Strength Coach Reveals: The ONLY 4 Recovery Methods You Need After Brutal Workouts

As you gain more experience, you will start pushing hard in the gym — lifting heavier weights, doing more sets and reps, limiting rest duration between sets, and using advanced training techniques like supersets and dropsets.

However, this can lead to muscle and joint aches and discomfort if your recovery is not on point. Overlooking these signs can also stall your progress and cause strength or muscle plateaus.

As a personal trainer with over 17 years of hands-on experience working with elite athletes, I know exactly what can help a lifter bounce back from a grueling workout in the shortest time possible.

In this article, I pull back the curtain on the four best recovery methods to maximize your training and fitness potential. I’ll also share tips on how to implement them into your routine. We have a lot to unpack, so sit tight and read on.

Why Recovery Isn’t Just “Rest” — It’s Active Progress

You develop micro tears in your muscle fibers when you lift heavy weights. Your body then allocates resources to the worked area to begin the repair process. This is what causes delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) that you experience after an intense workout.

In today’s hustle culture, rest is often discouraged, while exhausting yourself is seen as the ultimate goal. This approach can be disastrous when it comes to strength training.

Thanks to social media influencers, we are seeing a rise in the popularity of quick recovery fixes like cold plunges and massage guns. These might get you temporary relief after a brutal workout session, but you shouldn’t make the mistake of considering them a long-term solution.

Irrespective of how hard you train, you won’t achieve the desired results unless you give your muscles enough time to rest and recover.

You must also consume a balanced diet to ensure your body has the right amount of macronutrients to support the recovery process and rebuild bigger and stronger muscles. (1)

Every time you skip proper recovery, you are actually wasting all the hard work you have done in the gym. It doesn’t end there; poor recovery can lead to burnout, suboptimal results, and even increased risk of injury.

The 4 Pillars of Elite Recovery

Now that you understand the basics of recovery and why it is indispensable in your transformation journey, let’s turn our attention to the four most valuable recuperation techniques. I call these the ‘four pillars ’:

Pillar 1: Sleep — The Non-Negotiable Foundation

Many athletes come to me seeking groundbreaking recovery techniques. However, my first question to them usually is, “How many hours do you sleep each night, and what about your sleep quality?”

Sleep is non-negotiable for your recovery as several critical repair processes happen during this time.

Your body releases a large amount of growth hormone and testosterone when you fall into deep sleep. These hormones can help boost the recovery process and build new muscle tissue, making you stronger over time.

For the uninitiated, muscle protein synthesis is the process where your body breaks down protein to repair and build muscle fibers. As you might have guessed, this process is at its peak while you are asleep.

CNS and Memory Function

Going full-send in your workouts doesn’t just exhaust your muscles; it also taxes your central nervous system (CNS). Your CNS includes your brain and nerves and controls muscle contractions, coordination, and focus.

Sleeping for at least eight hours each night ensures your CNS has enough time to get back to 100 percent.

But how do you know your CNS has taken a hit? I’m glad you asked.

Whenever you experience mental fog or a loss of focus and concentration, it is a sign that your CNS needs more time to recover.

Getting enough sleep also improves your memory and helps you internalize new things you learn. For instance, it can help improve your training form, which can then deepen your mind-muscle connection and subsequent adaptations.

Remember, it is not just about the hours you log in. Your quality of sleep also matters a ton. You need to cycle through different sleep stages, including deep sleep and REM sleep, for full recovery. I highly recommend getting a fitness tracker to track your sleep. It might cost you a little money upfront, but it pays huge dividends in the long term.

Actionable Steps for Better Sleep

Many people have trouble falling or staying asleep. Here are a few practical things you can do to fix this:

• Keep a consistent schedule: Go to bed and wake up around the same time daily. Also, create a wind-down routine, like dimming the lights or taking a warm bath, to fall asleep faster.
• Optimize your bedroom: Use blackout curtains or wear an eye mask to ensure that light doesn’t disrupt your sleep. Wear earplugs to drown out disturbing sounds.
• Avoid these things: Stay away from caffeine, excess fluids, large meals, and alcohol before bed.

