Go-To Recovery Strategies
Last week, I ran a 10-miler and, to hit my sub-2-hr goal, I sprinted hard toward the end. While it was thrilling to achieve that milestone, I definitely felt it for a few days afterward. 😅
Apart from re-hydrating and getting a great massage, there are lots of simple recovery strategies you can utilize to feel better, faster when you find yourself sore, tight, or tired following a tough workout, race, or injury!
Today, I wanted to share some of my go-to recovery strategies:
- First up (and somewhat counterintuitively) I 💯 percent recommend that you keep moving rather than resting too much
On race day, even after logging 20,000+ steps, I made it a point to get up every hour for a 5-min walk. This simple habit, learned post-op after my hernia repair, has become my #1 recovery tip; gentle, low-level movement keeps blood flowing and helps prevent muscles from locking up, whether after a race, surgery, or as part of daily life.
- Side Note: kind of NEAT—non-exercise activity thermogenesis—plays a bigger role in metabolic rate and daily calorie expenditure than you might think, boosting overall health and wellbeing
To increase your NEAT, think walking around the house, emptying the dishwasher, or climbing stairs if you can. Motion = lotion. 🌀
Ready for more? Try these recovery strategies:
- dynamic stretching
- yoga
- self-myofascial release (SMR)
- dynamic mobility
These are all great options for warm-ups, or for active rest periods, both of which are woven into Build With Becky strength training programs to guide you without the guesswork! 📲
Notice these strategies all involve active movement with short pauses or targeted release work (think foam rollers) and breathing, unlike static stretching (those long, held stretches). If you constantly feel “tight” or “sore” and believe you just need to stretch more, chances are that relying solely on static stretching (30-60 sec holds) isn’t enough. And the idea that “you can never stretch too much or be too flexible” doesn’t hold true for everyone. If you have a bit of hypermobility, strength and dynamic mobility might be your missing piece.
Want to learn more? Check the full blog post:
👉 Flexibility, Stretching, and Mobility 101
❤️🩹Let’s Recover Better, Together! 💪