I will conclude the week, albeit a little bit later than I would have like, with a summary of when to use the recovery methods I outlined earlier.
Daily:
With exception to the obvious, such as proper sleep and nutrition, I will add that contrast showers and stretching should be used daily. Contrast baths are great and even if your workout was not particularly trying, they offer numerous health benefits in addition to aiding recovery.
High intensity workouts:
Workouts where you push yourself to the max (think above 80% of your capacity), or which require high endurance such as long cario sessions are the time to use contrast showers where warm is substituted for hot, and the cold is as cold as you can get it for as long as you can stand it. Just remember to keep the warm sessions longer than the cold.
Injuries:
If injured, or you simply have a specific overworked muscle or sore tendon, use cryotherapy (ice massage) on the area.
Once or Twice a Week:
Epsom salt baths a few times a week will keep you vigorous but also will prevent you from being too low on magnesium. They are a great restorative technique, which I find best suited for recovery days. Massage is also something you should strive to get in at least once a week, such as at the end.
So you see, there’s really nothing to keeping yourself at your peak performance. It’s easy to add to your workout routine, and just as rewarding if you keep with it. I hope these tips have helped to enrich the minds of some of you, and if you have any more please send them to me so that I may include them if they are truly relevant. I also am always open to readers who wish to have a specific topic written about, so speak up!
