The best thing you can do for your body in the days after a tough workout is to keep moving. Connor suggests doing light exercises that keep you moving without too much stress on your sore muscles. Walking, light jogging, cycling and yoga are all great ways to aid your body's muscle recovery.
The best post-workout recovery drinks or supplements include protein shakes (whey or plant-based) to aid muscle repair, branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) for recovery, and electrolyte-rich drinks like coconut water or sports drinks to rehydrate.
The deltoids/shoulders have moderate recovery levels. The quads and calves actually recover the fastest, while the triceps, biceps, pecs have the slowest recovery, and all of the other muscle groups are in-between, like the delts.
For immediate self-care of a muscle strain, try the R.I.C.E. approach — rest, ice, compression, elevation: Rest. Avoid activities that cause pain, swelling or discomfort.
A good place to start is with three rest days per week. This means you'll be strength training four days out of the week. Give your muscle groups 24-48 hours between workouts to allow those muscles to recover. An upper- and lower-body four-day split is a common program that gives three rest days per week.
Fruit juices. Like electrolyte-rich sports drinks, drinking 100% fruit juices helps replenish electrolytes lost through sweating, as well as carbohydrates and glucose. Tart cherry juice is growing in popularity because it contains anti-inflammatory chemicals that help prevent muscle damage and reduce muscle soreness.
Protein: Protein contains amino acids that help your body repair and rebuild muscle tissue. Animal-based foods, like beef, chicken, fish, and cheese, are good protein sources. Several plant-based foods, including beans, nuts, and seeds, also contain protein.
The recommended time for muscle recovery is 48-72 hours. This will depend on your body composition, diet, physical activity, and strength. When someone workouts at a higher intensity, they will experience a higher amount of muscle damage than someone who works out at a lower intensity.
BCAA for muscle recovery: BCAA or Branched Chain Amino Acids are every helpful in speedy muscle recovery. BCAA Supplement enhances muscle recovery and reduces the onset of DOMS. BCAA reduces muscle soreness and exercise-induced fatigue. It also helps in muscle growth and works as a performance booster.
In conclusion, cold and heat therapies are both effective for enhancing muscle recovery and reducing muscle damage with heat being superior immediately after exercise and cold at 24 hours after exercise. Cold is superior for pain relief immediately after exercise and at 24 hours.
Protein is perhaps the most useful supplement for muscle recovery. It helps the muscle repair faster and more effectively after a grueling workout. It is even more important if there isn't enough protein in the diet. Whey protein is the most popular choice.
"Working out when sore is okay as long as it isn't affecting your movement to the point where it's causing you to compensate and do something in a way that's unsafe," says Dr. Hedt. "Muscle soreness can be a deterrent to exercising, but it's temporary and the more you exercise, the less you should feel it.
Peanut butter is an excellent source of protein, healthy fats, and carbohydrates, making it ideal for anyone looking to optimize their muscle recovery. It is a convenient and delicious snack and provides the nutrients necessary to support muscle recovery and improve overall performance.
Bananas, berries, spinach, and eggs are among the best foods for muscle recovery. Their nutrition profiles can help your muscles recover faster and even lessen next-day soreness. Stressing your muscles—regardless of your go-to exercise method—creates microscopic tears.
Home treatment for a muscle strain includes: The RICE method. Rest, ice, compression and elevation can help relieve pain and inflammation during the first few days of your recovery. After the first few days, you can start moving it again.
But it's not the best recovery drink. "Coke contains mostly high-fructose corn syrup, which is about 55 percent fructose and 45 percent glucose," explains Nanna Meyer, PhD, RD, an associate professor in the department of health sciences at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs.
The key is to work different muscle groups on different days. “For example, it's fine to do a leg workout on Monday, your arms on Tuesday and your back on Wednesday,” advises Beskur. “A rotation like this works well because even though you're lifting every day, you're giving each muscle group time to rest.”
Downtime between workouts (whether you're lifting, doing cardio or training for a sport) is when our bodies have a chance to actually build muscle. Strenuous workouts cause muscle breakdown, while rest allows our bodies to build it back up.