Being your best entails more than just working out hard. These healing techniques are essential if you want to stay competitive. Too many people believe that exercise is the only factor. I would never have been able to develop the physique I have—and same for many friends I have in their 40s who have maintained it—if I hadn’t paid attention to my body and given it the best chance to fully recover in between workouts. Of course, you can’t look fantastic unless you constantly train hard. I’ve discovered that the six recuperation techniques I outline here are quite essential. They are as significant to me now, in terms of importance, to training.
Some of them are free, such as getting enough sleep and stretching. You m ust pay for some services, such as acupuncture and chiropractic. They’re all worthwhile expenditures in the direction of getting the body you want.
All I ask is that you try them and have an open mind. You must give everything a chance before you can determine what suits you the most.
1. SLEEP
Contrary to popular belief, you cannot “catch up” on lost sleep and expect to function normally. That is not how the body functions. While there is such thing as a sleep deficit… If you routinely get poor or little sleep, there will be a day that you’ll find yourself oversleeping heavily. This doesn’t make up for the damage that’s been done up until that point. Every night, you should obtain at least eight hours of sleep, preferably ten. Schedule it exactly like you would a training session and consider it a part of your routine.
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2. STRETCHING
Stretching right before a workout makes you temporarily weaker, according to studies. However, you still need to retain flexibility, so spend 20 minutes stretching each night before bed. Additionally, rub out any knots using a foam roller to help loosen the muscles.
3. MASSAGE
Many men wait until they are so stiff, they can hardly move before getting a massage. Stop waiting so long. Get massages to first stop that from happening. To relieve stress and increase range of motion, get a deep tissue massage, a soothing massage, or both.
4. SWIMMING
What about no-impact cardio? Low-impact cardio is fantastic. Swimming is just that; it quickly makes your heart race. By allowing all the joints to move through their complete range of motion, it also opens the body up and reduces stiffness.
5. CHIROPRACTIC
Your joints and spine were subjected to a great deal of torque over time from heavy lifting. However, a chiropractor can re-align practically anything that is out of alignment. This is a fantastic approach to prevent severe injuries from occurring.
6. ACUPUNCTURE
This releases toxins, calms the mind, and relaxes the muscles. I get acupuncture after long days of strenuous lifting. After then, the entire body springs to life. Additionally, confirm with your insurance company as many now cover sessions.
