Exercise and working out can put a lot of stress on your muscles. Therefore, it is essential to dedicate time to recovery. There are two types of recovery: active and passive. Active recovery involves low-intensity exercise, and passive recovery consists in taking the entire day off. The rest of this blog will discuss examples of active recovery and provide more information on why recovery is so significant.
Effective Forms of Active Recovery
Active recovery can sometimes be more beneficial for your body than passive recovery. This is because it can keep muscles flexible and increases blood flow. That said, there are a few ways you can participate in active recovery. First, as a cooldown, after your workout. For example, a cold down could include a light jog or walk. Stretching is another cooldown and recovery technique. Stretching is very effective at preventing injuries and keeping muscles flexible.
You can also engage in active recovery on rest days. Swimming, yoga, walking, or riding a bike are all rest-day activities. These are all low-moderate exercises that do not put additional strain on your muscles. However, engaging in a light walk, run, or bike ride on your day off will keep your joints and muscles limber.
So why is recovery so important?
Recovery is one of the most critical aspects of your fitness journey. Contrary to common belief, your muscles grow as you rest between workouts. If you do not give your muscles adequate time to heal from strenuous exercises, they can become inflamed, exhausted, and swollen. This could lead to a decrease in performance.
When you devote time to stretching and recovery, you can increase your performance in the next workout. However, if you fail to allow time to recover properly, you prevent your body from reaping the benefits of your previous training. This can lead to adverse effects due to overtraining.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the overall purpose of recovery after a workout is to prevent injury and relieve muscle stress. Recovery can mean taking a whole day to rest or engaging in low-moderate intensity activity. Disregarding the recovery process can negatively affect your performance and disrupt your fitness progress. If you are unsure how to find time to recover correctly or have questions about the process as a whole, please email us at 1jpfit4life1@gmail.com or call (802)522-6521!
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