2. Baths

There are 2 types which seems to be effective… or at least feel good!

Soak in Epsom salt or vinegar.

Epsom salt contains magnesium sulfate and can replace lost magnesium in the body, thus helping to keep the muscles pliable and loose. Vinegar is very effective at pulling out lactic acid from the muscles, which contributes to soreness.

• Fill tub with warm water.
• As the tub is being filled, add two cups of Epsom salts or two cups of white vinegar.
• Soak the body, especially the sore muscles, for half an hour.
• For added relaxation before bed add lavender or any of your favourite scents and atmospheric preferences (i.e. relaxing music).

Or take an ice bath.

I’ve recently added this one into my recovery toolkit and honestly, I loved it more than I thought I would.  During my recent prep I had an intense block of training which required me to train between 4 and 6 hours a day (including 3 hours of cardio).

Whilst there are claims that ice baths can speed up muscle damage repair and boost your immune system, I have yet to critically investigate the scientific evidence, so I won’t make such claims here.

However, I can speak to my personal experience.  For me the ice baths helped reduce inflammation, and combined with some box breathing also helped me mentally. 

I also found there is no need to go to the max with the freezing temperatures, a bath that is between 6-8 degrees Celsius seems to be just as effective.

Here are some tips:

• Rather than make one yourself at home, go to a wellness centre – it usually costs ~$20, the water is treated and there is no mess for you to clean.
• Book yourself a 20-minute block ad use an interval timer.
• Start with a small interval.  For example, I did 1 minute, then took a break, then 2 minutes and so until I could do 5- or 10-minute intervals.
• Look into and apply Breathwork techniques and / or Wim Hof style of breathing.

3. Get a massage, or a treatment from an Allied Health Professional.

Usually, muscle stiffness and soreness is also accompanied by restricted blood flow. A massage can help stimulate the flow of blood around the sore areas.

Other techniques such as microblading, needling, adjustments and other sports therapy treatments can also alleviate muscle soreness… sometimes soreness in one area can simply be an underactive muscle in another area.

So, seeking regular treatment from an allied health professional is highly recommended as part of your well-being regime and essential for athletes.  I see a sports therapist at least once a fortnight.

4. Ensure adequate nutrition & hydration.

Eating is not just about fuelling your body and your workouts, eating the right nutrients to support your training need and recovery is also essential.

Whilst, some sports will require periods of calorie restriction, for the most part there are still many athletes and other hard trainers that undereat.  Not always just in calories, but also in terms of nutrients.  It can also stunt your growth, if lean gains are a part of your physique goals.  Your muscles need food to grow!

Hard training can deplete the body of minerals such as magnesium, potassium and salt.  Ensuring your diet is rich with these minerals is useful and if needed a hydrolyte, or added magnesium (powder, vitamin), potassium (cream of tartar) and salt (tablet or table salt) can easily be added to some of your water. 

Staying hydrated is also essential, muscle stiffness and tiredness can come from being dehydrated.  A good rule of thumb is 2 litres per day, plus an extra 1 litre per each 10kgs you weigh over 50kgs.  So, for example if you weigh 70kgs then about 4 litres per day is a good start.

💡 For a fun way to hone your hydration skills try this FREE 2 week “hydrate like an athlete program”.  

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Of course, your environment and level of activity will also influence the amount of water you need.

5. Restful sleep and stress reduction

I won’t go into detail in this article as it’s a whole topic on its own, and nothing you probably aren’t already aware of….

So just a couple of brief reminders:

• Getting enough sleep consistently is a challenge in towards hyper distracted world.  So, a good aspiration or habit to develop is to stick to a consistent sleep schedule even on weekends.  Create a sleep hygiene routine or ritual that helps you unwind and attain a restful sleep.
• Stress can release all sorts of hormones into system which dysregulate our digestive system (adrenaline) and inhibit our immune system and recovery (cortisol) and thus slow absorption of fuel and slow down recovery.  Learning strategies to appropriately deal with stress and regulate our nervous systems will also improve your recovery.

Final Remarks

I’m not entirely sold on the hardcore motto there is no gain without pain.  Of course, I’m an advocate for pushing perceived limits, getting out of your comfort zone and training, however recovery is just as, if not more important for improved performance and well-being.

What will you include in your recovery regime?  Comment below.

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