How To Boss Your Recovery After A Tough Workout

Whether you’ve just started working out, or if you train 6 times per week we’ll all be familiar with those post workout feelings. Sore muscles, feeling tired and an indescribable hunger, just to name a few!

If you are challenging your body then you’re gonna feel it the next day… and maybe the day after that, and the day after that one… So how do we start to recover after a tough workout to enable us to get back to what we love doing, but feeling stronger?!

Here are some ideas I have for you: 

Recover From Your HIIT Class

You took your pre-workout (cos you have nailed the your supplement routine, right?!) and smashed out that class.

The great thing about high intensity interval training is that you can squeeze your workout into shorter amounts of time. I’ve been known to bang out a 12 minute session at home AND very much feel it the next day.

1. Protein Shake / Smoothie

Either pack yourself a protein shake or order one from your studio fuel bar before class so it’s ready for you when you finish.

I’ve been a huge fan of SmartShakes for years; they’re great as they allow you to keep the powder unmixed until you need it. The slim ones* are perfect for packing in your gym bag, the originals* are perfect for at home use, and the 1L ones* are insanely useful for carrying water.

The optimum time to consume your shake post workout is the 30 minutes after you have finished, keeping your body in repair mode.

HIGH PROTEIN Recipes & More:

• The Protein Guide
• What To Consider When Buying Protein Powder Supplement
• Blueberry Oatmeal Breakfast Smoothie Recipe
• Vegan Coconut Blueberry Summer Smoothie Recipe
• How To Build Your Perfect Post-Workout Smoothie
• #SuperpoweredYou Almond And Cacao Smoothie
• Paleo Mint Chip Smoothie Recipe
• #Whole30 Chocolate Protein Smoothie
• Chobani Berry Banana Smoothie

2. Make Sure You Stretch (or do Yoga)

Whenever I teach my classes and people duck out of the studio when we start the (only) 3-4 minute stretch at the end, I always wonder if they realise that it’s just as important as the warm up and the main component of their workout?!

If you’re training at home and are unsure what to do, there are plenty of resources online including a Stretch & Recovery Guide I just created and launched with Bioglan – leave me your email address here to be the first to check it out!

I still highly recommend the Nike Training Club app – they always have a few 15 minute routines for stretching and yoga available in the app.

The Fiit app also has a whole rebalance studio worth of workouts. Stretching helps to loosen up your muscles …which you just spent your workout shortening; therefore helping to reset your body.

READ MORE:

• 6 Yoga Poses For Runners
• Five Yoga Poses For Cyclists
• 4 Yoga Poses For Tight Hips

Recover From Your Half Marathon / Marathon

If we could assign levels of suffering, this is likely to be significantly more than a HIIT class. However, through experience I know that suffering can be reduced through training well for the event you’re taking part in.

Even still, you’ll need to look after your body post race….

1. Get Out Of Your Trainers, Get In Some OOFOS

The first thing I do when I cross the finish line and am reunited with my bag is to kick off my trainers and pop on some flip flops. Back in 2016, I swapped out my flip flops for a pair of OOFOS Recovery Footwear for the first time (they were the OOriginal Women’s in Melon). Since then, they’ve been my recovery shoe of choice, even most recently when I ran Royal Parks Half Marathon (October 2022).

As I recently started cyclocross racing which mostly takes place in the winter, I needed a version that would allow me to keep my feet warm (wearing socks) and still give me all the same benefits so I got a pair of OOahh Slide (sliders), featured in the image above.

Yes, the socks and sliders look isn’t the height of fashion but I have always been a function over fashion kinda gal.

The foam technology in OOFOS footwear is designed to absorb impact and cradle your arches to allow you to move naturally. It also allows your feet to breathe and means they are unrestricted after potentially pounding the pavements for over two hours.

Wanna Get Race Day Ready With Ease?

2. Book A Session At Floatworks

Since they opened their first site in Vauxhall, London, Floatworks have gone one to open another site in Angel, North London. Floatworks is the epitome of relaxation and meditation rolled into one.

If like me you can’t hack a cold shower or ice bath, just swap out for a float in a tank filled with warm water and epsom salts (which are epic for muscles). Sessions are one hour long in your own private room.

I paid a visit to their Angel location after my cyclocross race and thoroughly enjoyed my session. It’s one of the rare opportunities you get to be alone, in silence to just rest.

What strategies do you have in place to recover after a tough workout?! 

Elle