Working out is an integral part of our lives. It can provide us with so many benefits, such as weight loss and increased stamina. But the truth is that working out isn’t just about making your body look better. It’s also about keeping it healthy. That means you need to take some time before and after a workout to give the muscles time to rest and recover from all that hard work. If you don’t give your body this much-needed “me” time, then there can be serious consequences! Here are ten reasons your pre and post-workout routines should never be skipped:
Pre-Workout Resting Time Needed for Recovery
Before hitting the gym, you need to allow enough resting time for muscle repair from previous workouts. This is called active recovery, which allows blood flow in muscle tissue delivering oxygen back into cells so they can rebuild and get stronger. Muscles take about 48 hours to recover, so if you don’t give yourself that break, your muscles will become overworked and can lead to injuries. For example, if Monday is leg day, then don’t do any type of heavy lifting until Friday. During this rest period, make sure you are walking around as much as possible since extra activity helps burn more calories throughout the day, which leads to an increased metabolism, all while developing muscle tissue strength over time thanks to consistent exercise on a regular basis (preferably every other day).
A Pre-Workout Routine Prepares Your Body For The Workout
If you don’t warm up your body before a workout, you’re making it a heck of a lot harder on yourself. If your body isn’t warmed up or stretched, then you’ll be at risk for injuries like pulled muscles and muscle sprains when performing the exercises correctly. Also, if your blood is cold from being outside in the morning air before coming inside to work out, there’s less oxygen flow throughout your body while working out, which can increase fatigue during workouts.
Post-Workout Nutrition
During intense workouts such as high-intensity interval training (HIIT), weightlifting/resistance training using free weights or machines at the gym, aerobic exercises like running/biking or doing CrossFit WODs that involve sprinting between movements; one of the first things that are burned away are carbohydrates stored in our muscles called glycogen. This not only makes us feel fatigued during these types of workouts but also puts us at risk for not being able to perform the workout correctly and risking injury. Immediately following a workout is the best time for your body to refuel because it’s primed to uptake nutrients and rebuild muscle tissue. Consuming protein and carbohydrates within 30 minutes of working out helps shuttle those nutrients where they’re needed most and can help reduce soreness in the days afterward. Protein shake, like the Ladder plant protein powder for workouts, is a great example to consume right after a workout because it has all the macronutrients your body needs to start repairing muscle tissue. If you are unable to eat anything immediately following a workout, try to have something small like a yogurt or an apple as soon as possible.
Light Stretching Exercises
Stretching is an essential part of any workout routine because it helps increase flexibility, which can lead to a better range of motion during workouts and helps prevent injuries from occurring. However, if you’re doing a lot of cardio exercises such as running or biking, make sure not to stretch too much beforehand because you don’t want to warm up your muscles too much and then use all that energy during the workout. Instead, save the stretching for after the workout when your muscles are already warm. Just like how you should do some light stretching before a workout, it’s also important to do some light stretching after a workout as well. This will help cool down your body and relieve any tension or stiffness in the muscles that you may have from working out. Make sure not to overdo the stretching, though. Just enough to loosen up the muscles without causing any pain.
Better Performance And Results
When you establish a pre and post-routine, it becomes like second nature, which allows you to work out more intensely since you know what’s coming next. This consistency also leads to better performance and results over time.
Reduced Risk of Injury
When you allow for proper recovery, your muscles are less likely to become injured. Conversely, overworked muscles can lead to injuries such as tendinitis and muscle tears which prevent you from working out altogether.
Preventing Illness And Disease
People who don’t exercise on a regular basis have been shown to increase their risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and type two diabetes just by sitting around all day. This is because regular activity allows the body’s immune system to fight off illness and improves circulation, which means more oxygen-rich blood is being delivered throughout the body. Not only will this help ward off pesky colds or flu, but it also helps improve concentration during work hours.
Better Sleep Quality At Night
Aside from allowing time between exercise, it’s also important to make sure your pre and post routines allow for adequate sleep at night. People who exercise on a regular basis can report sleeping better than non-exercisers which leads to increased energy in the morning.
Increase Metabolism And Decrease Appetite
Getting into an active routine allows you to burn more calories throughout the day, so not only do you look better but feel better too. Even if you’re just walking around doing errands during the day, those extra few hundred steps add up and keep your metabolism going strong all day long. Keeping an active lifestyle is shown to reduce appetite, too, since there’s no time for snacking or binging between meals when we’re busy moving about.
A Pre-Workout Routine Is Great If You’re New To Working Out
If you’ve just started working out on a regular basis but aren’t sure what your body needs during workouts yet; then having a pre-workout routine will be very beneficial because it gives you an outline of when certain things should be done before each exercise so that no time is wasted wondering what’s next (wasting more time) while also preventing any injuries from occurring.
Example Of Pre-Workout
A pre-workout routine is vital to have because it warms your body up and gets your muscles ready for the workout. Here as some pointers for an effective pre-workout:
- You need to make sure your body is properly fueled for a workout. Eating something light about an hour before will help give you energy without making you feel bogged down.
- Stretching can help loosen up your muscles and prevent injury. Spend five to ten minutes warming up with some basic stretches.
- If you’re doing strength training, use lighter weights for the first few exercises of your routine.
- Make sure you have the proper form for any exercise that you’re doing to avoid injury. If there is a trainer or instructor in the gym, ask them if they can show you how to properly do an exercise before starting it on your own.
Example Of Post-Workout
A post-workout routine is important to have because it helps your body recover from the workout. Here as some pointers for an effective post-workout:
- Drink plenty of water and eat some carbs after you finish exercising so that your body has what it needs to repair itself overnight while sleeping. This will help speed up healing from injuries and boost energy levels overall.
- Take time away from working out every day as well because muscle growth occurs during rest periods throughout the week (not just when lifting weights). It also helps prevent overuse injuries by giving muscles a chance to heal.
- Use a foam roller for stretching out your muscles after you finish exercising because it’s better than using static stretches in this case.
- Don’t forget about flexibility and breathing exercises. Stretching is incredibly important as you age, so make sure that you are taking the time to stretch properly before and afterward if you’re working out regularly. This will help keep joints limber while supporting the circulation of blood through the entire body.
Active Recovery
Active recovery doesn’t mean lying on the couch all day watching Netflix–in fact, that will only make you more tired later on. If your muscles are sore, then it’s best not to work out in that specific muscle group until they heal completely, but other than that, active recovery means just getting up and moving around throughout the day.
A pre-workout routine can make or break your workout. You’ve got to have the right mindset, get in the zone with your music, and do a few dynamic warm-ups before you throw yourself into it. Post-workout routines are just as important because they help your body recover from the intense workouts. Your muscles need time to repair themselves after tearing them up during an intense weightlifting session or cardio class. If you’re interested in losing weight, increasing endurance, or just looking and feeling great, it’s crucial to invest time into your pre and post-workout routines. Not only will this help build a better body, but it can also improve the quality of life.
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