The Ultimate After-Workout Recovery Routine: From Fatigued to Refreshed

We’ve all been there—after an intense workout, your muscles feel like jelly, your energy is at an all-time low, and the couch is calling your name. But here’s the thing: what you do after your workout is just as important, if not more, than the workout itself in order to recover and ensure all the work you put in isn’t in vain. How you approach your after workout recovery can directly impact your performance, how you feel the next day, and your long-term fitness journey.

What do you do when you’re feeling really tired after a workout? Let’s break down the ultimate after-workout recovery routine that will leave you feeling refreshed, recharged, and ready to take on your next challenge. 

What NOT to Do After a Workout

Before we dive into what to do after a workout, let’s first chat about what to avoid. These are the habits that can actually hinder your recovery and leave you feeling worse:

1. Skipping Post-Workout Nutrition

You’ve just pushed your body to its limits, and skipping post-workout nutrition means you're not giving your body the fuel it needs to recover and repair. Food is your friend! Unless you are adhering to a strict intermittent fasting routine, there is no reason you should be skipping a meal post workout. 

2. Not Hydrating Properly

Dehydration is one of the most common mistakes made after a workout. Even if you feel like you’re not thirsty, your body still needs replenishing.

3. Plopping on the Couch for Hours

While it’s tempting to veg out after an intense workout, too much rest can lead to stiff muscles and poor circulation.  

4. Overstretching

While stretching is essential, overdoing it can cause injury or increase soreness. A good rule of thumb is to hold a static stretch for 30-60 seconds.

5. Not Getting Enough Sleep

Recovery doesn’t stop when the workout ends—it continues as you sleep. Skipping out on sleep can hinder muscle recovery and immune function.

Now that we’ve covered what to avoid, let’s dive into what you should do to recover like a pro!  

1. The Importance of Hydration: Drink Water, Not Just Any Water, But the Right Amount!

Water is one of your most powerful tools when it comes to post-workout recovery. During exercise, your body loses fluids and electrolytes through sweat, which can lead to dehydration. Replenishing that lost fluid is essential to help with muscle repair, digestion, and to keep energy levels up.

How Much Water Should You Drink?

If you're active, aim to drink at least 16-24 ounces of water within the first 30 minutes after your workout, and then continue sipping throughout the day. You may need more if you’ve been working out intensely or in hot conditions. Bonus points if you add a pinch of sea salt or an electrolyte packet to your water for an extra boost of hydration! 

2. What to Eat: Fueling Your Body for Recovery

Food is your body’s second-best friend when it comes to recovery after water. After a workout, you want to focus on replenishing glycogen stores, repairing muscle tissue, and restoring essential nutrients that your body may have lost.

Ideal Post-Workout Foods

• Protein: Your muscles are in repair mode, so a protein-packed snack or meal (at least 30 grams) is a must. Think lean meats, greek yogurt, cottage cheese, tofu, eggs, or a protein shake. Unless you're vegan or have an allergy, look for a good, clean whey protein for your shakes. Whey protein is a complete protein, meaning it contains all the essential amino acids for optimal muscle building. To build muscle, you should consume 0.5 to 0.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight for both men and women.

• Carbs: After a tough workout, your glycogen stores (the fuel your muscles run on) are depleted. The brain runs on glucose which is a carbohydrate broken down to its smallest component. Getting some carbs in just after, or even during training, will help prevent that depleted feeling. To replenish them, opt for complex carbs like sweet potatoes, quinoa, or whole grains. 

• Healthy Fats: Avocados, nuts, and olive oil will help reduce inflammation and support overall recovery.

The Golden Window

A good rule of thumb is to eat within 30-60 minutes after your workout for optimal recovery. This is when your body is most receptive to replenishing nutrients. 

3. A Simple Stretch Routine: Breathe and Lengthen

Stretching after a workout is essential to help your muscles relax, improve flexibility, and reduce soreness. Here’s a quick, easy routine you can follow:

Standing Hamstring Stretch (Hold for 30 seconds per leg)

Stand with your feet hip-width apart, and slowly hinge at your hips to reach for your toes. Keep your knees slightly bent if needed.

Quadriceps Stretch (Hold for 30 seconds per leg)

Grab your ankle behind you with one hand, and gently pull your heel towards your glutes, feeling the stretch along the front of your thigh.

Downward Dog (Hold for 30 seconds)

Start in a plank position, then push your hips up and back to form an inverted "V" shape. This stretches your calves, hamstrings, and shoulders.

Child’s Pose (Hold for 1 minute)

Kneel on the floor, sit back on your heels, and stretch your arms forward on the mat. Take deep breaths and relax.

 Neck Stretches (Hold for 30 seconds per side)

Gently tilt your head from side to side to release any tension in your neck.

Depending on what part of your body you worked out, remember to give special attention to that area in addition to a full body stretch to keep you loose. 

4. What to Do at Home: Active Recovery and Relaxation

While it’s important to rest, active recovery is equally important to keep your body moving in a low-impact way. Here’s a list of things to try:

• Foam Rolling: Use a foam roller on your muscles to break up knots and improve circulation.

• Gentle Yoga: Focus on deep breathing and slow movements to help your muscles relax. This type of yoga is referred to as yin yoga, and involves long static hold to really let your muscles have a break. 

• Take an Epsom Salt Bath: Epsom salts contain magnesium, which helps relax muscles and reduce inflammation.

Want to shake up your routine even more? Here are 4 unexpected recovery methods to try:

1. Replenish Glycogen with Banana and Peanut Butter: Bananas are packed with potassium to help with muscle cramps, and the natural sugars in bananas will quickly replenish glycogen stores. Pairing it with peanut butter gives you a dose of healthy fats and protein to aid muscle recovery. This will be your yummiest recovery tactic! 

2. Drink Tart Cherry Juice: Studies show that tart cherry juice can reduce muscle soreness and inflammation after intense exercise. Plus, it’s a delicious way to replenish your body’s nutrients. If you try this, look for a juice that is 100% real fruit juice with no added sugar.

3. Aromatherapy with Lavender and Eucalyptus: These essential oils promote relaxation and help ease muscle tension. Diffuse some lavender or eucalyptus oil at home or take a deep breath during your cool-down stretch.

4. Epsom Salt Foot Soak: If you’re really feeling those sore muscles, a foot soak with Epsom salts can work wonders. The magnesium helps relax the muscles and soothe any aches and pains. It’s a simple, soothing way to give your body a little extra care. 

5. How a RESET Session Supports Your Recovery

After a tough workout, a RESET session is one of the best things you can do for your body to give yourself a holistic recovery session - and all backed by science. Here’s what you can expect with our signature RESET method:

• Compression Therapy: Throw on a pair of our Normatec leg, hip, or arm sleeves and let them do the work. This helps flush out toxins and lactic acid from your muscles, reducing soreness and swelling.

• Red Light Therapy: This can reduce muscle pain, speed up tissue repair, and improve circulation, making the red light room the perfect place to recharge your battery.

• Infrared Sauna: The heat from infrared light penetrates deep into your muscles, helping them relax and release built-up tension. You’ll take a quick shower here to rinse off the sweat!

• Contrast Therapy (Hot & Cold Tubs): Moving between the hot and cold tubs will promote better circulation, reduce muscle inflammation, and speed up recovery.  You will move back and forth between the tubs for maximum results and our guidance specialists are there to walk you through every step of this process if you’ve never tried it before. We always recommend ending on cold.

A RESET session is designed to guide you through these modalities with the help of a trained specialist, ensuring you’re getting the most out of each therapy for your body’s needs. We can’t wait to see you in the studios for your best after workout recovery routine yet!