RECOVERY TECHNIQUES FOR POST WORKOUT PAIN Part I

RECOVERY TECHNIQUES FOR POST WORKOUT PAIN There are many different kind of post workout recovery techniques. A lot of people have their own ideas and philosophies. In this podcast we are going to talk about some of the ways and methods found to be the most useful. Warm Up/ Cool Down -A proper warm up and cool down can greatly reduce the amount of DOMS and post workout pain in an athlete. An athlete should never stretch cold muscles as this leads to injury. A proper warm up and cool down should include exercise or sport related movements. Taking the time to warm up and cool down properly is worth it, so don't be impatient. Stretching -I have found that after a proper cool down, stretching greatly reduces stiffness and pain caused by the work out. I try and stretch all my major muscles including upper and lower body extremities and my core.PNF stretching or static works depending on what you like. I like PNF stretching and usually try and find a partner to help me out. Massage- Massages are one of the best ways to reduce pain in muscles post workout. Many of us don't have this resource readily available (foam rolling is a great alternative) but if you do I would make the most of it. Foam rollers are used for myofacial release and massaging tight muscles. I do my foam rolling after my stretching. I find "rolling out"to be most beneficial for my back and legs. Foam rollers aren't too expensive but if you want to go even cheaper, a 6" diameter pvc pipe could be used as well. Many athletes also use "the stick" to self massage their muscles. I have found a simple rolling pin to work better because it doesn't bend and is harder, so it's easier to work out those knots in my muscles. I usually do foam rolling right after a work out and use my rolling pin at night before I go to bed. Others- Getting enough sleep at nights and eating a proper diet will also help reduce pain and promote recovery. I always try and get at least 8 hours of sleep a night.If that means I sacrifice watching The Office some nights and not doing homework...I do it.Our bodies recover while we sleep so it's important to get enough at night. For those of you who might not know which food are good eat, go to mypyramid.gov to figure it out. Reducing stress in all forms will also help our bodies reduce pain and feel great.These are just some of the ways I have found to help me recover from workouts. Hopefully it all made sense and if you have any questions or suggestions please feel free to comment. I hope some of you find this information useful and actually end up applying it to your post workout routine