mistake often noticed in the gym is that people leave without stretching after their workout. Stretching is crucial, especially for beginners, because at the early stage, your muscles and joints are not strong and flexible, and there is a high risk of getting injured.
Stretching helps a lot in post workout recovery. After a workout session, our muscles become tight. As a result, the tightened and stiff muscles build up lactic acid and microtears.
To improve muscle recovery after exercise, it is very important to increase blood flow to that particular muscle. Blood delivers the essential oxygen and nutrients to the muscles to accelerate the healing process.
To prove this argument, a study was done in 2020 to investigate the effect of static stretching throughout different periods of time. Studies have shown that if a muscle is stretched continuously for 2 minutes or more, the amount of blood flow and oxygen in it increases noticeably after stretching.
It increases your flexibility and mobility, which is essential for preventing injury and ensuring your muscles have proper functionality—both of which are important for muscle recovery.
Plus, it will help reduce muscle soreness. Remember, if you feel soreness in your muscles during a stretch, hold it for 20-30 seconds. Stretching has a calming effect on both your muscles and mind, which will reduce stress and promote your overall well-being.
2. Foam Rolling for Faster Post Workout Recovery
Incorporating foam rolling after a workout has significant benefits. It’s a method of cooling down your muscles after the workout. It will reduce muscle stiffness, activate muscles, and increase blood flow.
A 2024 meta-analysis study found that foam rolling after exercise significantly reduced muscle soreness (DOMS). The majority of the benefits were realized within 24 to 48 hours.
Foam rolling will increase flexibility, reduce muscle soreness, and lower the risk of injury. This practice helps supply essential nutrients and oxygen for quick muscle recovery and also helps alleviate back pain effectively.
When you’re rolling, try to roll for 1-2 minutes on each muscle group. Instead of rolling too much on one area for too long, focus on various muscle groups. While rolling, don’t apply too much pressure. If you feel any pain, lighten the pressure, roll slowly, and avoid the joints, such as the elbow and knees, to prevent discomfort or injury.
3. Cold Shower
Taking a cold shower has numerous benefits. When you complete an intense workout session, your body produces lactic acid, which can lead to muscle fatigue and soreness. A cold shower constricts your blood vessels, which helps reduce swelling and inflammation. When you step out of the shower, the vessels dilate, your blood circulation increases, and it flushes out metabolic waste and toxins from your muscles.
A 2022 study found that taking a cold shower after resistance training can reduce muscle pain and fatigue. This study has some limitations since it was done on a limited scale. That’s why it can not be said that this method of recovery will be effective for everyone.
Personally, I would recommend taking a bath with cold water, but it does not mean ice-cold water. Water with a slightly lower temperature than room temperature can be used. So, if your body responds favorably to cold showers, then it can help in muscle recovery.
it allows you to perform better in the next session. Moreover, a cold-water shower will improve your mood, enhance your sleep quality, and activate your nervous system.
Another interesting aspect is that cold showers can boost white blood cell production, which means they improve your body’s immune system. A strong immune system keeps you resilient against illness.
Since a cold shower has so many benefits, it’s advisable to keep a 15-minute gap between your workout and the shower. This gap will help your body temperature to cool down naturally, which helps prevent any adverse effects that may occur due to sudden temperature changes and will be helpful to speed up the post workout recovery.
4. Creatine
Taking creatine after a workout is highly effective because, at that moment, your body’s nutrient absorption is at its peak. There are many things your muscles need to recover. Creatine is like the MVP of supplements, with tons of research backing its effectiveness. You’ll find very few things that are as effective as this supplement.
Though you can take creatine anytime, it works much better after a workout than at other times. The reason is that after a workout session, your ATP level is low, your muscles are tired, damaged, and dehydrated. In this situation, creatine works like a magical pill that replenishes all of these.
Creatine helps refill ATP levels, recover faster by reducing oxidative stress, and also reduces damage and inflammation, ensuring less soreness and quicker recovery.
