How much recovery do you need between workouts? Probably MORE than you think.

Learn what you should do for best recovery before, after and between workouts to get the fastest muscle building.

Recovery is probably the most neglected topic in fitness training. Even people who should know better probably struggled with feeling guilty, lazy or like a failure for taking a day off.

I used to feel that way. A day off was a day I wasn’t “making progress”. These feelings where probably responsible for more of my training lay offs than anything else.

Only by allowing your body to fully recover will you ever SEE and FEEL all the benefits you exercise for.

I used to hit the gym 6 days a week for up to 2.5 hours each time because I was told “hard gainers” needed to train MORE to see progress. Now, I KNOW BETTER.

About 4 years ago I changed my workout from 6 days a week to about 3 because it seemed I was always getting a cold. The only major change in my body was that I felt BETTER and got sick less.

Wait a minute??? Less exercise, same or better results and better health? Hmm. Yup, I was overtraining:-? Proper recovery prevents overtraining and MAXIMIZES progress and health.

But don’t professional athletes train as much as 6 days a week? Yup, and here’s what former Cirque du Soleil performer and Canadian junior men's national tumbling champion, Matt Dial had to say about performing and training 6 days a week.

“I would say that because of the heavy training / performing load that injuries are high. But not so many new major injuries more wear and repeat injuries because of the lack in recovery time.”

To test if you’re over training:

1. Lay down and rest comfortably for 10 minutes the same time each day (morning is best). 2. Then check your heart rate.3. Then stand up 4. Check it again after 15 seconds. 5. After 90 seconds, check your heart rate again.6. After 120 seconds, check it one last time.

If you’re fully recovered each heart rate will be the same.

If your last heart rate is 10 or more beats per minute faster than the others, you may be over training, fatigued, or otherwise stressed.

If you’re not over training, be happy and celebrate that you’re on the right track.

If your last heart rate suggests you MAY BE overtraining, celebrate even more that you need to spend LESS TIME getting MORE results.

Take the day off if it’s an exercise day, and two off if it isn’t.

Rest is the most important way your body recovers from exercise. So how long should you rest? Only you can find out. Go to the Muscle Building page to learn how you can measure your ideal rest time between strength training days.

Get enough sleep aka “brain rest”. Your brain releases growth hormone used in growth and repair of tissue, and replenishes other stuff (like neurotransmitters) when you sleep.

Next to rest, stretching, ideally AFTER exercising or when your muscles are warm promotes faster recovery and helps reduce muscle soreness.

Cool down after your workout by doing 5 to 10 minutes of low to medium intensity exercise like your cardio, walking, using a treadmill or an elliptical trainer.

Eat a post workout meal immediately after exercising. I mean SECONDS AFTER you finish your cool down. The sooner the better!

Drink or eat a high glycemic food (sports drinks are easy, but any high glycemic food or drink works fine) and some complete protein (whey protein is convenient and fast absorbing but again any protein will do).

I prefer to drink or eat the carb first because it raises your blood sugar faster. I wait 10 or 15 minutes before having some protein.

Eat 6 or more small “meals” a day (more and smaller is better) because it gives your body a constant supply of protein and carbs.

The total calories are the same no matter how many meals. So of you eat 2000Kcal per day, 3 meals of 666 Kcal, 4 of 500Kcal, 5 of 400Kcal 6 of 333 Kcal or 10 of 200 Kcal the total calories are 2000 Kcal per day.

Get a massage, it increases blood circulation, which speeds recovery.

Meditate, I know, it sounds all hippy, but there's lots of science to back it up. Meditation is a very effective way of relaxing, which dilates your blood vessels and increases circulation.

Drink fluids before, during and after your workout. Constantly drink calorie free fluids, ideally water.

Do low intensity exercise like going for a 30 minute walk or relaxed bike ride on your rest days. Try to stay below the point where the activity makes you sweat or start breathing hard. Remember this is “active RECOVERY”, not a workout day.

It seems hot and cold showers or any form of heating, then cooling your muscles promotes faster or better recovery. A kind of “pumping action” from your blood vessels expanding then contracting seems to be the cause.

Finally, and most importantly, listen or rather FEEL what your body tells you. With experience you can tell if your energy is low. A little muscle soreness probably isn’t a big deal, but pain or a lack of performance or energy means “take a day or two off”. If in doubt, try the heart rate test described above.