You work hard at the gym pushing through the pain and the sweat, and you do it in the name of health. But are you giving your body the opportunity to recover appropriately so it is ready for more? We stress our bodies during our workouts because we know we have to challenge them to create change. Strength training creates trauma to the muscle fibers which have to recover before they can come back stronger. That is why we feel soreness, our bodies are telling us something. Proper rest and recovery will decrease the risk of injury to an over-used muscle.
When planning your fitness routine, be sure to give your muscles a day to recover after an intense resistance workout. This doesn’t mean you can’t exercise every day, just split up your muscle groups. For example, if you work your legs, back, and biceps one day, focus on your chest, triceps, and shoulders the next. Or, do a full body strength workout one day and do cardiovascular training the next. This will aid in your recovery as the blood circulates to the muscles.
