Blog

Muscle Recovery: Recover Smarter By Applying These Techniques Daily

Posted by HONEY BADGER® on

Muscle Recovery: Recover Smarter By Applying These Techniques Daily

MUSCLE RECOVERY

Muscle recovery is one of the most significant aspects of a healthy mind and body. According to studies, the reason for muscle pain is “microtrauma”, which is microscopic tears formed in muscle fibers.

We know the importance of muscle recovery, but what do you focus on? There's not a one size fits all solution, but there are many proven science-based approaches. These techniques are best to prevent dreadful muscle soreness. 

PROTEIN INTAKE

Over time training can cause muscle damaging. This requires a higher level of protein to provide your body the best fuel to repair the damaged muscle. How do you get optimal levels of protein in your diet? 

It's recommended to take protein in the range of 1 grams per pound of your desired weight. This ensures complete recovery from exercise or maintains the positive lean muscle mass or nitrogen balance.

Source from food and supplements such as vegan protein powdercollagen peptides, eggs, lean meat, legumes, and fish.

TRIGGER POINT THERAPY

Trigger points are known as hyperirritable points in the muscle which can modify nervous system functions. They are often created by nervous system stress. The points are described as tight bands of fiber, hard nodules, and knots in the muscles. 

Normally when you are ready to treat a trigger point you can press on it hard with the right touch. You can hold a trigger point or you can rub it with a circular motion. Naturally, you should work the trigger point in the direction of back and forth.

Rub it out for at least 10-15 seconds or apply firm pressure. After using the technique and if you feel improvement as you treat the point then you can continue it until there is no further pain. 

FOAM ROLLING

Foam rolling is not only used to improve muscle soreness. It can decrease the feeling of fatigue throughout training. This will get better blood flow that is needed to bring the nutrients to the muscles. It’s essential for repairing damaged tissue. 

In the case of using this technique, put pressure onto the muscles and roll up and down anywhere at the core of the soreness for 15 to 20 rolls. You can consume some extra time in the affected area. There is no limitation for its usage and it can be done every day. 

The best times to practice foam rolling is before and/or after a workout. Another good time is upon waking up and before going to bed.

BCAAS FOR MUSCLE RECOVERY

Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) are the building blocks of the body. There are three BCAAs such as isoleucine, leucine and valine. The BCAAs are among the nine most necessary amino acids for humans. 

There are approximately 35% of the essential amino acids in muscle proteins and 40% of the preformed amino acids that are recommended for daily intake. In order to obtain BCAAs it must be consumed. Your body does not make it naturally.

Undoubtedly, everyone should take BCAAs through food and supplementation to ensure you are getting adequate amounts. In short, someone should consume 10 grams daily (combined food and supplements) and at least 2.5 grams before training. 

BCAAs will suppress your muscle breakdown while the workout has the smallest effect on insulin levels.

VITAMINS & MINERALS FOR MUSCLE RECOVERY

It's crucial to understand the nutritional relationships between Vitamins and Minerals. The field of nutrition can be complex and confusing with many variables pertaining to an individual's health.

Did you know consuming too little or too many Vitamins and Minerals can have a significant impact on your health? Through many clinical studies and research, there is a clear understanding of when and how to consume Vitamins and Minerals.

There is also a testing process that can help identify what Vitamins and Minerals you are deficient in, what ratios are out of balance, heavy metal toxicity levels, and metabolic function status. Each metric is very helpful in determining your baseline health. 

Our Performance Vitality is uniquely crafted for joint & bone health, strength & rapid recovery, increased energy & focus, optimized sleep, and immune support. The blend is vegan, keto, & paleo-friendly with zero calories & no gluten or soy. The capsule is veggie, ​​heart-friendly with no harsh stimulants or fillers. Here’s the list of the benefits: 

  • Vitamin D3 & K2 supports immune, muscle, and joint & bone health while increasing calcium absorption.* 
  • Vitamin B12 supports energy and brain health.* 
  • Magnesium is essential to hundreds of bodily functions to optimize sleep, strength, brain function, and joint & bone health.* 
  • Selenium promotes clarity, focus, and memory.* 
  • Calcium is vital for joint & bone health.*

We highly recommend taking our Performance Vitality containing essential vitamins and minerals to ensure that your body is operating at a high level with superior recovery. 

REDUCE STRESS

Any form of chronic stress such as work pressure, inadequate sleep, and personal problems can influence how you’re feeling daily. It will also affect how quickly you recover. 

When there’s stress in your life it can disturb your overall happiness, comfort, and your body’s capacity to recover. For example, when you workout, stress can really have a negative effect on your body. Take important steps to reduce your stress levels so you can bounce back sooner. 

We recommend a deficiency test to see if you have imbalances such as zinc, copper, potassium, vitamin B12 and B6 are common nutrients that can lead to high levels of stress.

MUSCLE RECOVERY FROM DEEP SLEEP

As we know by now, sleep is the most important component of muscle recovery. It’s absolutely essential to ensure that you get adequate periods of optimized sleep.

What is considered optimized sleep? It's an uninterrupted deep level of sleep that is necessary for your body to restore itself and perform essential life-sustaining functions. It is best for your optimal health to relax for periods of sleep of seven to eight hours which is the ideal target for comfort and muscle soreness. If you do hard training for longer periods, it may require nine hours. 

There are numerous studies that have been conducted on the importance of sleep and what happens when individuals don’t get enough. 

Research concludes that getting sufficient sleep benefits the following: 

  • Better Focus: When you don’t sleep enough, studies show that a lack of sleep can negatively impact an individual’s ability to concentrate on a task, think clearly, and engage in productive activities. Better sleep = Better focus.
  • Better Health: Sleeping helps to regulate your circulatory system and blood flow. This can lead to a decreased risk of heart disease. There are also studies that have made a connection between lack of sleep and weight gain.
  • Increase Athletic Performance: The best for athletes is a good night's sleep. Quality sleep can help increase energy, coordination, speed, and mental acuity for peak performance.  
  • Strengthened Immunity: During sleep, the body is in full repair mode. This process helps improve the immune system and effectively turns the body’s ability to protect itself against infection.

MUSCLE RECOVERY CONCLUSION

As we navigate our goals and what we want to become healthier individuals, it’s clear that the focus is on our muscle recovery. By breaking down your day into small incremental steps and applying each technique, you will see improvement.

Be consistent, make adjustments, and good accomplishments on your road to muscle recovery!