Rest and recovery are just as essential to your routine as exercise and healthy eating. We get several questions from our clients and followers about what to do on their off days. Specifically questions about how to maximize their recovery. If you haven’t checked out our previous posts on recovery, I suggest starting here.
I typically take the same approach to my recovery days as I do to my training days. Everything is structured and planned out. Planning out my recovery days like a workout day helps to ensure that I’ll stay focused and do everything I need to do without wasting too much time. Below is a list of my favorite recovery day activities.
1. I spend 10-15 minutes doing some form of very light cardio.
I always do some very light cardio on my recovery days. My goal is not to get my heart rate up, but more to get some blood flow going and get my body warm for some stretching. If I’m particularly sore, starting my recovery day with some light cardio helps me feel less stiff. It’s also my personal preference to be warm before I stretch. I find that my range of motion is better, and I’ll get a better stretch. Some examples of some light cardio to do would be rowing, biking, or walking.
2. I foam roll.
Foam rolling is my favorite and least favorite recovery activity all in one! I love it because I always feel better afterwards, but when I’m really tight, yikes can it be uncomfortable. I usually foam roll most of the major muscle groups and spend some extra time on the parts that I’m particularly tight. For example, this week I’ve done a lot of leg work and I’m definitely feeling sore. I spent about 15 minutes focusing on my quads, hamstrings, and glutes.
3. I stretch.
I love doing mobilizing and active stretching on my recovery days. I spend most of my time stretching and working on my hips because that tends to be where I’m always the tightest. I stretch for as long as necessary without putting a time limit on it. I also repeat stretches and hold each position for about 30 seconds to 60 seconds. I don’t set a time limit because there are some days when I’m really tight and want to spend longer stretching than on days when I’m not overly tight. Even if you don’t feel sore or tight, its important to find the time to stretch on your recovery days.
4. I keep my nutrition in check.
Most importantly on my recovery days, I always keep my nutrition in check. I find that most people are more likely to slack off on a recovery day than a workout day. There are also those who feel that because they didn’t exercise, they don’t deserve to eat that much. Neither of those tactics will help your body recovery. I eat my regular meals as planned and make sure I’m getting all of the right nutrients along with staying properly hydrated.
What are some of your favorite ways to help your body recover on an off day? Let us know in the comments below!
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