MUSCLE RECOVERY

DON’T INVITE INJURY

Muscles grow by hypertrophy, as the muscle fibers increase in size. Exercise, especially resistance training, creates microscopic tears in the muscle fibers. This damage brings about the release of anabolic hormones, like testosterone and growth hormone, to promote hypertrophy.

These factors help to stimulate muscle growth:

• Stretching tension
• Contraction tension
• Time under tension
• Muscle burn
• Muscle pump

MUSCLES MUST BE GIVEN SUFFICIENT TIME TO RECOVER. If not, the workout may be ineffective and a cause of injury. Muscles do not grow as we exercise. They grow during recovery.

This video thoroughly explains the muscle building process.

Without rest and recovery, we may expect reduced strength and increased fatigue. This is overtraining, which results in decreased performance, slower muscle growth and possible injury as we continue. Muscle strains and stress fractures may occur. Overtraining is asking your body to do what it is not prepared to do.

Most bodybuilers elect to rest strenuously trained muscles for a day or two. Some may alternate upper body with legs, pushing muscles with pulling muscles or muscle building with cardio.

UC Health tells us that track athletes need a rest day every 7-10 days, though many may need more rest time.

My personal experience over 6 decades of exercise has been that an occasional rest day serves to invigorate me. Mental burn-out has been a problem at times. At age 18, I found that briefer workouts with heavier weights and rest every other day produced fastest results. High reps and sets with lighter weights did not work nearly as well and took much more time.

OVERTRAINING HEALTH ISSUES

Overtraining can cause health issues, with physical, mental and emotional symptoms. Nervous, endocrine and immune systems may be at risk.

Physical symptoms my include:

• Muscle pain and stiffness
• Fatigue
• Injuries – tendonitus, for example
• Increased heart rate and blood pressure
• Immune system weakening
• Hormonal imbalances
• Weight changes
• Changes in appetite

Mental and emotional symptoms are:

• Irritability and agitation – mood swings
• Anxiety and depression
• Poor sleep
• Loss of motivation
• Difficulty concentrating

The best advice for preventing overtraining is to prioritize rest days and to allow our bodies time to recover. Easy to say, but not so easy to implement. We often may think “no pain, no gain” and end up with even more pain.

A few more suggestions include:

• Proper nutrition – to support training and recovery
• Listen to your body – pay attention to signs of fatigue, soreness and decreased performance
• Vary your training – this helps to avoid repetitive stress on the same body parts and will also help to avoid monotony and burnout
• Manage stress – address any stressors in your life that may be contributing to overtraining

A balanced diet of protein, carbohydrates and healthy fats is great for optimal muscle recovery, along with supplements like creatine and Omega-3. Lean proteins, whole grains, fruits and vegetables provide the nutrients we need. Tart cherry juice, leafy greens, bananas and berries help to reduce inflammation and muscle soreness.

Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), such as valine, leucine and isoleucine help to synthesize muscle protein. Vitamin D is important for bone health and will suport muscle recovery. Magnesium helps muscles to relax and may prevent cramps. Electrolytes are crucial for hydration and muscle function.

Foam rollers give us broad muscle relief, while massage guns are great for specific deep-tissue therapy.

The best way to overcome the health risks associated with overtraining is complete rest. This means ending all forms of intense training, Depending on the severity of the overtraining, this could be a few days, a few weeks or months. We will know when we are ready to continue hard training.

AFFILIATE MARKETING

This is what I do. Affiliate marketing is making associations with companies, showing their links to relevant products within articles or ads and then earning commissions when there is activity on the links.

Please see my upper menu – BECOME AN AFFILIATE MARKETER – for complete information on this business opportunity.

Also, the simple diagram below will illustrate affiliate marketing.

AMAZON

I find that an Amazon association is uniquely helpful in affiliate marketing. The fast service and huge inventory I recognize as a customer are just as valuable to me as a marketing partner.

There are many products from Amazon that directly relate to my topic today. The links below will give descriptions, prices, pictures and further links to similar or complementary options.

Hand held deep tissue massage gun – 10 speeds, now at a special price

Mini massage gun – powerful

Medium density deep tissue foam roller – for back pain relief and muscle massage

Electrolyte powder drink mix – 90 servings

Cheribundi tart cherry juice – for deeper sleep and muscle recovery. I have bought these and have found that they helped reduce my blood pressure. Alica Schmidt, German track athlete, uses these also. See my prior post on Alica.

Magnesium – 500 mg tablets, for bone and muscle health

Creatine monohydrate powder – for muscle strength and cellular energy

Omega-3 softgels – for overall health, including muscle recovery

BCAAs – essential amino acid capsules, 1000 mg

Vitamin D3 – for muscle function and bone health

FINAL THOUGHTS

At age 83, I still do a workout every morning before breakfast. Modifying the resistances and protecting lower back pain are essential. So is working around a right shoulder rotator cuff sprain.

Our individual uniqueness determines what we can do physically, how often and to what length. But, by all means. let’s be as active as we can be. Healthy habits can sustain us for a lifetime. Lighter weights, workarounds and recovery activity help to make it work for me. So do outdoor or treadmill walks.

Here is a thought – a 30 minute workout represents 2% of a full day, which leaves us 98% for everything else. Let’s not say ” I don’t have time”.

Please leave me any questions or comments in the “Comments” section below.

Be well!