After every workout, it’s important to take care of your muscles and help them recover.
Why Cooling Down Is Important
Your body needs time to heal and rest between intense workouts. Small micro-tears in your muscle can better repair themselves while you rest and sleep. Take care of your body by stretching or rolling out your muscles with a foam roller before and after every workout. Without a proper cooldown after every exercise, your body will not be able to clear blood lactate from your system. When blood lactate builds up, so do hydrogen ions which cause you to feel fatigued and sore. If you overwork your muscles, you may become sore or injured. Physiotherapy Burlington ON is especially useful when recovering from a sports-related injury. Physical therapists will help create a customized treatment plan for you to heal and assess your improvement over time.
What Is Active Recovery
Active recovery exercises help your body cool down after a rigorous workout. If you practice interval training, you will need to incorporate some active recovery exercises in between sets. Active recovery involves less intense movements that you can perform at a comfortable pace. Although they are lighter in intensity, they should keep your heart pumping and your body moving. After every intense workout, try to keep moving for another 10 minutes to cool down. Start at a light pace as you gradually reduce your effort. Even on your rest days, it is extremely important to keep your body moving. Going for an easy bike ride or brisk walk is a great way to practice active recovery. Consider signing up for a yoga or tai chi class on your rest days. Both forms of exercise can increase flexibility and stretch sore muscles while reducing stress and inflammation.
Help your muscles recover from your workouts using these helpful recovery tips.