Tips to recover after a hard run!
Running can be tough especially if you push yourself to the max everyday. This hub is going to provide you with tips to help you recover and try your best to stay injury free. I have been using them for the last couple of years and they have made a huge difference is how much mileage I can do and the intensity that I can maintain over the entire course of the week.
More Ovaltine Please!
You may not believe this, but Ovaltine is the best recovery drink on the market. Magazines such as Runner's World and Triathlete feature many endurance sports professionals recommending that you skip all those expensive recovery drinks and head straight to the fridge, get out the milk, and mix in some nice chocolaty Ovaltine. The key is to not follow the label on the product, but to follow the specific ratio below:
8oz of milk = 4 Tablespoons of Mix
Every recovery drink should have a 2 to 1 carbohydrate to protein ratio, and this formula will get your body what it needs as well as tasting great.
Foam Roller, Thank You!
Running can get tough and muscles can get sore especially when you are training and pushing yourself to the max. Sometimes we all know how tough it is to get loose enough for a long run, bike, or swim. I have the go to device that will aid you in all your preparation and loosening up all those sore muscles. The foam roller, like the one pictured, is an excellent device that can help you in various problem areas. Don't have enough money to get a massage? This device will provide you a similar service for a fraction of the cost, and you can do it in the confines of your own home. The great thing about this device is that it uses your own weight to precisely pressure the target areas of all your sore muscles. One of the best uses for this device is to loosen "IT" Bands. You will have trouble finding any other product that can do this at the same low price.
Ice, Sleep, Repeat!
Most athletes that have been around awhile and participated in different types of sports know that one of the best things you can do after a hard workout is to ice the places that give you trouble or cause you discomfort. You should do this even if they are not causing you pain or problems at that time. This is what we like to refer to as "preventive maintenance." When you ice your troubled areas you should also try and elevate them for maximum effectiveness. You should keep ice on the area for no longer than twenty minutes.
Sleep is also a huge part of your recover period. Your body recovers best while you are sleeping, due to the fact that you are not expending energy on any other activity. If you are staying up till midnight trying to finish up things for work or college class then getting up at five or six in the morning to get in a hard workout, you are putting yourself on a crash course for a sever injury. Sleep is important especially when you are pushing your body beyond it's normal limits.
You Are What You Eat!
Diet is the ultimate factor in recovering from a hard workout. If you don't provide your body with what it needs, your body will not be able to recover from what you have done to it. The best fuel for your body after a workout is to provide it with complex carbohydrates and lean proteins. A few examples of complex carbohydrates are pasta, bread, bananas, whole grain cereals, and starchy vegetables like potatoes. Lean proteins are also important for muscle restoration and repair. Examples of lean proteins are eggs, ground sirloin, pork chops, fish, chicken and turkey. Eating the right foods in the correct amounts is essential to your recovery and can make or break your ability to keep working out at a high level.
