Didn’t stretch after your workout?
Don’t make a habit out of it, but here’s what to do if you skipped out on stretching.
Photo: iStock
We all know it’s a post workout sin to not stretch once you’ve finished, but if we're being totally honest here, we’ve all done it.
The truth is, sometimes you only have a limited amount of time to fit in a workout in the first place, and many of us are not going to 'waste' a second of it to stretch, even though sometimes stretching can be the difference between a great workout the next day, or feeling tight or sore – and then skipping the gym the next day. (See how it's a little counter-productive?!)
If you did happen to beeline from the cross trainer to the car, this is how you can deal with agonising muscle pain (the struggle is real) for now.
RELATED: The four best – and three worst – things you can do after a workout
Hydrate
Proper hydration is vital to your athletic performance and you health, so to perform your best, make sure you drink up.
Post workout, it's important to replace the liquid that you have lost, as dehydration can make your recovery last much longer.
Furthermore, hydration post-workout is important for rebuilding your muscles, digestion, reducing fatigue post workout and heart rate recovery. Eating protein helps, too.
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Compression
Wearing compression post workout is a great way to reduce muscle soreness. In fact, in the lead up to a running event, I often wear my BSc tights to bed.
Research conducted by Massey University in Auckland found that there was a reduction in delayed-onset muscle soreness 24 hours after exercise when wearing graduated compression stockings, after a fast-paced 10K road run. Interestingly, this study found that soreness was reduced specifically in the compressed muscle region, which makes a pretty compelling case for recovery wear, right?
Walk around before you sit again
If you haven’t made the time to stretch, you can at least make some time to walk around a bit to flush the blood through your legs again and loosen up any tightness you may be feeling.
If you dont have time to walk anywhere, just do a few laps down the hallway or get up every 45 minutes to fill your water bottle. Remember: something is always better than nothing.
RELATED: Is walking actually good exercise?
Ben Lucas is the owner of Flow Athletic.
February 16, 20172:23pm
