Take care of a good night's sleep
It may sound trivial, but many people forget about this extremely important element. Adequate quantity and quality of sleep is the basis of the body's regeneration! Its salutary effect on the quality of training is confirmed by numerous professional athletes and the scientific community. Your muscles grow mainly during sleep. What's more, during this time the body adapts to increasingly demanding workouts. In addition, sleep helps negate micro-injuries and stress. Make sure you get at least 7 hours of uninterrupted sleep a day.
Cool down - or muscle relaxation after training
Immediately after training, the body begins to cool down. This is a natural reaction that can be considered the beginning of recovery. Adequate quieting of the body is extremely important. Cool down allows you to relax your muscles after a hard workout. How to accomplish this? It's easy! All you need is a series of properly selected stretching and relaxation exercises. This will even out your breathing and calm your heart rate. To bring your muscles to a state of rest after a workout, literally 5 minutes of exercise is enough! Cool down should be completed with deep inhalations and exhalations to calm the body.
Hydrate and replenish your energy!
A balanced diet is one of the most important aspects related to training. Immediately after a workout, replenish energy by providing the body with an adequate portion of protein. Within half an hour after your workout, eat a meal consisting of simple carbohydrates. After another hour or an hour and a half, plan a meal rich in carbohydrates and protein. This will provide your muscles with the necessary building blocks.
What meals are worth consuming after intense running? If only oatmeal, a banana or a nutritious muesli bar. Also, do not forget to hydrate your body. For this purpose, do not use sweetened and carbonated drinks. Also, forget about coffee or energy drinks. Instead, reach for plain, non-carbonated water, isotonic drinks or optional water with lemon. Remember to drink slowly, in small sips.
Don't forget about supplementation
Some people try to take shortcuts and use supplementation as a substitute for training or a balanced diet. This is a cardinal mistake. However, properly selected supplementation in itself is not a bad thing. What's more, it can help you recover and increase your body's performance after a grueling workout. What should be in supplements? First of all:
- protein,
- creatine,
- caffeine,
- amino acids.
These ingredients increase strength and the amount of muscle mass, help fight fatigue and promote recovery.
A small break is advisable
A good training plan is not only a set of well-chosen exercises, but also thoughtful breaks. Cyclically repeated patterns of training and rest are called training periodization. This is an extremely important element to verify the professionalism of the coach.
Lack of rest usually results in severe injuries or overstressing the body, which can be tragic in its consequences. A break can also apply to specific types of activity. If you run every day, you can go to the pool or fitness center as part of your break. Remember that lack of proper recovery can end your athletic struggles very quickly.