Blog
If you’re new to exercise, a trainer says you should prioritize these four simple things after your workout to feel your best
Wonderful things happen when you start exercising regularly.
Your body releases feel-good endorphins that put a spring in your step. Your metabolism speeds up, helping you burn more calories at rest. Your heart and lungs become more efficient, and your muscles and bones get stronger.
But there is one unwelcome side-effect most newcomers report: delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). This presents as tight, tender muscles and achy joints.
Thankfully, DOMS usually eases after a day or two, and the soreness will become less frequent and intense as your body gets used to the exercise you’re doing.
Active recovery, which is light exercise to increase blood flow and oxygen to fatigued muscles, can help speed up the healing process.
But that’s not the only thing that will help—Joe Williams, studio manager at F45 and FS8 in London, says he prefers to keep things simple.
“What do I recommend to boost recovery? Hydration, sleep, walking and rest,” Williams tells Fit&Well.
Here Williams shares his four-point plan to help you feel your best after exercise.
1. Sleep
Your body repairs and strengthens itself during sleep, making it an essential component of recovery.
But, according to Williams, most people aren’t getting anywhere near enough of it.
“Ideally, you want to get seven to eight hours in per night. Or top up any sleep debt with short naps,” he says.
2. Hydrate
Williams knows firsthand what it feels like to be under-hydrated.
“When I’m not drinking enough water my energy levels dip and the midday energy slump hits. It makes a massive difference,” he says.
He advises that you drink a minimum of two liters a day, not including teas or coffees.
“Nothing beats being well hydrated and hitting your target of two litres of water per day—nothing,” Williams insists.
3. Walk
Light movement encourages circulation of blood to the muscles, which can hurry along the healing process and make you feel less stiff and sore.
But that doesn’t mean you should pick up some weights the day after your workout.
“I’d rather you go for a long walk or a 50-minute power walk than double up a heavy workout,” says Williams.
He warns people often overdo exercise, which in fact hampers the recovery process. That’s why he’s banned his members from doing more than one session a day.
4. Rest
Perhaps the most underrated recovery tool of all is downtime.
“I wish I could give you a nice [recovery] routine but all you need is rest. Proper rest. Rest well,” says Williams.
“Whether you’re trying to gain muscle or lose weight, don’t overtrain. Don’t underestimate the power of what a one or two-day rest can do for you.
“You’re not going to lose your gains. You’re not going to gain a ton of weight. But your body will thank you for it.
“Take a day off—I guarantee you will feel 10 times stronger in your next session after a good-quality break.”
