The reason why you work out can be as varied as the workout itself, but almost all of us have one thing in common – we want to see results! If you’re not seeing the kind of results you want, maybe it’s time to think about changing up your workout routine, your technique, or even your diet.
The post-workout period, or after your workout session, is an important time for your body to rest and recover from the damage you’ve just inflicted upon it during your training session. If you give your body the rest it needs at this time, you’ll be able to perform better during future training sessions, as well as reduce your risk of getting injured. Here are some post-workout recovery tips that will help you have more effective and safe training sessions.
How To Choose Yoga For Your Active Recovery Workout?
When you are looking for a workout to help you recover from your last strenuous session, yoga may not be the first thing that comes to mind. However, there are many benefits to using yoga asanas (poses) in your active recovery workout. Relaxation, increased blood flow, and lengthening of the muscles are just a few of the ways that yoga can help maximize muscle recovery.
Cool down yoga is a great way to finish your active recovery workout and prepare your body for the next one! Cooling down with yoga after an intense workout will also help calm your nerves and clear your head before going on with the rest of your day! The more relaxed you are after working out, the more likely it is that you will enjoy it and want to do it again.
Why Does Post-Workout Recovery Yoga Matter?
Stretching is an important part of any workout routine and yoga has long been recognized as a natural way to improve flexibility. If you’re looking for more ways to improve your recovery, post-workout recovery yoga might be just what you need. It could help reduce aches and pains, ease tension and soreness, help you get better sleep, and increase your energy levels in general.
Yoga Asana Like Downward Dog, Bhujangasana, Dhanurasana, Lizard Pose, and Savasana found in most post-workout recovery classes can stretch muscles and release toxins from the body after physical exertion.
In addition, breathing exercises like Ujjayi Breath or Kapalabhati Pranayama will also release stress hormones like cortisol that accumulate during strenuous exercise. Other poses will make it easier to keep moving afterward by opening up tight joints or improving mobility while still others are designed specifically for helping relax tense muscles.
The Importance Of Yoga For Recovery
#1. Yoga Asanas
Yoga poses are practiced to stretch tight muscles and joints, release physical tension, relieve stress and anxiety, open up energy channels in the body, improve circulation by increasing blood flow, etc.
#2. Maximize Muscle Recovery
Yoga poses have been shown to minimize post-workout soreness so that you’re ready for your next workout! Lengthen Muscles – Stretching your muscles during or after exercise helps prevent injury. Prepare Body For Next Workout -Yoga cool-downs allow you to slow down gradually and give your brain time to readjust to being awake instead of hyper-focused on exercise.
Also Check: Foods to Avoid Post Workout
#3. Calm Nerves And Clear Head
Your state of mind has a huge impact on how much enjoyment you get out of exercising, which affects whether or not you keep doing it! If you feel good about yourself after finishing a workout, then chances are that you'll want to do it again soon.
Yoga can help ease any lingering tension left over from your workout and leave you feeling at peace with yourself and the world around you. In addition, Yoga has been shown to reduce cortisol levels (stress hormone) and increase serotonin levels (the feel-good hormone). Your mood is bound to be better when your serotonin levels are high.
#4. Improve Flexibility
Regularly practicing Yoga poses will help keep your muscles and joints supple, improve posture, and increase your range of motion so that you can fully enjoy whatever activity you choose to do. Remove Negativity From Mind And Body – Feeling stressed, frustrated, or anxious after a tough workout? Let go of these negative feelings by getting into some relaxing Yoga poses.
Also Check: Can Massage Give A Boost To Your Fitness Journey?
#5. Increase Mental Focus
Believe it or not, Yogis can achieve total concentration and focus through the practice of meditation (Sadhana). The process of focusing on one thing for an extended period—whether it's breath control, visualization techniques like yogic flying, or mantra repetition—increases attention span and cognitive function.
Conclusion
Post-workout recovery yoga is a great way to help your body recover from a strenuous workout. It can help improve your flexibility, and range of motion, and even help reduce soreness. Plus, it can also improve your breathing and focus.
So, if you're looking for a way to help you get results, post-workout recovery yoga may be just what you need. The more often you do this type of yoga, the better off you'll be in the long run. But don't let that discourage you if you don't have time to do it every day!