Why is recovery important? 

Muscles take 24 to 48 hours to fully recover from a heavy/difficult workout.  It is essential to let the muscles be able to repair themselves so that they can grow properly. Although there are many ways to handle recovery, and every athlete is different, there are some key tips that make anyone’s post-workout easier.  

1. SLEEP!!! 

Athletes generally need 8-10 hours of sleep a night.  This is the most important thing that an athlete can do.  Sleep is the time when your body repairs itself, so generally without sleep, you won’t perform well.  One way to get a couple more snooze hours would be to start a sleep schedule.  Make sure that you go to sleep and get up at the same time each day.  This makes it easier to make sure that you have enough recovery time to be able to push through a hard workout. 

2. Take care of yourself BEFORE the workout!  

Make sure you eat something before your workout! Your body is working in overtime, make sure to give it something to work with! Healthy snacks to munch on would be anything light, but full of nutrients; such as nuts, grilled chicken, vegetables, or any non-fatty carbohydrates.

3. Make sure to stretch!  

Stretching is the key to having less injuries. Allowing the muscles to loosen up, get warm, and prepared for the workout makes getting injured during the workout almost impossible. Stretching is also a great way to warm up, which makes the workout itself easier.

4. Eat potassium after the workout!  

Potassium is one of the most important minerals that plays a role in muscle recovery. Not only does it keep your electrolytes up, it also prevents muscle cramps.  Potatoes and bananas are the two easiest ways to get your fill of potassium. And let’s be honest, a bowl of mashed potatoes after training sounds like heaven to me.

5. Drink water! 

You lose a lot of fluids during a practice through sweat.  And believe it or not, each time you breathe you lose a small bit of water as well.  After a practice, filling up on water, protein shakes, or even Gatorade to help boost your recovery.