2023-09-02 09:37:01
At 20 and at 40, practicing a sporting activity is somewhat different: performance may drop a little, conversely, recovery time lengthen.
Playing sports, maintaining your health and your body, yes!
On the other hand, taking days to recover and suffering martyrdom following each session, no way!
Rest assured, there are remedies to accelerate sports recovery.
Discover our 8 tips below.
Read also: Building muscle following 40 is possible by avoiding these 7 critical mistakes
What are the consequences on the body following intensive strength training?
After intensive strength training, various physiological consequences are observed, such as:
Micro-lesions in muscle fibers, which are normal and part of the muscle building process; Temporary inflammation resulting in body aches, a feeling of stiffness or mild pain; Generalized muscular fatigue linked to the depletion of energy reserves, with a feeling of heaviness and weakness, and a decrease in performance.
Although these phenomena are completely natural and contribute to muscle development by a principle hypertrophy muscles, you must remain vigilant to avoid the risk of injury.
Concretely, you have to give yourself the necessary recovery time by letting the body recover and strengthen itself.
There are some tips for optimizing this recovery phase in order to fully regain your abilities before the next sports session.
8 strategies to speed up the recovery process
#1: Protein intake
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According to a studyit appears that we have a window of 2 to 3 hours post-workout, during which an adequate protein intake promotes good muscle recovery.
Indeed, by combining proteins with sport, a phenomenon of stimulation of anabolic hormones (insulin and growth hormone) occurs, and these are essential for muscle growth and recovery.
It is therefore recommended to consume 0.5 g of protein per kilo (i.e. 40 g if you weigh 80 kilos).
In addition, these will also promote the repair of muscle tissue, the stimulation of protein synthesis, the maintenance of a positive nitrogen balance in the body conducive to muscle growth and the reduction of inflammation.
#2: Get enough sleep
Quality sleep is legal doping!
It is during sleep that the body secretes the most hormones essential for muscle growth and recovery, including growth hormone and testosterone.
These have anabolic properties which stimulate protein synthesis.
A study also demonstrates that a single week of lack of sleep has a significant impact on testosterone production, in the order of 10 to 15%.
Thus, lack of sleep:
Besides the fact that it blocks muscle development, it also promotes muscle breakdown; Significantly decreases your sports performance, both in terms of strength and endurance.
That said, sleep well, on average 8 hours and without interruption, is not accessible to everyone.
To achieve this, set a goal of 1 hour of additional sleep, to be achieved gradually, or take a nap whenever you feel the need (following an intensive workout or a meal, for example).
This reduces the feeling of fatigue and stimulates physical performance, especially if you sleep between 30 and 90 minutes.
Also read: 11 evening habits to change your nights (and your life), just copy them!
#3: Creatine Supplementation
Creatine is primarily recognized for its role in improving athletic performance, with the result of promoting muscle growth.
However, it also facilitates the muscle recovery process, as it allows:
A rapid regeneration of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the main source of energy used during intense and short duration efforts; A decrease in muscle fatigue and burns induced by lactic acid saturation; Reduced Inflammation.
However, when the aches are shorter and less intense, we are able to train more regularly and provide maximum effort each time.
Consuming 3 to 5 g of creatine daily is more than enough to improve your athletic performance and optimize your recovery phase.
Read also: Danger, is creatine really safe!?
#4: Hydration
Staying perfectly hydrated, i.e. drinking regularly without waiting for your throat to dry out, is very effective in accelerating muscle recovery following intense effort, because water allows you to:
Maintain good blood circulation to better transport nutrients (proteins, carbohydrates, electrolytes, etc.), oxygen and creatine through all cells, thus accelerating the muscle recovery process; Promote the elimination of toxins from the muscles and correlatively reduce the inflammation that may be linked to it; Prevent cramps and maintain the elasticity of muscle tissue, thus limiting post-exercise pain and stiffness, but also the risk of injury during training.
#5: Key Nutrients
According to this studyantioxidants help reduce the damage caused by free radicals generated during intense exercise, especially vitamins C and E which reduce inflammation and promote recovery.
Vitamin C also supports the immune system and the production of collagen for better elasticity in the joints (tendons and ligaments).
Vitamin D plays an important role in muscle function and the regulation of muscle mass. Vitamin D deficiency can thus affect recovery, as well as performance.
Omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce pain caused by intense exertion and support the health of cells and membranes.
To benefit from these nutrients, you must opt for a balanced diet and ensure sufficient daily exposure to the sun.
#6: The massage roller
Foam rolling consists of self-massage using a massage roller.
Indeed, the structures of the body (muscles, blood vessels, nerves, organs, etc.) are covered with fibrils.
When these are damaged by the practice of intensive exercises, they can tear and form knots which are painful on the one hand, but, on the other hand, reduce the force and/or the amplitude of the movement.
The blood then has difficulty circulating and the healing time lengthens. Foam rolling is a method of increasing blood flow to these areas, and therefore speeding up healing.
According to a studythis practice would reduce body aches by 50% and improve motor skills by 5%.
Read also: Massage roller, the anti trigger point tool!
#7: Massages
Enjoying a massage right following a workout allows, according to a studyto significantly reduce aches that may occur within 72 hours of exercise.
Indeed, by reducing the lactic acid level in the blood, they reduce pain. At the same time, they have the power to increase intramuscular strength.
In addition, the massage will activate blood and lymphatic circulation, which has the effect of:
Promote the dilation of blood vessels, the transport of essential nutrients and the elimination of toxins, thus accelerating the healing process; Release muscle tension and reduce knots and adhesions in the tissues, responsible for muscle pain; Improve mobility; Increase production of oxytocin, an anti-stress hormone that promotes rest and relaxation, improving overall recovery.
Read also: Massage gun, is the hype (really) justified? Read before you buy
#8 : The sauna
Regular saunas have the power to maintain muscle mass and promote rapid recovery, by a principle of vasodilation of blood vessels.
Exposure to heat offers multiple benefits to athletes, such as:
Improved blood flow allowing better delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the muscles; A accelerating the repair of damaged tissues
during the practice of an intense sports activity, with a considerable reduction in muscle aches and contractions; Elimination of toxins and metabolic waste accumulated in the muscles during exercise, thanks to perspiration; The release of growth hormone; Muscle relaxation and stress reduction, promoting physical and mental well-being.
What regarding muscle relaxants?
Practicing a sports activity, sometimes intensely or very regularly, can be the cause of various pains, which can be more or less serious, such as:
Muscle injuries: strains, muscle tears or strains; Tension headaches when there has been excessive contraction of the neck and/or shoulder muscles; Lumbar pain and back pain that can be amplified by the practice of physical activity; Muscle tension and spasms that occur as a result of overuse of muscles.
These pains can be relieved through a non-prescription muscle relaxer.
Be careful howevermuscle relaxants are not specifically designed to accelerate the recovery phase following an intense sports session, rather they are intended to relieve the muscle pain associated with it.
However, insofar as they reduce the pain effect associated with inflammation, they prevent the body from contracting further. However, when this pain is not treated, it amplifies and spreads.
By limiting its expansion or intensity, you recover faster so you can resume your workouts sooner.
Side Effects and Potential Risks of Muscle Relaxants
With these medications, with or without a prescription, one may experience drowsiness and fatigue, but also be less alert to pain signals.
It is also necessary to be vigilant and parsimonious with their use, because excessive or prolonged use can generate a risk of addiction.
It is therefore recommended, even for a non-prescription version, to supervise their consumption by a health professional.
Updated by Emma on: 02/09/2023
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