Getting the best out of your workout also includes the recovery process. Learn about the best ways to recover after a workout.
If you really want your workout efforts to mean something, then you need a good recovery period, as this is the time when your muscles grow. There are various factors that affect your recovery including the food you eat, tools you can use, and supplements you can take to improve your post-workout recovery. The following are some tips you should keep in mind if you want to recover more quickly from your workouts.
1. Consume Your Carbs
Believe it or not, your body is affected more by your eating habits than your workout habits. To help accelerate muscle recovery, you need to consume a meal that contains about 20 to 30 percent of your total carbohydrate intake. In addition, you’ll want your post-workout meal to be under 10 grams of fat to speed up the absorption.
2. Take BCAAs
Proper recovery occurs for hours before and after your workout and consuming BCAAs in between meals will help. By consuming five grams of BCAAs in between meals, your protein synthesis will spike throughout the day. However, make sure your BCAA product is properly dosed and that it contains about two grams of leucine, one gram of isoleucine, and one gram of valine.
3. Use a Foam Roll
Not only will foam rolling help break up little muscle adhesions that lead to muscle imbalances, but they’ll improve flexibility, improve joint function, and more. You can use a foam roller before exercising to help limber up and use it after to help flush out toxins and lactic acid. In addition, by using it for at least 15 minutes every day, you’ll help prevent injury.
4. Jump in an Ice Bath
Many athletes will jump in ice baths after a tough game, workout, or practice session. Why? They help reduce inflammation, which speeds up the recovery process. To do this at home, simply fill up your bathtub with cold water and throw some ice cubes in. Lastly, submerge in the water for about 10 minutes and repeat as necessary.
5. Practice Mobility Tactics
If you have a jammed-up muscle or joint, you can try a mobility tactic to help you. For example, you can roll on a lacrosse ball, use massaging tools, and even use voodoo bands to help you recover. Through these mobility tactics, you can help bring nutrient-rich blood to the muscles that need recovery.
6. Take Nitric Oxide Supplements
Speaking of bringing nutrient-rich blood to your sore muscles, taking nitric oxide supplements can help with this. Usually sold as l-arginine or l-citrulline supplements, these formulas usually have ingredients that help with the promotion of nitric oxide, a natural vasodilator. Nitric oxide relaxes the muscles of your blood vessel walls, widening them and increasing circulation as well as the delivery of oxygen and nutrients throughout your body.
In fact, according to a 2020 review of studies, using these supplements before exercising significantly reduces muscle soreness after your workouts. If you’re looking for an effective nitric oxide supplement, consider taking L-arginine Plus. Because of its l-arginine and l-citrulline content, it efficiently promotes circulation and more. Give your health and workouts the support they deserve by following these recovery tips and taking L-arginine Plus.