Plus, it helps retain water in the muscles, improving hydration levels, which are essential for optimal recovery. Hydration is also important for transporting nutrients to reduce fatigue and for increasing muscle protein synthesis, which supports muscle growth.
5. Protein Maximize Post workout Recovery
The muscle you want will be built with protein. After an intense workout session, your body’s protein demand increases significantly. It’s the element that helps your muscles repair, grow, and recover overall.
During an intense workout, your muscle fibers undergo microtears. When you consume protein, it supplies the essential amino acids that repair those tears and make your muscles stronger and larger than before. This process is called muscle protein synthesis.
Especially fast-digesting proteins, like whey protein, can accelerate the process by instantly entering the bloodstream and supplying these amino acids to the damaged muscles. Also, consuming protein post-workout helps replenish the glycogen stored in your muscles, which is the primary source of energy you’ve already used during the workout.
A study found that eating protein after exercise increased the rate of muscle development and reduced muscle breakdown. Especially, consuming around 20 grams of whey protein immediately after exercise can improve recovery. Because this protein is easily digested and contains amino acids that directly help to build muscle. The study also says that if enough protein is consumed, there is no benefit to adding too much carbohydrate separately.
Consuming protein during this anabolic window (30-60 minutes) can maximize the recovery process and muscle building. It is also helpful in reducing muscle stiffness and soreness.
6. Hydration
Hydration is a fundamental yet often overlooked aspect for everyone. It’s very important for your body to repair muscles, transport nutrients, and remove wastes from your system.
A 2015 study found that water keeps the body’s blood fluid, which helps blood circulation and quickly delivers nutrients and oxygen to the muscles. As a result, the muscles recover faster. But when there is a lack of water in the body, the blood becomes more dense, the blood flow slows down and the delivery of necessary substances to the muscles takes longer, due to which the recovery is slow and fatigue is also felt more. So, it’s important to drink enough water not only to quench thirst, but also to quickly return the body to its previous state after exercise.
During exercise, we lose a significant amount of fluid through sweating. This dehydration becomes an obstacle to muscle growth, leading to muscle cramps and fatigue. Drinking enough water ensures the supply of essential vitamins and minerals.
A 2017 study found that drinking enough water quickly removes lactic acid from the body. Acid build-up during exercise can lead to muscle pain and fatigue. Water helps to cleanse the blood and flushes out toxins. So the recovery is faster, the body also becomes normal immediately.
500-700 ml of water is recommended after the workout, within the first hour. Moreover, dehydration causes a hormonal imbalance. Hormones play an important role in building muscle. After the workout, if you’re dehydrated, your testosterone levels will drop, and your cortisol levels will rise, which negatively impacts your fitness. Hormonal balance is also important for optimizing your body’s response to physical activity.
7. Eat Fast-Digesting Carbs
Fast-digesting carbs, or simple carbs, are super important for restoring energy and ensuring proper recovery. Simple carbs are immediate energy boosters; they help eliminate the feeling of exhaustion after a workout and refuel the energy in your muscles, aiding in quicker recovery.
The energy we get during an intense workout comes from the glycogen stored in our muscles. This glycogen is directly produced by carbs. After a workout session, when we’ve already used up this energy, we need quick replenishment. By consuming fast-digesting carbs, you can fuel up quickly and prevent your muscles from breaking down. Some good options include:
- White rice
- Banana
- White wheat bread
- Dates
- Potatoes (without skin)
These carbs are easy to digest and help prevent any potential damage.
To maximize the results from your post-workout meal, aim to include 60-70% carbohydrates within 45-60 minutes.
8. Eat a Balanced Meal
A well-balanced meal means a meal that contains a variety of nutrients in the right proportions. An appropriate portion will support your overall health and well-being. It consists of carbs, protein, fiber, and other essential vitamins and minerals. Eating a balanced meal ensures that your body gets the nutrients it needs to recover and grow.
Add 60-70% carbs and 20-30% protein. In simple terms, follow a 3:1 ratio of carbs to protein, meaning your carb intake should be three times the amount of protein you consume. Also, add a bowl of vegetables to ensure you get fiber, vitamins, and minerals, and drink plenty of water—around 500-700 ml. Your body will adapt better to your workouts and recover faster if your meal portions and nutrients are well-balanced.
