Focusing your workout completely on lifting and building muscle is a great way to lead to progressions and strength. However, too much exercise without rest can potentially slow progress, so consider the ultimate recovery guide for lifters ahead.
Recovery is a topic that is gaining traction in many elements of a training program. There are classes, workouts, blogs, and even studies demonstrating some of the benefits of recovery. While many lifters tend to focus heavily on the exercise, sometimes the rest periods afterwards can help to send your workout to the next level.
The information ahead looks at the ultimate recovery guide for lifters and ways in which you can incorporate it into your programming on a regular schedule. 
Why Focus on Recovery?
What is the big deal about resting? After all, isn’t more movement better for the body anyways? And aren’t exhausting muscles important for growth?
These questions are all-too-common for many athletes, but the hard part is taking a step back after your workout is important for gains. Here are some benefits to expect from a proper recovery.
- Allows for repair of micro tears in torn muscle tissue. This repair is critical for building bigger muscle tissue and helps to promote physical performance for when you return back to the gym (depending on your programming).
- Restores glycogen. While this is usually a valuable part of endurance training, restoring glycogen is critical for strength training. An effective recovery that includes consuming carbohydrates can help to restore glycogen levels throughout the body, which can help to restore energy levels for your next workout ahead.
- Reduces soreness time. Most athletes typically only get soreness for 24-48 hours after a tough workout. However, a sound recovery may help to speed up this process because your body is working to repair the micro tears in your muscle tissue.
- Allows for protein synthesis. Perhaps the most useful part of your recovery should be the nutritional component. The protein you consume is critical for repairing and building muscle, so make sure to either supplement with protein powder or make sure to eat enough lean meats (or ideally both!).
The Ultimate Recovery Guide for Lifters and Athletes
Now that you have some information on what recovery can do for your body, now is the time to try and incorporate it into your usual routine. The information ahead discusses the ultimate recovery guide for lifters and how each element can potentially be added into your routine so you can grow muscle.
- Consume Protein. The consumption of protein is a critical process in your recovery. Guidelines suggest that athletes and lifters should aim to consume 1.2-2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight each day for optimal muscle building. This is nearly double the amount of protein that is suggested for the regular adult and underscores the role of protein in your recovery.
- Add in Stretching. Lifting heavy can tighten your muscles and leave them inefficient. That stiffness is a generalized tightness that is created and can lead to reduced efficiency in your muscle contraction ability. Adding stretches can help to lengthen muscle fibers to allow for a stronger contraction when you return to the gym.
- Drink Water and Stay Hydrated. Hydration is valuable after your workout and during your recovery to help the body to flush toxins and compounds created from your lifts. When the muscles contract and subsequently create micro tears, they release chemicals into the body that need to be eliminated. Too much buildup of these chemicals may have you feeling stiff, sluggish, and sore for days afterwards and is a normal response after exercise.
- Active Recovery. Another method to repair and heal the body is to perform an active recovery. This type of recovery process involves movement to help circulate the blood, flush out the remaining chemicals, and to deliver fresh nutrients to the muscles. Active recoveries can include going for a walk, light bike ride, gentle swimming, or foam rolling.
- Ensure Adequate Sleep. Sleep may be one of the most important elements in your recovery process. Most adults should aim to get 7 to 9 hours of good sleep every night to help restore the body. During this time, the body repairs itself, bringing muscle fibers back to health and allowing hormones to go to work.
- Add Soft Tissue Work. Perhaps one of the best (and fun) ways to recover is to perform soft tissue work. This type of recovery includes massage, foam rolling, cupping, and deep tissue work that can help to knead out myofascial knots. These knots are created with every muscle contraction and build in the muscle fascia (the thin layer of tissue that lines all muscles) and can lead to pain, reduced mobility, and discomfort.
- Add Rest Days. While your recovery can include many elements, sometimes simple rest is best. Adding a rest day to your lifting program may be the best way to move forward in your muscular gains. While we always want to lift hard and continue building muscle, sometimes the rest portion can help the body to do more, ultimately leading to you lifting more the next workout.
- Eat a Balanced Diet. The post-workout munchies tend to be an issue for many people and while restoring some calories to replenish glycogen stores is advised, empty calories with little nutritive value isn’t ideal. Lifting weights actually creates histamine and other inflammatory compounds to be released in your body. A proper diet that includes fruits and vegetables, protein, and a solid balance of nutrients can help to combat some of the excessive inflammation that’s roaming around. Too much inflammation can slow your recovery, so combating this may speed your healing time.
Conclusion
While it is important to work hard in the gym, lift heavy, and hit your goals, remember that recovery is a crucial part in the muscle building process. The content above describes the ultimate recovery guide for lifters and athletes to give information on how and what a proper recovery can do for your body.
Resources
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11643565
