Forced Recovery

Thanks to an unfortunate accident, my right hand is out of commission for a little while.



It's just a deep cut that required a visit to Urgent Care, but it means I can't use that hand... which really limits my ability to exercise. Obviously no lifting or biking, and even the impact of running is a no-go. Soooo that means I'm using these next several days for some major recovery. Might as well use the down-time for something productive :)

That means sleeping TONS (thanks to my bff Tylenol PM), which has been glorious. And lots of ice.



Long foam-rolling sessions every day



Going on walks



And generally doing things that make me feel good (like getting pedicures and eating delicious food and getting spoiled and taken care of by my husband!) :)

As much as it's frustrating to not be able to stay on track with my workout schedule for now, I'm hoping this forced recovery time will do me good in the long run :)

Recovery

I love the feeling of a good workout. The bone-tired, completely satisfied feeling that comes after working yourself past what you thought you were capable of doing.

However, I don't love the soreness and tightness that can come in the few days AFTER that glorious workout.

Fortunately, there are ways to minimize that delayed-onset muscle soreness, and they aren't even that hard.

First, stretching. I love to take a few minutes post-workout to stretch out the muscles that I worked that day (I also try to hit my other major muscle groups just for good measure). It leaves me feeling so relaxed, and it makes me feel much less tight later on.

Second, rolling. Dang I love me some foam rollers. Being able to roll-out after a hard workout helps me so much as far as the level of soreness that I'll feel later on. I also bought a roller for home so I can hit it up any time I feel like I need it.

Third, protein. Getting some protein in me within an hour of finishing my workout and again 4-6 hours later does wonders for my recovery process.

Fourth, hydration. I try to hydrate all the time, but the days where I'm less diligent, my recovery suffers for it.

Not only does a good recovery help prevent DOMS, but it will show in how much progress you are making in your workouts. The recovery process is just as important as the workout process - without it, your body can't adapt to the changes you are trying to make, and you will wear yourself out and not be as productive.

Besides... it just feels so good! :)