Today, I wanted to go through the best exercises to recover from workouts.
CLICK HERE to watch the YouTube video.
I got Jenna to demonstrate the best exercises to recover from workouts.
1. Foam Rolling Out the Quads
Use a foam roller about 1 foot in size. Place it on the floor and lie down on it. Roll from above the knees and keep rolling through the thighs to below the hips.
You can do this bilaterally with both legs at the same time or unilaterally with one leg at a time.
Foam Rolling Out the Quads
Perform one set of 5 reps in a smooth, controlled movement, with a quick stop at the end position. Intensity is moderate. You should get some pressure in the muscle, like having a self-massage in your quads.
2. Stick Roll-out on the Hamstring
Use a massage stick. While in a lunge position, grab the stick with both hands and roll it through the hamstring area, just above the knee and below the hips.
Stick Roll-out on the Hamstring
Perform one set of 10 reps in a smooth, controlled movement with a quick stop at the end. The intensity should be putting as much pressure into the muscle so that you feel like you are massaging out and loosening up the muscles. This will help your muscles recover from your workout.
3. Side Lunges
A side lunge is more of a dynamic movement. Keep a wide stance as you shift your weight to one leg, go back to the middle, and then shift your weight to the other leg. Keep shifting back and forth.
Side Lunge
Perform one set of 10 reps in a smooth, controlled movement with a quick stop at the end. The intensity is light. With this exercise, you are loosening and cooling down the muscles from your workout.
4. Full Arm Circles
Move in one direction with the arm circles and then go in the opposite direction.
Full Arm Circles
Perform one set of 10 reps (5 for one direction and 5 for the opposite direction) in a moderate movement where you are not going super-slow or super-fast with light intensity as you work through the range of motion in the shoulder and help the muscles to recover from the workout.
5. Sun Catcher
Stand in a squat position with your knees and hips bent, upper body in a straight line and your arms are behind you. Straighten the hips and knees out and bring the arms overhead, and then return to the bottom squat position.
Sun Catcher
Perform one set of 5 reps in a smooth, controlled movement with a quick stop at the end with light intensity to stretch out the whole body fully. Stretch out the shoulder and the abdominal area. Bring the knees and hips to the end position to stretch them out and help them recover from your workout.
After your workout, give those five exercises a go. They will target all those major areas in the body and will help you recover from your workout so that you feel better and perform better. Have a safe workout.
Take care!
Rick Kaselj, MS
If you want to speed up recovery, reach your fitness goals faster and hit your peak rapidly, then click here to check out the Recovery Workouts program!
