Active recovery is one of those things we often hear about but aren’t quite sure how to implement. It’s the idea of staying active on days you’re not pushing yourself, giving your body a chance to heal and recover without total rest. But how do we know if we’re doing it right? Many people worry that they’re either going too hard or not hard enough, which can lead to skipping it altogether. Athletes and trainees think if they move too much, they’re not giving their muscles enough time to heal. On the flip side, if they take it too easy, they might feel like they’re not doing enough to maintain progress.The truth is, active recovery is a focused balance, and when done properly, active recovery can be a great tool that keeps you progressing and reduces soreness all while improving mobility and ultimately making you stronger.
Something Light for Longevity:
On your rest days, it can be tempting to just crash on the couch, nothing wrong with a little loafing. But you can also implement light active recovery to actually help your body bounce back quicker and keep you moving smoother in the long run. This gives your muscles and joints a gentle nudge, rather than a full workout. This could be as simple as a brisk walk/hike, a light yoga or mobility session, or low impact activities like swimming or cycling. From a mobility standpoint, incorporating releases, gentle stretches and mobilization exercises on rest days helps prevent stiffness and keeps your range of motion intact. It’s all about staying loose and limber without putting strain on your body. These light movements contribute to the longevity, helping you avoid the stiffness that comes with inactivity.
Work it Out:
Active recovery doesn’t have to be reserved for rest days. You can also weave it into your training sessions. On days where you’re lifting heavier or pushing your body harder, incorporating active recovery elements like mobility exercises, dynamic stretches, or even lower intensity focused reps can help. In between sets of strength exercises, try adding a few mobility exercises like ankle CARS or hip CARS to keep your body moving and helps alleviate tightness. Make sure it still fits the program focus for the day but you can also adjust intensity by swapping high impact movements for more fluid, flowing exercises during your cooldown. By working recovery into your workout itself, you’re optimizing both your performance and your body’s ability to recover, setting yourself up for more effective sessions in the future. Recovering at a light intensity creates opportunities to elevate progress even faster.
#unleashthepotential
Written by:
Dan Aquino
BS, ASFA-CPT
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