POST-WORKOUT RECOVERY GUIDE

Post-workout recovery is an essential part of a fitness routine yet there are things that we do after workouts that render our exercises useless. STEPHANIE ODHIAMBO sheds light on some of the things that you may be doing wrong.

- STEPHANIE ODHIAMBO

After a workout, most of us grab our water bottles and car keys, make a beeline for the parking lot and rush home. What we forget, are the crucial post-workout recovery cool down exercises that our bodies require. Here are some of the things that you are doing after your workout that make your exercises useless and how you can avoid the same.

PASSIVE COOL DOWN

Do you lie down immediately after a workout? This act of doing almost nothing after a workout is known as a passive cool down and may result in soreness and limbs feeling heavy. According to the Sports Medicine Journal, an active cool-down is more effective in promoting post-exercise recovery than a passive cool-down. After a workout, your body progressively tries to recover from all the strenuous exercise and this involves the body’s circulation therefore movement after exercise is important as it will enhance blood flow to all the muscles surrounding a joint and reduce soreness.

SKIPPING A POST-WORKOUT MEAL