From the Experts
Why Post-Workout Recovery is Important
One of the most common mistakes made by novice athletes (and some intermediate ones as well) is underestimating the importance of post-workout recovery. When it comes to workouts, you can’t transform your body without sweating. To lose fat, build muscle and achieve your overall physique goals, you have to push yourself to the limit in every workout session.
However, most people fail to understand that muscle building doesn’t happen during workout sessions – it happens after them. This is why most professional trainers call post-workout recovery the most disregarded aspect of training.
One of the primary reasons why the importance of post-workout recovery has been overlooked is that science, up until recently, focused mostly on the training itself, with little attention provided to the recovery aspect. However, that started changing in 2008 when researchers from the University of Alabama published a paper in which they shed light upon the importance of exercise recovery. The researchers discovered that post-workout recovery was essential for things such as the normalization of blood pressure and heart rate, the restoration of the body’s energy stores and the replenishment of cellular enzymes.
Let’s take a look at some of the other benefits that make post-workout recovery such a vital part of training.
Restoration of Depleted Energy Stores
All of the cells in our body are powered by the same source of energy: a complex organic chemical called Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP). When you exercise, your body produces ATP through one of the two primary pathways: the phosphogen system, which produces ATP by utilizing creatine phosphate, and the glycolytic system, in which ATP is produced through glycogen.
The intensity and duration of the workout determines which system is used. Intense exercise sessions deplete glycogen and phosphate creatine levels in the body. If these substrates aren’t replenished before you’re next workout, your performance will suffered and you’ll get tired quickly.
Getting Rid of Metabolic Byproducts
As the ATP production in your body increases, so does the buildup up of metabolic byproducts such as lactic acid. As these byproducts accumulate inside the body, they start to impede muscle contraction and hinder the production of ATP.
Proper post-exercise recovery clears up metabolic byproducts from the body, thereby reducing fatigue and increasing performance.
Repair Muscle Damage
Intense exercise damages your muscles, creating micro tears that rough up everything from contractile proteins to connective tissue. And this isn’t a bad thing – in fact, it’s essential for muscle growth. However, your muscles will be unable to offer their optimal performance until the repair process is complete. Post-workout recovery allows your muscles to heal, so they are ready to generate maximum forces the next time you work out.
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