How to Accelerate Muscle Recovery

If you want to strengthen and build your muscles, using the right recovery technique is as important as the exercises you do. Recovery doesn't mean vegging out for three days in between workout sessions. Massage, swimming, sleeping well and eating right can all speed up recovery and prime you for your next workout. If you want to know more about accelerating muscle recovery, keep reading.

Part 1 of 3: Working Sore Muscles

1. 1
   Get a massage. Massages are popular among professional athletes, and for good reason. A sports masseuse or another good massage therapist will be able to help your muscles heal more quickly by working deep into the tissue, kneading out knots and loosening tension.

   • If you don't want to make an appointment, have your partner give you a massage, or give yourself one. Knead your arms and legs with firm, deep motions.
   • You can also use a massage tool or even a tennis ball to knead sore muscles.
   Ad
2. 2
   Go swimming. Swimming acts as another form of massage for your muscles, providing gentle resistance so your sore areas get a chance to stretch and move without getting more worn out. Don't do a full-blown swimming workout; 20 minutes or so of easy laps around the pool will do the trick. Use strokes that work your sore muscle groups.

   • The breast stroke is great for sore arm and leg muscles. Alternate it with the backstroke to work every muscle group in the body. Avoid more strenuous strokes, like the butterfly.
   • Swimming in saltwater is therapeutic for sore muscles, so hit the beach if you live close by.^[1]
3. 3
   Use a foam roller. Working your muscles with a foam roller reduces muscle tension. It breaks up scar tissue and sore knots, preventing your joints from aching and takes away the soreness faster, so you'll be ready to work out again sooner.

   • Run the foam roller over your sore muscle groups for 30 - 60 seconds each.
   • Use the roller when you wake up in the morning, before you go to sleep, and throughout the day when you have time.
4. 4
   Stretch the muscles that are sore. For instance, if your legs become increasingly sore after exercise, make sure you stretch these muscles thoroughly. Stretching helps relax tension and decreases next day soreness.

   • Hold each stretch for a minimum of ten seconds. Start out with shallow stretches and gradually increase the deepness of the stretch on each repetition.
   Ad

Part 2 of 3: Relaxing Between Workouts

1. 1
   Take regular breaks from working out. Allow your muscles enough time to recover from a strenuous workout, especially if you just started a fitness routine. Failing to take a well-needed rest for a day or two can result in muscle tears, which will make muscle recovery time even longer and may result in an ongoing injury.

   • Apply cold and hot compresses to sore, achy muscles. The heat works to alleviate pain, while the cold temperature helps to reduce swelling and inflammation of the muscles.
   • You can still exercise parts of the body that are not sore. For instance, if you did lunges and squats and it hurts to sit down, exercise your arms instead. Perform various bicep and tricep exercises with weights, to tighten and tone the muscles in the arms.
2. 2
   Get plenty of sleep. Getting proper sleep will help your muscles recover more quickly and put you in better shape next time you hit the gym. Aim to get 7-8 hours of sleep. Consistent sleep is made more possible when you go to bed around the same time each night and rise around the same time in the morning.
3. 3
   Relax in a hot tub. Besides soothing the pain of sore muscles, getting into a hot tub relaxes your tissue and helps you feel ready to work out again much faster. The same goes for using a sauna, which loosens your body through heat therapy. Use your gym's hot tub or sauna once a week to help your muscles bounce back from tough workouts.
   Ad

Part 3 of 3: Eating to Rebuild Tissue

1. 1
   Eat plenty of protein. It's the building block of muscle tissue, and when you're in the recovery phase, you'll need a lot of it. Eggs, lean meat, fish, legumes, leafy greens are all good sources of protein. You need to be getting 70 - 100 grams per day.^[2]

   • Soybeans, kidney beans, pinto beans and black beans are all great choices of lean proteins.
   • Make protein the center of every meal you eat. Have eggs for breakfast, tuna or chicken for lunch, and steak or beans for dinner.
2. 2
   Eat vitamin C. It's essential for the restoration of collagen, which helps to rebuild muscle tissue that has been broken down.^[3] In addition to citrus fruits like oranges, incorporate spinach, milk, and other good vitamin C sources into your daily diet during muscle recover.
3. 3
   Consider taking magnesium supplements. Magnesium helps muscles repair themselves and grow larger.^[4] It helps ease muscle cramps and speeds up the recovery process.^[5] The recommended dosage is 300 mg per day.

   • Magnesium is also present in kelp, buckwheat, wheat germ, and almonds.
   • Magnesium is also great for stress relief, and helps you relax during muscle recovery.