Pillar 2: Strategic Nutrition & Hydration — Fueling Repair

Your recovery window starts as soon as your workout ends, making what you eat and drink incredibly important to maximize gains and limit the risk of acute fatigue, overtraining, and injury.

You’ve probably heard about the ‘anabolic window,’ which requires you to slam a protein shake within 30-60 minutes of finishing a workout session. The good news is that recent research suggests that your total daily protein intake is more important than protein timing for optimal recovery. (2)

That said, there is nothing wrong with consuming a high-quality, quickly absorbing protein quickly after a training session. I’d suggest eating a carb and protein-rich food source within an hour of finishing your workout.

Why Protein and Carbs

Protein is the building block of muscle and is essential for muscle repair and growth.

Experts recommend consuming between 1.6 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily, according to your fitness goals. Opt for sources like lean meats, fish, eggs, chicken breast, and Greek yogurt as they are complete proteins, meaning they have all the essential amino acids.

Carbohydrates, on the other hand, are your body’s primary energy source. Your body burns through its glycogen stores during a high-intensity workout, and replenishing them is crucial to prevent energy crashes and ensure optimal performance throughout the day. 

Prefer complex carb sources like whole-wheat bread, sweet potatoes, and vegetables over simple carbs like white rice and fruit, as the former provide sustained energy.

Avoid concentrating your carb and protein intake around your workouts. Instead, spread them throughout the day so your muscles have enough raw material to maximize your performance and recovery.

Don’t Forget About Hydration

The human body is 75 percent water, and skimping on it can lead to dehydration, hindering your performance and slowing recovery.

Water is essential for all bodily functions as it helps transport nutrients to every muscle fiber, remove waste products, regulate body temperature, lubricate joints, and maintain blood volume.

Remember, losing just 2 percent of your body weight in fluids (3 pounds for a 150-pound person) can significantly hamper your strength, power, endurance, and recovery potential.

I highly recommend not waiting until you feel thirsty. Instead, sip on water throughout the workout to ensure optimal hydration. Drink at least a gallon of water daily to limit the risk of dehydration.

Pillar 3: Active Recovery — Promoting Blood Flow & Reducing Stiffness

Now, let’s say you are sleeping well and are fueling your body properly. What next? These first two pillars can be considered passive forms of recovery. However, we must also leverage the active forms to maximize our gains.

Active recovery techniques involve performing low-intensity exercises on your rest days to boost recovery. The idea is that increased blood flow delivers oxygen and nutrients to muscles, helping them recover more efficiently.

According to a systematic review published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, active recovery interventions lasting 6-10 minutes can be significantly more effective at boosting performance than staying sedentary during your days off from training. (3)

Remember, the key words here are ‘low intensity.’ You shouldn’t feel exhausted after an active recovery session.

Going too hard can cause further muscle damage, beating the entire purpose of active recovery. These low-intensity training sessions help flush out metabolic waste products that accumulate during intense exercise.

In my experience working with hundreds of clients, I have noticed that these sessions can also help reduce DOMS and lower the turn around time between workouts.

Walking, cycling, swimming, dynamic stretches, and light bodyweight exercises are some of the best forms of active recovery. You can adjust the time and intensity of these exercises based on your current fitness level and soreness.

Pillar 4: Stress Management — Calming the System

Stress management is the most overlooked aspect of recovery.

Most of us lead a busy life and have to manage work and family commitments daily, which can cause stress. To add to this, high-intensity strength training sessions can also add to this physical and mental stress.

Don’t get me wrong; stress is necessary. After all, it signals your body to adapt and get stronger. Without stress, we would be stuck in a perpetual plateau. However, our bodies have a limited capacity to handle total stress, and we must learn to manage it to prevent overexertion and health issues like hypertension and depression.

