28 Sep 5 Ways To Speed Recovery From Strength Training

You do take rest days, right?

What do you do to speed your recovery?

Is an “off” day from your training a day when you don’t do anything at all?

Or do you engage in low level activities to enhance recovery?

These are good questions to ask yourself.

A recovery day can be a day to take advantage of other activities that won’t impair your training and may even help you to recover faster.

It’s true.

Today I’m sore

Actually, I’m really sore.

I had a tough session yesterday and I’m definitely feeling it today.

Here’s some ways I’ll try to negate how I feel right now – later today.

As you know, recovery days are just as important as training days.

These are just a few simple ideas for “active” recovery to help you speed recovery, keep you moving, feel good, and keep you mobile so you can get back to training on your next session.

1-WALK 

(TIME: 20-60′)

This is probably the valuable things I do for active recovery days.

I’ve definitely found that a good walking program is a great thing to do to speed recovery.

A good walking program is just getting out there and going for a walk.

Anywhere from 20 to 60 minutes is about right.

Low level, low stress movement is a wonderful thing, especially following a hard day of training.

Walking on rest days is probably underutilized by many of us and it’s such a simple and important thing to do.

2-STRETCH 

(TIME: 10-30′)

Depending on what I’m doing in a particular training session, I do stretch to some degree.

I don’t spend a ton of time during a training session on stretching.

I will do some stretching, but not necessarily before a training session.

Recovery days are great to spend the extra time just on stretching, particularly if you’re sore in a particular area.

For example, my deep back muscles are really sore today.

I’ll spend some time here in just a bit doing some stretching and other things I’m sharing with you now because I know I’ll feel better.

I’ll spend the extra time stretching because it feels good to stretch and I’ll feel more mobile and flexible.

Again, it’s not a training day, so I’ll spend extra time here.

Does it help recovery?

It sure seems to.

3-ROLL

(TIME: 10-30′)

Foaming rolling is another one those things that makes you feel better.

When the back and hips are sore, I’ll spend some extra time on the foam roller working on the deeper tissues, muscles, and fascia.

I like the foam roller, but I don’t get on a roller everyday.

Recovery days are great days to take advantage of this.

Foam rolling is like stretching and it’s a hugely debated topic.

If it makes you feel good, do it.

If you don’t find benefit, then don’t it. It’s pretty simple.

Foam rolling is self-myosfascial release, which is a form of deeper, more aggressive soft tissue work to improve mobility.

If you’re sore, tight, or have mobility issues, break out the foam roller on the recovery day.

It’s an option.

4-ROLL SOME MORE 

(TIME: 5-10′)

Roll.

Literally get on the floor and roll around a bit.

The easiest and most effective way to do this is with an Original Strength reset, which takes all of about 5 to 10 minutes.

You rock, roll, nod, cross-crawl, and crawl – there’s your “reset.”

This is wonderful for the body.

Movement helps us to recover, that’s why I like walking that I mentioned previously

The Original Strength reset is a quick system to feel better and improve mobility, among other things.

It’s something that could be done quickly and easily every day and wouldn’t interfere in any way with training or performance.

This is one thing I do more often than just on recovery days.

On a recovery day though, it’s a no-brainer.

Learn how to “reset” and I guarantee you will not only move better, but feel better and become more resilient.

5-PLAY

(TIME: ???)

Finally, get out in the sunshine and fresh air – and just do something fun.

Play with the kids, go to the park, go to the beach (and be active), surf, swim, play basketball, run, or do anything outdoors.

I like to view recovery days as an opportunity to get out and do other activities.

That’s one of the reasons I train.

So that I can go and do whatever I feel like doing – running, sprinting, playing, and doing something active.

It just might be a good day to do other things I wouldn’t typically do on a training day.

Move, walk, run, play, but keep it at a low level.

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These are 5 ideas for the “active” rest and recovery day.

Thanks for reading.

Recover well.