How to Reduce Burn-Out & Maximize Muscle Growth

You probably already know the benefits of regular exercise.

But, did you know that “working out” is only half of an effective workout?

After pushing yourself physically, the only way to maximize the benefits is by being strategic about your recovery.

The reason exercise burns fat, builds muscle and improves heart health, is because of what our bodies start doing after we stop moving.

Why spend time on recovery?

During a workout, we are intentionally breaking muscles down and burning stored energy. Once the workout ends, we start building muscle and strength.

Muscles need 24-48 hours to effectively repair. Reworking the same muscles too soon will only cause more tissue breakdown and longer recovery times.

Our bodies need the proper fuel and the right kind of rest to rebuild stronger. Research shows that the body continues to burn calories faster than normal for up to 72 hours after a mid-strength resistance workout.

Exercising kicks your body’s engine into high gear and you have to take care of it if you want it to perform well.

What we do during recovery is just as important as what we do during our workout.

If our bodies aren’t able to rebuild, we lose the benefits and risk serious injury or burnout.

Planning an effective recovery routine is easy to do, but first it helps to be aware of the signs that your body needs more rest.

5 Signs Your Body Needs More Rest

1️⃣ Feeling excessively drained or fatigued

• If you feel tired all the time even though you get enough sleep, it may be a sign that you need a different kind of rest.
• Overdoing it in your workouts can lead to internal inflammation which can affect the quality of your sleep. Planning some semi-active rest days where you take a long walk or leisurely bike ride can help you reset.

2️⃣ Poor concentration or mood swings

• If you’re having trouble focusing or you find your mood is off, you may be pushing too hard. If you need to rely on stimulants, like caffeine, to get through the day, consider taking a break or changing your routines.
• Exercise boosts the feel-good chemicals in your brain, but overdoing it can have the opposite effect. Going hard everyday will also increase your stress hormones, such as cortisol and epinephrine.

3️⃣ Extreme soreness or limited range of motion

• Delayed onset muscle soreness (soreness that occurs 24 hours after a workout) is normal, but if that soreness is causing physical limitations, such as limping or difficulty raising your arms, it’s time to rest.
• Trying to exercise with extreme soreness can often affect proper technique and increase the risk of injury.

   

  4️⃣ Extended muscle weakness or long lasting soreness

• Muscle weakness or soreness that lasts more than five days is a sign that your body was pushed to the point of strain and not given adequate opportunity to recover.

• This often occurs when we are dehydrated or deficient in important minerals, like magnesium and potassium. Try taking two or three days to focus on your hydration and do some gentle yoga.

   

  5️⃣ Feeling burnt out

  • If thinking about working out is filling you with dread, or if your normal workout begins to feel harder than normal, it’s time to reevaluate your routine.

  • Weekly exercise should help you have more energy for the rest of your life. Try cutting your workout in half and see how it feels to complete a more doable goalWhen you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, it’s a sign that it’s time to be more diligent about your recovery strategies!

5 Tips to Speed Recovery & Reduce the Risk of Injury

1️⃣ Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate

Sweating drains the body’s water reserves, so it is important to continue drinking water during your movement and immediately after.

Dehydration can create all kinds of problems, from cramping and fatigue to headaches and poor concentration.

Every metabolic function and nutrient transfer within the body requires water. None of the body\’s systems can function properly without it. But, drinking water is only the first step in staying hydrated.

Electrolytes and minerals play a vital role in muscle functionality. Magnesium and Potassium are essential components in successful muscle recovery.

Try using magnesium rollers topically or soak in an epsom salt bath to reduce soreness and accelerate recovery.

2️⃣ Stretch it out

When it comes to exercise it\’s easy to focus on the movement and forget how important it is to incorporate a proper cool-down period.

Taking 5-10 minutes to stretch after a workout helps the body transition into a state of rest and recovery.

Stretching restores muscles to their natural length, which reduces the risk of injury, muscle soreness, and joint stiffness.

3️⃣ Use the right fuel

You can’t expect your body to repair tissues, get stronger, and be ready to go for the next challenge if you don’t refuel.

The more active we are, the more important it becomes to be selective and intentional about what we are putting in our bodies.

Try to eat high quality protein and complex carbohydrates within 60 minutes of working out.

Some experts say that eating 20-40 grams of protein after a workout will help to maximize muscle growth.

4️⃣ Active Rest

It’s important to allow the body to rest, but that doesn’t mean laying around on the couch.

Light exercise, like gentle yoga, taking a walk or a slow bike ride, aids the recovery process by simulating circulation.

Our bodies need to keep fluids moving while our muscles and tissues rebuild.

When we go from intense activity to prolonged inactivity, the lactic acid released in our muscles has nowhere to go and becomes stagnant causing increased muscle soreness.

5️⃣ Self Massage and Foam Rolling

Foam rolling helps reduce muscle soreness, improve circulation and speeds recovery by targeting knots and other trouble areas.

Foam rolling and other forms of self massage can be done before or after a workout. When it comes to self massage, consistency is key. The more you do it, the more benefits you will experience.

Most importantly,

Listen to your body. Your body will tell you what it needs and how quickly it is recovering. Watch out for signs of fatigue, but have fun with the exercise process.

It’s your body and your health. Why not enjoy it!

you got this!

-Jessi Rose