Muscle Recovery: Essential to Your Next Workout

Originally published on HVMN by Nate Martins.

The moment every athlete wants to avoid.

POP!

A muscle gives at the gym or on the track, leading to weeks of rehab. Sometimes it’s not even a single moment, but rather, countless hours of overuse that leads a muscle to strain or tear. To avoid rehab, athletes need to focus on prehab. Get ahead of an injury before it happens. Muscle recovery should be part of every training plan (specifically post-workout). But there are multiple strategies athletes can employ that lead to muscle health–even things like diet can impact how your muscles recover. Knowing what to do, and when to do it, can help avoid the injuries that’ll set you back weeks.

An important goal of every training session is to break down muscle. Without recovery, a significant portion of that work might be a waste of time. So, what exactly happens during recovery? That’ll depend on the person and activity, but generally, four different things are happening while you’re resting. Synthesis of protein: This is what leads to muscle growth. During recovery, most muscle is built because muscle protein synthesis increases by 50% four hours after a workout (such as resistance training).1

Rebuilding of muscle fibers: Microtears in muscle fibers are a normal part of exercise, happening when we put strain on our muscles. Recovery allows these fibers to heal and strengthen. Fluid restoration: We sweat (and lose a lot of fluid through exhaled air).2

Hydrating before, during and after a workout is important because these fluids help deliver nutrients to organs and muscle through the bloodstream.

Removal of metabolic waste products: Acids (via that pesky little proton associated with lactate) accumulate during a workout, and recovery gives the body time to restore intramuscular pH and reestablish intramuscular blood flow for oxygen delivery (among other things).

While you’re resting, your muscles kick into overdrive.

Recovery can be attacked in several ways–some may be surprising because they don’t directly target the muscles themselves. By approaching recovery through multiple avenues, it can be optimized.

It may not seem obvious, but a combination of hydration, diet, and supplements can significantly benefit the muscles.

Drinking fluids is a mantra repeated by coaches everywhere for good reason: muscles are 75% water. Before and during exercise, hydration is key to maintaining fluid balance and can even improve endurance (it’s equally important to not over-consume water as well).3,4

But after a workout, consuming enough water is vital for proper digestion and muscle repair. The sought-after protein resynthesis requires muscles to be well hydrated. And coupled with post-workout eating, saliva–which is comprised mostly of water–is necessary to help break down food, digest, and absorb all the nutrients you’re hoping to receive. In one study, adequate hydration after a 90-minute treadmill run was associated with significantly faster heart rate recovery;5 this suggests that hydration accelerates recovery from exercise-induced stress.

Don’t rely on the age-old test of urine to determine if you’re hydrated; that has been debunked.6

A good rule of thumb is to weigh yourself before and after a workout, drinking 1.5x the amount of weight lost.

Nailing the right nutrition strategy post-workout can encourage quicker recovery, reduce soreness, build muscle, improve immunity and replenish glycogen.

Your next workout starts within an hour of your last workout ending.

Since exercise triggers the breakdown of muscle protein,7 it’s beneficial to consume an adequate amount of protein after a workout. Protein provides the body with the necessary amino acids needed to repair and rebuild, while also promoting the development of new muscle tissue.8

Good sources of protein include: whey protein, whole eggs, cheese, and smoked salmon. Carbohydrates have a similarly important effect–they replenish glycogen stores. The type of exercise will depend on the amount of carbohydrate required. Consuming about 0.5 – 0.7 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight within 30 minutes of training can result in adequate glycogen resynthesis. Insulin secretion promotes glycogen synthesis and is more stimulated when carbs and protein are consumed simultaneously.9

Carb sources are everywhere, but look to slow-release sources such as sweet potatoes, fruit, pasta, and rice. Fat shouldn’t be the main focus of an after-workout meal, but should be part of it. Good fat sources include avocados and nuts. Milk is also a popular choice; one study found whole milk was more effective at promoting muscle growth than skim milk.10

We’ve outlined which supplements runners should take; it’s best to focus on protein, BCAAs, and omega-3s–all these supplements help to optimize muscle recovery. While most athletes think protein is best left to bodybuilders, protein can repair the muscle damage that occurs during a workout, reduce the response from the “stress hormone” cortisol, and speed up glycogen replacement. Protein also accelerates the resolution of muscle inflammation.11,12

Whey, casein, and soy are some of the most popular proteins. Whey is absorbed the fastest by the body and is largely considered the most effective protein for muscle protein synthesis.13 Casein protein is geared more toward long-term recovery because it takes hours to absorb. Try introducing whey immediately post-workout, while using casein protein before bed; protein ingestion before sleep has been shown to stimulate muscle protein synthesis.14

Serious athletes should be taking about one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. If someone doesn’t consume enough protein, branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) can be a useful supplement. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. During exercise, the body breaks down protein into amino acids, which are absorbed and transported to create new proteins that support muscle growth. BCAAs help enhance muscle protein recovery by introducing more amino acids into the body. They preserve muscle glycogen stores, which fuel the muscles and minimize protein breakdown. Studies show BCAAs as effective for muscle recovery (as well as immune system regulation).15

Omega-3s, found in fish oils, have anti-inflammatory properties that help sore muscles.16 Kado-3, by HVMN, is a supercharged krill and fish oil stack designed to assist daily brain and body metabolism. Ingredients in Kado-3 work together, like astaxanthin oil (a powerful antioxidant) to fight against the buildup of free radicals, and Vitamins K and D to protect bone health.17,18,19

HVMN Ketone can also help muscle recovery. Those using HVMN Ketone have seen reduced breakdown of intramuscular glycogen and protein during exercise compared with carbs alone.20 It also expedited the resynthesis of glycogen by 60% and protein by 2x when added to normal carb/protein post-workout fuel.21,22

Rest should be accounted for in any training program. Sleep: A Necessary Reset

On its face, sleep should be the easiest way to recover. One study found that lack of sleep can lead to muscle degradation.23 But many find it difficult to get the ideal seven-to-nine hours per night.

