An aspect of fitness training that many people fail to take into consideration before setting new exercise targets is the time it takes for the body to recover. This is a mistake because this recovery phase can mean the difference between achieving your fitness goals and potentially doing long-term damage to yourself. After all, you need enough time to rebuild your muscles, recharge your energy levels and rest your ligaments. Unfortunately, it is all too easy to be tempted back into the gym or onto the sports field when you aren’t ready, damaging your already torn muscles.
Now, this is understandable. If you have set a high fitness target for yourself, you need to be working towards it at every available moment. Take too long a break between exercise and you risk losing muscle gains and getting out of habit. Thankfully, there are a number of tricks and techniques you can use to shorten your recovery time while minimizing the risk of muscle damage.
Here are three ways you can reduce your recovery time after exercise:
CBD muscle balms can help aid recovery
One method you could use to potentially reduce your recovery time after exercise is to apply a CBD Muscle Balm. These balms are massaged into your muscles, which can help reduce the painful aching you can sometimes experience after a long workout. This makes it easier for you to remain active on your rest days, which in itself will help reduce your recovery times. After all, simply going for a long walk or light jog is enough to get your blood flowing and aid your muscle regeneration.
Listen to your body
One of the best techniques you can use to reduce your recovery time is also the simplest. Listen to your body. That is to say, when your body starts failing you near the end of an intense exercise routine, don’t push through it (unless for a specific purpose). Doing an extra set in the gym is often unnecessary and can actually reduce your muscle gains.
As long as you train intensely on the right exercises, you shouldn’t need to be in the gym for hours on end. In fact, it is a sign you are not exercising correctly. Similarly, if you are trying to get back into exercise after a rest day but your body isn’t cooperating, don’t fight it. You are simply not ready to return to exercise, and should consider resting further.
Vary your types of exercise
A great way to reduce your fitness recovery time is to vary the types of exercise you do on particular days of the week. For example, if your leg muscles are in recovery, you could consider doing an upper-body routine in the meantime to exercise other muscles on your rest day.
While this has the power to supercharge your muscle development, you have to be disciplined. Separating these muscle groups is crucial. You can’t sneak in a couple of leg exercises if you’re supposed to be resting them, or it will undo all of your hard work. Instead, make a clear weekly exercise plan and stick to it. This alone will help you reduce your recovery time.