Recovery is an integral part of a training program. Not giving enough recovery between the workouts puts you at a higher risk of injury. Exercise stress causes microtears in the muscles, which leads to fatigue and inflammation. Proper recovery needs to be scheduled in your training routine to overcome the inflammation and see effective gains.  How much your body strengthens and performs depends on how well and how quickly you can recover. 

There are many recovery techniques that you can use. Here are five of the most employed and effective muscle recovery techniques:

Ice Bath- Ice baths are a widespread muscle recovery technique used by elite marathoners like Paula Radcliff. The method works by constricting blood vessels. When the athlete gets out of water, the rapid temperature change leads to rapid dilation of the blood vessels, which delivers oxygen and nutrients to the muscles. Research shows that an ice bath after intense exercise can reduce the onset of delayed muscle soreness compared to basic rest. 

Massage- Massage can help loosen muscles, increase oxygen, and blood flow to muscles. Massage improves muscle circulation, bringing the nutrients like amino acids and metabolites faster to muscles to help repair torn muscle fibers. Try to schedule a massage on your rest day or the evening of your intense workout.

Foam Rolling- Foam rolling is a self-myofascial release tool. It helps speed up recovery from muscle soreness and tightness. It’s a very cost-effective way to give yourself a deep tissue massage before or after a workout. Before a workout, it brings blood flow to the muscles, and after the workout, the increased circulation helps decrease spasms and delayed onset muscle soreness.

Contrast Therapy- Contrast therapy or Kneipp’s method is used by alternating between hot and cold baths. You can contrast between an ice bath and a hot shower for 30-40 seconds. Repeat this 4-5 times or as much as your body can handle. Contrast therapy increases blood flow to the muscles the same way an ice bath does and speeds up the removal of lactic acid.

Compression Garments- Compression garments are tight, compressive clothing made from nylon or spandex. They’re worn not only by athletes to improve performance and recovery. Although the accurate method behind compression garments is still unknown, some research suggests that the blood reduces creatine kinase, a well-known biomarker of muscle damage. This reduction in creatine kinase improves the elimination of waste products and muscle tissue repair.

No matter where you are currently in your training cycle, I suggest adding some recovery time to your routine. It will enhance your performance in many ways and prevent injuries. Consider trying one of the recovery techniques mentioned above.