Sleep improves other facets of health that indirectly affect muscle recovery. The central nervous system (CNS) also recovers during sleep, which is important for muscles because the CNS controls muscle contractions and reaction time. Hormones like cortisol and testosterone, which produce protein synthesis, are also working while we sleep.

To help optimize sleep, it’s important to set a routine.

Our screens can negatively affect sleep,24 so 60–90 minutes of screen-free time before bed can make a difference. The blue light emitted from our devices tricks the brain into thinking it’s daytime and we need to be awake, decreasing our natural melatonin.

It’s also important to create an optimal environment for sleep. Measures such as blackout curtains, a cooler bedroom temperature, or a high-quality mattress can all promote better, more restful sleep.

On a much smaller scale, what’s happening during sleep is also happening on rest days. Work rest days into your training program because they give the body time to repair tissues that have been broken down.25

Depleted muscle energy stores, micro-tears, fluid loss–all the things that happen during a workout need time to recuperate and grow stronger. Recovery time depends on your specific routine. Runners can have an especially difficult time doing this. For highly active runners who log miles six days per week, they should also incorporate recovery runs. About half of these runs should be at recovery pace, a slower less-strenuous pace that allows the body to recycle lactate as it’s produced. By increasing blood flow, recovery runs may actually accelerate the recovery process. Also, try to avoid intense workouts or hard runs on back-to-back days. Rest days vary by person, but a good goal is one or two rest days per week, or 10 days. Injury-prone athletes may increase the number of complete rest days during this period.

Let’s get into the specifics of what you can do to help the body recover faster. By using exercises targeted at certain muscles, not only will those muscles recover faster – but they’ll also get stronger in the process. Active Recovery: Getting Stronger and Building Muscle

This type of recovery focuses on exercise intensity at low-to-moderate levels. Studies have shown that it’s best for the performance of endurance athletes.26 Active recovery is effective primarily because it more rapidly clears blood lactate, facilitating blood flow and enabling the body to process excess lactate produced during periods of intense exercise.27

Cross-training is also a great way to engage in active recovery while enhancing aerobic fitness without putting the body through the same stress as your normal workouts. Try:

Some athletes and coaches swear by ice baths, with trainers mandating post-practice cold water immersion (CWI). They consider ice baths essential for helping tired muscles and improving performance in the next intense training sessions. The idea here is that cold therapy constricts blood vessels and decreases metabolic activity, reducing swelling and tissue breakdown, flushing metabolic debris from the muscle. But one study showcased that the “hypothesized physiological benefits surrounding CWI are at least partly placebo related.”29 This suggests that if you think ice baths help, then they may have a beneficial impact on recovery and subsequent training.

If you’d like to try an ice bath, fill a tub or large container with water, enough to submerge your hips. Add enough ice to lower the water temperature to approximately 55 degrees. Then sit in the bath for about 15 minutes.

Stretching is important both before and after a workout because exercise can shorten muscles, decreasing mobility. Stretching improves flexibility, allowing muscles and joints to move through their full range of motion.30 One study found that hamstring flexibility led to increased muscle performance.31

Post-workout stretches are often forgotten by athletes in a rush, but it’s essential to account for these stretches in a training schedule. Generally, it’s best to hold stretches for about 30 seconds and repeat each once or twice. Target these muscles, which usually take a beating from a variety of workouts:

Complementary to stretching, foam rollers help sore muscles,32 and they can be used on almost every muscle in the body.

Our muscles undergo a constant cycle of breakdown and repair. Fascia, the connective tissue surrounding our muscles, becomes thicker and shorter over time as the body attempts to protect itself from further damage. Sometimes, trigger points form–sore spots, caused by fascia contraction, need release.

Ultimately, this limits range of motion and causes soreness.

Foam rolling (also called myofascial release) can help relieve muscular trigger points and, as one study found, can lead to overall improvements in athletic performance.33 The result is decreased muscle and joint pain and increased mobility.

Selecting a foam roller depends on your needs; a larger roller can allow you fuller sessions (meaning, if it’s large enough, you can lie on the foam roller and do some great shoulder / upper back workouts). A denser roller will also mean a more intense massage.

Target these often overused areas: glutes, iliotibial band (IT band), lower back, shoulders, and sides.

While technology and wearables can’t directly support recovery, they can collect important data that may inform recovery strategies. Being able to track aspects of training, sleep, heart rate, and hydration can provide insight into how the best tackle specificities of recovery.

Understanding our inputs with data provides us with a way to maximize our outputs and reach peak performance–even in recovery.

Recovery takes time and dedication; it is often overlooked in workout schedules because it isn’t built in. Active recovery, sleep, diet, and supplements such as HVMN Ketone can help kickstart the recovery process and improve training effectiveness. The best training starts with mindful recovery to help muscles rebuild for the next training session. This can ultimately improve training by putting your body in the best position to perform. Muscle breakdown occurs during exercise; immediately after, muscle restoration and strengthening begin. You could be compromising effective training by skipping these essential techniques that support the body's recovery.

The post Muscle Recovery: Essential to Your Next Workout appeared first on Circuit Magazine.