These are the three big ways our body reacts to stress:

Elevated Cortisol Levels

Chronic stress elevates your cortisol levels, which can promote muscle breakdown, interfere with sleep quality, increase inflammation throughout the body, and lead to cravings for unhealthy food. (4)

Nervous System Imbalance

High stress levels can keep you stuck in the fight or flight mode, making it almost impossible for your body to switch to the rest and digest state. Without this, your body will never recover optimally from your workouts.

Poor Decision Making

It is no secret that chronically tense people don’t make the best decisions as they are often exhausted. This state also increases your chances of skipping workouts and eating unhealthy foods.

Let’s be honest; eliminating stress from your life is impossible.

I suggest finding ways that work for your unique lifestyle, like practicing mindfulness and meditation, deep breathing exercises, and journaling.

If none of these work, I highly recommend consulting a professional who can help you overcome this problem.

Recovery Myths & Distractions 

For every effective recovery method, there is a fad that might not be worth your time. Here are four hyped recovery methods and where they can fit in:

• Ice Baths (Cryotherpary): Sitting in ice-cold water might make your muscles feel less sore temporarily, but research shows that using ice baths right after strength training might actually hamper hypertrophy. (5)
• Over-reliance on Supplements: Every month, we see a new supplement being introduced that promises faster recovery. Be skeptical of such products, as they lack scientific evidence. Instead, focus on meeting your daily nutritional needs through whole foods.
• Massage Guns: These can temporarily reduce muscle tightness or improve your range of motion before a workout. They can have a place in your gym bag but can’t replace the Big 4 mentioned above.
• Extreme Stretching: Holding deep stretches for extended periods can improve flexibility but isn’t necessarily the best recovery tool after a tough workout. Focus on gentle active recovery sessions to promote blood flow and recuperation.

Conclusion

Contrary to what most people think, recovering from strength training shouldn’t be entirely passive. You must leverage the four pillars of recovery — sleep, nutrition and hydration, active recovery, and stress management to realize your maximum fitness potential.

Learning about these four recovery techniques at once can feel overwhelming. However, you don’t have to do everything at once. Start with mastering sleep and nutrition, then switch your focus to stress management and incorporating active recovery techniques into your routine. Stay consistent, and you will achieve your fitness objectives in no time.

If you have any questions about the recovery strategies listed in this article, post them in the comments below, and I’ll be happy to help!

References:

1. Poole C, Wilborn C, Taylor L, Kerksick C. The role of post-exercise nutrient administration on muscle protein synthesis and glycogen synthesis. J Sports Sci Med. 2010 Sep 1;9(3):354-63. PMID: 24149627; PMCID: PMC3761704.
2. Schoenfeld BJ, Aragon AA, Krieger JW. The effect of protein timing on muscle strength and hypertrophy: a meta-analysis. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2013 Dec 3;10(1):53. doi: 10.1186/1550-2783-10-53. PMID: 24299050; PMCID: PMC3879660.
3. Ortiz RO Jr, Sinclair Elder AJ, Elder CL, Dawes JJ. A Systematic Review on the Effectiveness of Active Recovery Interventions on Athletic Performance of Professional-, Collegiate-, and Competitive-Level Adult Athletes. J Strength Cond Res. 2019 Aug;33(8):2275-2287. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000002589. PMID: 29742750.
4. Peeters GM, van Schoor NM, van Rossum EF, Visser M, Lips P. The relationship between cortisol, muscle mass, and muscle strength in older persons and the role of genetic variations in the glucocorticoid receptor. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2008 Oct;69(4):673-82. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2265.2008.03212.x. Epub 2008 Jan 31. PMID: 18248637.
5. Fyfe JJ, Broatch JR, Trewin AJ, Hanson ED, Argus CK, Garnham AP, Halson SL, Polman RC, Bishop DJ, Petersen AC. Cold water immersion attenuates anabolic signaling and skeletal muscle fiber hypertrophy, but not strength gain, following whole-body resistance training. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2019 Nov 1;127(5):1403-1418. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00127.2019. Epub 2019 Sep 12. PMID: 31513450.

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