Rest and recovery are an essential pillar of a healthy lifestyle. The EXOS 4-Pillar Approach highlights how mindset, nutrition, movement and recovery work together to establish a foundation for overall health and well-being. Of those 4 Pillars, recovery may be the most important.
What is recovery?
You’ve heard that it’s important to take breaks now and then from strenuous workout regimens and plan a rest day. That’s because everyday stresses combined with intense training place demands on muscle tissue and the nervous system. Adequate sleep and scheduled recovery days provide opportunities for the body to rebuild and repair any stressed tissues, reducing the risk of injury from a demanding workout schedule.
Nutrition can’t be understated since it provides fuel the body uses during the regeneration process. Employ proper nutrition, effective and safe movement, and one of the following purposeful recovery strategies from EXOS to see your best results when striving to improve your health.
In “active rest,” you take a break from serious training but still do things that benefit your body, such as playing golf, tennis, or basketball, or doing some light flexibility work. You’re still getting the benefit of physical activity while also having fun.
Passive recovery includes massage, guided stretching and foam rolling, and sitting in a hot tub or cold plunge. These recovery options are just as important as working out. If you don’t give your body time to recover, it’s never going to improve, and you may find yourself nursing injuries.
Allow yourself recovery days to honor the hard work your body is putting in on higher-intensity days. You’ll allow your physical body a break to regenerate, adapt, and improve. Commit to recovery activities that target trouble spots (as with therapeutic or sports massage) and increase circulation. While you’re at it, enjoy the benefits that targeted recovery days have on your dedication and mindset. You’ve earned a break, and it will help you refresh and renew your focus for the next day’s workout.