Forms of Active Recovery!
Happy Friday friends! Y’all, I’m so excited for the weekend. I’ve been working out and changing up my routine since I’m still on a break from running. In theory, it sounds good. In practice, it means a lot of soreness. I’m very appreciative of it and have enjoyed all the fun workouts I have been able to do. However, I’m going to be all about sleeping in and active recovery this weekend!
When you are first starting out on your fitness journey, it’s absolutely normal to feel sore and tired after workouts. Some people will tell you to keep working out so the soreness won’t hit you. There is some truth to this in that by staying in motion, you’re less likely to get the crippling muscle soreness. However, your choice of movement is important. That’s why I wanted to share with you different forms of active recovery!
Active Recovery: Walking
This is my number one form of active recovery. Even going for a simple stroll in your neighborhood will help get the blood flowing and ease some of the aches and pains you may be feeling. Power walking is another way to get your heart beating a bit faster but still allowing your joints to rest and recover from harder workouts. Power walking can get pretty hard so you’ll have to gauge your effort level while doing so.
Active Recovery: Cycling
Cycling is another workout that is great for your legs and allows your to get in a good sweat with minimal joint impact. Taking a nice ride outdoors (on a preferably flat path) is a good way to get some extra cardio in. Cycling would be a great workout to do on an easy day or the day after a hard workout. While it may be a bit hard to get moving at first, you’ll finish your ride feeling much better!
Active Recovery: Yoga
There are many, many forms of yoga but restorative is probably my favorite. It’s a bit slower than most but really any type of yoga can be a good recovery day workout. The idea is to stretch and lengthen your body so you will be able to at least identify any kinks that may need special attention. When I do yoga, I’ll even opt for body focuses such as hips or chest openers to really help me get into areas that are a bit sore. Being mindful of these things is a great way to get the most out of your recovery.
As with everything, you will need to gauge your effort level with active recovery. The point is to get your heart pumping but to give your joints and your muscles a break. Maybe don’t tack on too much resistance when cycling or go to hot yoga after a strenuous lifting session Listen to your body and slow down to allow yourself enough time to recover!
What are some of your favorite forms of active recovery?
