Common Muscle Recovery Tools - Do You Need Them?

Exercise the right way, and you'll get bigger, stronger muscles. Your clients know this, but do they understand how important recovery is to that process? Recovery is what actually allows muscles to repair after a workout.

To make progress, and to be comfortable and avoid or minimize injuries, you must include recovery time. Rest, diet, and good sleep are essential for this, but some of your clients can also benefit from recovery tools. We'll run through them to help you choose the best tool for your needs or your client's.

What is Recovery, and Why is it Important?

Strength training damages muscle fibers, which activates repair mechanisms. The repair process builds the fibers and tissue back up, resulting in bigger, stronger muscles. Over time your muscles adapt, and it takes more weight to trigger the injury-repair cycle.

To build muscle, you must stress the tissue enough to damage it, but you also must give it a chance to repair. Working the same muscles day after day allows for no repair and no results. Furthermore, you can get serious injuries.

Recovery is a structured rest period, which may be supplemented with light exercise, a different type of exercise, or specific tools. Built-in recovery in a training plan prevents injury and optimizes the benefits of exercise, including muscle growth.

What Soreness Means After a Workout

Anyone who works out knows this feeling. You put in a good effort in the gym and get repaid the next day with sore muscles. This is called DOMS, delayed onset muscle soreness. It should peak a day or two after a workout and then improve.

DOMS causes soreness, reduced range of motion, and muscle fatigue. It can limit your workout options for a few days. The likely cause of DOMS is the buildup of tiny tears in muscle tissue. It can happen after any type of intense workout, and some people seem to be more susceptible to it than others.

If you experience soreness during or immediately after a workout, you have acute muscle soreness, a buildup of lactic acid. It should dissipate quickly. Sudden soreness that does not go away after the workout could be an injury, like a strained muscle.

Do I Really Need Muscle Recovery Tools?

Recovery of muscle tissue after a workout depends mostly on rest and a healthy diet. If you fuel your muscles right and rest between tough training sessions, you may not need recovery tools. However, some people need a little extra help.

You may want tools to speed or aid recovery after a particularly intense workout or if you're in a lot of pain from DOMS. Athletes use recovery tools because they need to prepare for the next event or game. Those who work out casually and don't push it too hard don't necessarily need anything beyond rest and diet.

Learn more about the symptoms of overtraining here, and get more details about all the essential elements of a good recovery plan.

Top Muscle Recovery Tools

If you or a client could benefit from a speedier or more effective recovery, some tools may help. You'll find several recovery tools touted as the answer to quick recovery or less pain. There may be some truth to these claims, but not everything works for every person. Here are some of the best tools for recovery that your clients may find useful.

Massage

This isn't exactly a tool, but it is a valid strategy for muscle recovery if you can afford it. Regular massage improves blood flow to muscles, relaxes muscles, and provides myofascial release. The latter refers to stretching out and releasing knots in tight connective tissue.

Researchers reviewed several studies to test the effectiveness of recovery tools. They ranked massage number one in reducing DOMS and relieving post-workout muscle fatigue.

Foam Roller

This is an inexpensive option that works well for many people. A foam roller is essentially a DIY massage. Research on the effectiveness of foam rolling for recovery or improving athletic performance is mixed. Many people feel it helps, and it can't hurt unless you really overdo it.

One of the best ways to use a foam roller is to target sore or tight spots and hold it on that spot for up to 45 seconds. Don't spend money on a vibrating foam roller. It is no more effective.

Check out these expert trainer secrets for using a foam roller.

Massage Gun

This is a more expensive option for myofascial relief that is still affordable for many people. Like a foam roller, it's a tool for DIY massage. What makes it different from foam rolling is precision. You can target problem spots more easily with the gun. They also come with different settings and heads so you can change to match recovery needs.

Lacrosse Ball

This is a classic, cheap recovery tool. It works like a foam roller or massage gun to trigger myofascial release and to smooth tight muscles. It's the cheapest tool by far, and it allows you to get into smaller spots using the weight of your body to get a deep massage.

Compression Garments

A compression garment is a tight piece of clothing that is supposed to improve circulation and get more oxygen to recovering muscles. You can find inexpensive compression socks, sleeves, and other garments. You'll also see on the market, battery-powered compression sleeves that can cost more than $1,000.

Results from studies of compression for recovery are mixed, so if you want to try it definitely start with the less expensive garments. A review of studies found that compression gear can provide some relief from DOMS and fatigue, but the effect is less pronounced than for massage or cold therapy.

Cold Therapy

Therapists and athletes have long used cold temperatures for muscle recovery. Ice packs are inexpensive and easy to use after a tough workout. For a full body workout, an ice bath is a classic technique to stop inflammation and reduce soreness. You can also pay up to $100 for a session in cryotherapy chamber. Studies show cold therapy is less effective than massage.

Lifestyle Factors That Aid Recovery

No tool can ever make up for poor lifestyle habits when it comes to muscle recovery. Tools are helpful, but the most important thing you can do is make healthy choices on a daily basis:

• Get plenty of sleep. A review of multiple studies of sleep in athletes found that adequate sleep is one of the most important factors in good recovery. Sleep deprivation increases inflammation in the body, which impedes muscle recovery and repair of damage to muscle tissue caused by a workout.

• Eat and drink for recovery. An overall, balanced and healthy diet is ideal for recovery. More specifically, focus on getting plenty of protein to help muscles repair and grow. Eat a post-workout snack with between 20 and 40 grams of protein, as well as some carbs. This will supply damaged muscles with repair materials and restock glycogen for energy. Hydration is also crucial to the recovery process, so drink plenty of water during and after a workout.

• Avoid alcohol. Alcohol is detrimental to the recovery process. It dehydrates the body, which slows blood flow to muscles. Alcohol may also impair protein synthesis, which is crucial for rebuilding muscles.

• Get the blood flowing. Recovery doesn't mean sitting on the couch all day. It's actually better to move a little. A walk, chores around the house, or an easy bike ride around the neighborhood are great activities for an active recovery day. They'll get more blood flowing to muscle tissue, which aids repair.

• Don't forget cardio. Aerobic exercise is essential for good health and fitness, but it also contributes to workout recovery. One of the important changes triggered by regular aerobic workouts is more and bigger blood vessels. This increases blood flow to muscles, which is essential for recovery.

Recovery tools can be beneficial, but nothing replaces rest, good food, and plenty of sleep. Help your clients, and yourself, get more out of workouts with a solid recovery plan and tools as supplemental aids.

Check out the ISSA's Certified Personal Trainer - Self-Guided Study Program to turn your passion for fitness and healthy recovery into a rewarding career.