Week 40: Recovery

This week, Tyler discusses the importance of recovery following bouts of physical activity.

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When it comes to physical activity, there is often one thing that gets forgotten — Recovery. Recovery consists of the series of actions we take to take care of our bodies. Stretching, cool-downs, ice baths, saunas, massage, or acupuncture. These are all forms of recovery. Recovery is important because it acts as preventative medicine. We might not need it in the moment, but utilizing daily recovery will lessen the effects of a future injury and will enable us to perform better long-term. Especially as we age, taking care of our bodies becomes increasingly important.

Admittedly, I have only recently begun to incorporate recovery into my strength building routine. I stretch following each workout and have regular massage therapy or acupuncture sessions. I hope to incorporate more forms of recovery as time goes along. I added recovery into my routine because in the past I’d experience significant muscle pains, most commonly in my lower back. Whether it was something small like picking an item up off the ground or performing a movement, my lower back would regularly tighten, leaving me in a lot of pain for several days. I finally had enough and decided that I would try daily stretching for at least 15 minutes in addition to regular message/acupuncture. Since this revelation, while I still do occasionally get tweaks in my lower back, the pain only lasts a few hours rather than a few days. Adding recovery into my routine has helped me to feel physically better, which has enhanced my performance both within and outside the weight room.

I share this anecdote because I used to not care for nor make time for recovery. I know there are certainly people reading this who will likely identify. I used to think my body could handle anything. “What’s the point of stretching? I’m going to be fine tomorrow anyways?” This was my mentality. As I’ve aged, I have realized how critical recovery really is to overall health, well-being, and performance. If we want our bodies to help us perform at our best, we need to find ways to treat it with kindness. That’s how I view recovery. With all the stress and pressure we put our bodies through each day, it’s important to find ways to take care of it.

Are you somebody that takes an active approach to recovery, or do you wait until an adverse circumstance happens before taking action? I’d recommend taking small steps today towards recovery. It doesn’t need to be some big thing — You just need to get the ball rolling. Perhaps it’s only stretching 5 minutes before and after your workout or getting a quarterly massage. Start small. Don’t be reactive. For us to excel and perform at our best, sufficient recovery is necessary. Your body does so much for you. Why not return the favour?

Question: Are you currently incorporating enough recovery into your daily routine? If not, what could you do differently?

Until next week,

Tyler

Twitter: tcmakepeace

Website: tylermakepeace.substack.com

Instagram: tylertalks.blog

ICYMI: Check out last week’s article below!

Week 39: Getting back on the wagon