Recovery is probably the LEAST "glamorous" part of training that you can possibly imagine.

Yet it's also one of the MOST important facets of training that almost always gets neglected.

If your recovery isn't good...

• You can't train as frequently.
• You can't train as hard.
• Your endurance will fade fast.
• Your strength will start to drop.

Recovery is truly the "unsung hero" of the whole process of fitness. And if you're not optimizing it, you're leaving a LOT of results on the table.

If you really want the best results possible from the hard work you're putting in, you can't just let nature take it's course. You need to treat recovery just like you'd treat any other aspect of training....

...pay attention to it and DO something to help the process along.

Here's what I do...

 

1. Post-Workout Shake

Right after training, I take in a protein + glutamine shake. I don't put any simple carbs in it...I stopped doing that a long time ago as simple sugars have a bad habit of tanking testosterone levels (not what you want post-workout). As well, sugars will cause an insulin release, which will also tank GH levels.

I add glutamine (about 20 grams of powder) to my protein shake because I find it really helps with recovery post-workout. I realize the studies aren't really there to back it up in terms of helping imrpove muscle growth, however my own experimentations on myself (between taking it and not taking it) have shown me that I recover faster when I take it. So I take it.

I don't take any vitamins or other pills post-workout. I don't want to slow gastric emptying time (the time it takes to move things out of the stomach and into the small intestine for absorption).

Also, with that in mind, you want to make sure your shake, isn't too thick or too large. This just slows digestion and kind of defeats the purpose of taking the fast post-workout shake in the first place. It shouldn't be custard...it should still be liquid.

 

2. Contrast Shower

Alternating hot and cold water in the shower is a proven method for increasing circulation and speeding recovery. Try alternating 1 minute hot to 30 seconds cold (not cool, cold) for a few rounds through and finish your shower on cold.

 

3. Minimize Stress Post-Workout

This is the time your body (specifically your nervous system) is ramping up the recovery processes. This is not the time to jump into a highly stressful activity...relax and take it easy.

 

4. Post-Workout Meal

About 1-2 hours or so after a workout (4 hours max), eat a quality meal. It doesn't have to be huge, but it should be protein-rich and have good nutritional content. If it's easy to digest, even better.

 

5. Sleep

I won't get into the whole sleep thing here...that's a HUGE topic unto itself. However, just try to do what you can to get quality sleep and enough of it (i.e. sleep in a totally dark room, keep it cool, turn off the TV, stay off your phone or tablet about an hour before going to bed so your brain has a chance to wind down).

 

6. Exercise-Specific 3-6 Minute Daily Mobility/Flexibility Routine

This is a cool concept I picked up from my friend and colleague, Forest Vance.

Basically, it's short recovery sequence of core exercises, yoga poses and static stretches specific to the types of exercises you're trying to recover from.

For example, he has sequences to help you recover from...

• A workout where you did a lot of kettlebell swings
• A hardcore sprinting session
• A big overhead pressing day

When he told me about what he was doing, I was very intrigued...I had always thought of recovery more as a "holistic" process that the whole body goes through, rather than focusing on targeted recovery for specific types of training.

When you think about it, though, the concept makes a lot of sense.

Different workouts create different demands on your system....a pressing workout hits the body in a very different way than a loaded carry workout.

 

If your workouts hit your body differently, why should the recovery process you use after these workouts be the same?

What Forest has done is create a protocol that CUSTOMIZES the active recovery process you're using so that you recover BETTER and FASTER from training.

You can learn more about it here...the program is called "Regenerate" and it's excellent stuff.

It requires ZERO equipment and will help you with...

• Reducing soreness
  
• Reviving and rejuvenating the body after an intense workout
  
• Managing aches and pains
  
• Speeding up recovery
  
• Improving flexibility
  
• Improving mobility
  
• Pressing more weight overhead, without restriction
  
• Squatting to full depth, comfortably and easily
  
• Improving desire and motivation to move more
  
• Burning more calories and losing more fat
  
• Complimenting and balancing your high-intensity workouts
  
• Working on areas that need immediate recovery without going to a yoga or Pilates class

And it literally only takes 3 to 6 minutes per day to do.

I think this is really cool stuff. I'm definitely going to be delving into this concept further.

Bottom line, though, if improved recovery is something you're interested in (and you should be if you're serious about your training), absolutely go check this out.

Nick Nilsson
The Mad Scientist of Muscle

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