9. Milk After Workout Boosts Post Workout Recovery
Milk is a complete package of nutrients that your body needs after a sweaty session. It contains both food and drink qualities, making it vital for muscle recovery.
A study has shown that milk helps to boost the body’s recovery after exercise. It gives you more than just protein or carbs. It also helps you in muscle recovery, keeps you hydrated, and gives you important nutrients. Sometimes it works even better than sports drinks.
It contains both whey and casein, making it a great source of protein. Additionally, it has natural sugar (lactose), which is a good source of carbs that helps to replenish your depleted glycogen stores.
Plus, milk also contains essential electrolytes like potassium, vitamin D, calcium, and magnesium, which you lose through sweat during exercise. Vitamin D and calcium increase your bone density, which is essential for preventing injury. These are crucial for proper muscle function and overall health.
A glass of milk is a smart choice. Since it’s in liquid form, it helps rehydrate your muscles and replace lost fluids. It also digests and absorbs quickly, providing you with a quick boost.
10. Minimize Healthy Fat
Healthy fat is essential for overall health, but not right after a workout. It slows down the digestion process. When we complete a session, our muscles need quick recovery. They recover with the nutrients we get from food and supplements. If you consume healthy fat, it slows down the digestion process.
Studies have shown that eating too much fat can slow down the rate at which the stomach empties. This means that food stays in the stomach for a long time, which makes it take longer for carbs and proteins to be absorbed. In this process, the hormones GLP-1 and GIP are released, which slow down the digestion process and make the body feel satiated.. Especially in the post-workout period, when the body needs quick nourishment, excess fat becomes an obstacle in the way of this rapid absorption.
Since the portion size of our post-workout meal is typically larger, adding healthy fat to it can prevent the nutrients from reaching your muscle fibers at the right time, which may lead to muscle loss.
11. What to Avoid to Boost Post workout Recovery
Sometimes people know what to do but are not aware of what to avoid, which becomes the biggest obstacle to their journey. So, you need to be aware of what you must not do, as it can hinder your progress. Here is a list of some common things to avoid:
- Alcohol: It dehydrates your body, reduces testosterone levels, and increases cortisol. It also contains a large amount of sugar, which can disturb your protein synthesis system and increase inflammation. With so many downsides, alcohol will certainly hinder your progress.
- Caffeine: While caffeine is good for pre-workout because it increases alertness and helps you maintain a better mind-muscle connection, consuming it post-workout may cause dehydration. It also interferes with sleep, which negatively impacts your progress.
- Low-calorie or low-carb meals: Your body needs a quick replenishment of glycogen, which comes from carbs. Don’t overlook this part. Eat a balanced amount of nutrient-rich food to ensure your progress.
- Large amounts of fiber & healthy fat: Your post-workout meal should be easily digestible for maximum nutrient absorption. Large amounts of fiber and healthy fat slow down this process and can lead to discomfort, such as bloating and gas.
- Sugary drinks, snacks, and processed food: These foods often contain refined sugar, unhealthy fats, and sodium, which reduce your body’s ability to recover. They also lack essential nutrients like vitamins and minerals. Excess sugar can increase inflammation and impair your repair system.
The Bottom Line
To ensure the best results and make your progress come faster, make the most of your post-workout time. The better you optimize this time, the faster your progress will be accelerated.
Here’s a brief summary:
- The recovery starts at the gym with stretching.
- Cool down your muscles to increase nutrient supply; foam rolling is a great option for that.
- After coming home, take a cold shower to help you both internally and externally.
- Creatine and protein are the best supplements for faster recovery and preparation for the next session. Don’t forget hydration.
- Design your meal with a balanced approach, including carbs, protein, and other nutrients. Milk is a great option for complete nutrition, but minimize healthy fats to ensure faster digestion and recovery.
- Lastly, avoid unhealthy foods and drinks that may hinder your progress.
