If you are in the middle of a strenuous and intense workout schedule in order to achieve your fitness goals, then you may think that you can’t afford to take time off for a rest day. However, scientific research has found that if we want to look after our bodies, and our muscles, then you can’t afford to not give your body a break. We have muscles all over our body, and we rely on them for every move we make. Therefore it is important that no matter what age you are, or how intense your workout schedule is, that you take the time to take care of your muscles.
Taking care of your muscles doesn’t have to be as complicated as you might think, and a few simple changes to your lifestyle and post-workout routine can make all the difference. Just in case you need a little bit more convincing, we have put together this guide on everything you need to know about looking after your muscles and why it is so important.
Increased flexibility
One of the biggest obstacles that many of us face when trying to get fit by taking part in regular activity is a lack of flexibility. All forms of exercise require us to move your body in some way, and therefore has an impact on our muscles. Flexibility can be improved by taking care of your muscles on a regular basis and giving them the time to repair the damage that can be caused to your muscles when you workout.
Not only will taking care of your muscles increase your flexibility and make it easier to enhance your performance when working out. But it will also help your overall posture and help you to avoid any aches and pains that can come from poor posture, especially as you get older.
Eases muscle soreness and stiffness
While we can all agree that working out and regularly exercising is an important part of a healthy and balanced lifestyle. You should also be sure to not underestimate how much pressure exercising puts on your body. Many people don’t realise that during intense forms of exercise, micro-tears are caused to our muscles which is why post-workout soreness and stiffness is so common. Therefore it is crucial to allow your muscles the time to rest and repair.
The recovery of your muscles doesn’t just mean taking a day off from the gym, it refers to the equipment and activities you can do to help speed up the recovery process and ease pain or discomfort. For example, foam rolling is a popular way to stretch your muscles post-workout to boost circulation and release tension. You can take your muscle recovery to the next level by using a vibrating foam roller to speed up the recovery process.
Improves sleep
We all know how important it is to get enough sleep at night and how not getting good quality rest can cause problems for both our mental and physical health. When we sleep at night, our body is given the opportunity for fundamental bodily processes to take place, so if you don’t get enough sleep, then this could have a negative impact on your muscles as you get older.
For example, while we enter a deep sleep, our bodies produce a growth hormone which stimulates tissue growth and helps muscle repair. So, if you aren’t getting the sleep you need, then your body will not be benefiting from muscle growth and repair.
Similarly, if you aren’t taking the time to give your muscles a chance to recover, then you may find that you are suffering with aches and pains that make it harder to drift off to sleep at night. This could then create further issues for you and your muscles.
When you are younger it can be easy to neglect your muscles and not consider them an important part of your body. But no matter what your age, you rely on your muscles in every aspect of your life. Therefore, you should take the time and provide your muscles with all the equipment they need to rest and recover, and repair into even stronger muscles than before.
