Gym Aftercare Is Essential Too

Photo Credit:  Pexels

Written by

Featured Contributor 

When we think of getting fit, we often think of a ripped bodybuilder throwing down dead-lift weights or running that final, exhausting mile both in or out of the gym. In other words, we think of hard physical effort. In fact, this is one of the issues that people who fear the gym can have. They think that if they’re not putting down an ungodly effort, somehow they’re not as functional as others in the gym, when that’s really not the case.

However, even as silly as this example sounds, there’s also something more subtly wrong with its approach. Namely, that getting fit is a process that only happens when laying down expensive and hard effort. Of course, you cannot get fit without training or exercise. But that’s not the end of the story. Solid gym aftercare is absolutely essential too, from top to bottom. Let us consider what that might look like, in order to help you flourish and live your most healthy life possible. It is certainly worth the effort.

Stretch

Stretching is very important, to ensure that your muscles slowly begin to heal from the intense workout you’ve given them. To begin with, dynamic stretching before your workout is essential to keeping your muscles warmed and ready to go. It can also serve as a pre-workout, helping you raise your heart rate before you commit to the exercise plan you have worked out already. But it’s also important to stretch after the fact, to help prevent your muscles from cramping in the future, and to keep yourself flexible. It can be worth following this foam roller guide to help you slowly begin to heal the muscles in the evening, to help you stay aligned, and to prevent injury in the future.

Correct Nutrition

Without enough protein to repair your muscles (roughly one gram per pound of your body-weight, or 1.5 grams if you’re committing to heavy lifting,) enough carbs to fuel your workouts and enough healthy vitamins and minerals to help you recover, you will find yourself feeling exhausted week after week in the gym. That is simply not acceptable. For that reason, it’s important to understand your macros and come to a personal understanding about your goals, your body-weight and height, and what your maintenance levels are.

Sleep

Please, get enough sleep. Sometimes, if committing to hard training, eight hours might not even be enough. Do your best to ensure the sleep is uninterrupted, and you can relax as you might need to. Ensure that you give yourself ample time to wake up in the morning, that you stay hydrated, and that you catch up on any missed sleep you might be needing. If you can do that, you will be able to repair yourself much more efficiently, come to the workout with your A-game next time, and generally feel much healthier.

With this advice, we hope you’re better able to apply correct gym aftercare, from top to bottom.