Seven Things You Need To Do After Exercise
Posted: Dec 13 in Weight Loss Blog by Staff
Keep moving
After your workout, your body needs time to go back to its normal resting state. To achieve this, you might want to walk on the spot, jog lightly, or do some yoga poses. This lowers your heart rate, reduces the risk of sore muscles, and promotes healthy blood circulation to the muscles you’ve just exercised. Take some 10 to 15 minutes to end your workout properly. The important thing is to cool down gently and gradually.
Stretch those muscles
During exercise, your muscles contract constantly. If you don’t stretch them out after exercise, they remain tight, and this could lead to injury. It’s best to stretch muscles while they’re warm, so a post-workout stretch delivers the most benefits. Stretching relieves tension, and increases the mobility of your joints and your range of motion. It also stops blood pooling in your lower limbs, which may lead to dizziness and light-headedness. Consider holding stretches for at least 15 seconds each.
You might want to use a foam roller to soothe and release tension in your muscles. A foam roller smoothens out any knots that may have formed on your muscles during your workout. To use the device, you roll a part of your body slowly on the roller. Some trainers recommend using the roller on every group of muscles. You could even use a foam roller before a workout, to warm up.
Hydrate
Build muscle strength and flexibility and prevent soreness by replacing lost fluids. About half an hour after your workout, when your body has cooled down, drink a cup of water. You may need to drink more water later, to replace fluids lost through sweat. Avoid alcohol as well as sugary, caffeinated drinks as these may cause dehydration.
Track your progress
Use whatever means suits you best to keep a record of what your workout entailed. You need to note, for instance, what distance you ran or walked, the weights you lifted, the number of repetitions, and so on. You might want to increase the intensity of your workout to reap maximum benefits. You can only increase it if you keep a record of your current performance.
Also, it’s useful to record your body’s response to a particular exercise. How did you feel before, during, and after the exercise? You can then make adjustments.
Shower
A cool or cold shower prevents muscle inflammation and tension and encourages healing. There’s no solid evidence to suggest that a cold shower leads to faster recovery. However, you might find that it offers relief, especially if you’ve been exercising in hot and humid conditions.
Refuel
Replenish your body within 45 minutes of your workout. Your body requires carbohydrates and proteins to restock energy stores, and to repair and rebuild muscle. If you’re working out in a gym, it would help to bring a post-workout snack with you. Your muscles need nourishment in readiness for the next workout.
Rest
Rest is an important component of your exercise routine. Your keep-fit and weight loss efforts will come to naught if you don’t get a good night’s sleep. You need to rest after a workout because that’s when muscles recover.
Avoid injury, burnout, and discouragement by following a post-workout schedule. This will ensure you stay healthy and can perform your daily exercise routines.