4 questions to help any gym beginner start increasing their recovery game.
Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned athlete looking to get back to basics, asking yourself these four questions can help you increase your recovery game!
are you drinking water? or maybe too much?
we often hear and see on the world wide web about “drink a gallon of water everyday”
this is very helpful and smart info. but here are somethings to consider:
too much water - we get water from protein shakes, teas, pre workout drinks .. and even some foods. sometimes if we drink too much water without replenishing the vital minerals we need like sodium, electrolytes or potassium we can over flush our system and cause dehydration.
it’s smart to add an intro workout or some bcaas to your weekly rituals to help increase your hydration levels. if you aren’t much of a supplement fan, try adding some salt to your food, don’t be shy.
shoot for 1/2-1 full gallon / day. if you find that you drink more, don’t stress! try to add something to increase your mineral consumption to better help you with recovery.
do you have a stretch/ mobility routine?
mobility is the ability to move from position to position freely and with ease. having a good daily mobility practice can help keep your body prepared for those heavy loads. a daily habit of mobility and activation training can aid in preventing injuries and improves your ROM.
it’s vital to add a solid mobility routine in with your regular training schedule. strength training alone isn’t enough to have good mobility. for beginners, focus on static and dynamic movements.
some movements to add to your daily mobility routine:
-prone hip extensions
-side planks
-seated 90/90 hip ir/er
-wall slides and arm rotations
-lock clams
-glute bridge
are you sleeping 6-8 hours?
sleep! one of the most important things not only for recovery, but also your mental health & brain function. when you sleep, your body is still working to help recover and repair. if add more hours to your slumber seems tough, it’s a great idea to increase your quality of sleep first:
-increasing bright light exposure during the day (get outside)
-reducing blue light exposure during the evening
-reducing caffeine consumption after 4-5PM
-practicing consistent wake/sleep times on the daily
-less alcohol
-supplements like melatonin
are you deloading?
A deload is a period of time where you take it easy in the gym by decreasing your training volume. A deload can rage anywhere from every 4-8 weeks depending on the lifter. Even if you don't feel like you need to take a rest from those heavy weights, it's important that you do. Lifting heavy is fun! But it's important you give your body the recovery it needs to continue to lift those weights safely. Failure to deload can result in over training or even injury! Try adding a deload week to your training! If you don't know how, try these 2 ways to deload:
Do your normal routine and normal volume (sets & reps) but reduce the weight you use to about 50-60% of what you normally work out with for each exercise.
Use the same weight as you normally would, but drop your number of total volume (sets x reps) to 50-60% of your normal volume.
