
2 minute read
Recovery is Key!
AFTER an intense workout session, do you do a cool down or recovery session? If you don’t, you should start as soon as possible because it allows the body to recover and heal more efficiently. Examples of recovery sessions include stretching, breathing, ice baths, infrared saunas, hyperbaric chambers, cryotherapy, massage, foam rolling, and many more.
When stretching make sure you are allowing up to 2 minutes per stretch to get the maximum benefits. Now, you might think that is long for a stretch, but it’s not. You must realize people sit a majority of the time which is compressing and tightening areas such as the neck, hips, and knees. We should stretch these areas out more frequently to combat those areas which normally hold pain and tightness. There are a wide range of different stretches so try a few and see what gives you the best results.
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As stated in a previous article, breathing is very important and plays a major role in recovery. “Breathing is very important to the body because it is not only supplying new oxygen to the body, but it is allowing the body to circulate newly oxygenated blood carrying more nutrients and supplements to the body during the inhale, while during the exhale it disposes of the waste known as carbon dioxide.” You can do breathing techniques before, after, or before and after your workouts to aid in the body’s recovery. Once again, there are a wide range of different breathing techniques so check some out and see what works best for you.
This might not seem fun, but ice baths are amazing for recovery because it reduces muscle pain, soreness, and inflammation after workout sessions. You can buy ice bags and dump them in your tub, you can buy ice bath-designed products, or you can use mother nature if you live in colder environments. Obviously, some ways are cheaper than other so see what fits within your budget.
IWANTED TO COMBINE the next three techniques only because they can be very expensive and bulky for some so it would be best to join a gym or medical facility that owns the equipment. The three techniques are infrared saunas, hyperbaric chambers, and cryotherapy. By adding these recovery techniques to your pre-orpost workout session you will not only feel better but will have more effective workouts because you are healing the muscles with heat, oxygen, and cold. How, you ask? Infrared saunas use infrared light to heat your body, not heating the air around you like steam saunas, and penetrate deep into the muscles to heal them. Next, using a hyperbaric chamber allows for a quicker way to get the oxygen levels up to repair tissues and restore body function back to normal. It also helps with wounds and infections that aren’t healing fast due to lack of oxygen. Last, cryotherapy uses liquid nitrogen which is extremely cold dry air to induce a response from the circulatory system, nervous system, or energy meridians to heal the body.

The last two techniques I am going to talk about are massage and foam rolling. Both these techniques help relieve muscle tightness, soreness, inflammation, and increase joint range of motion because they work on releasing the myofascial tissue that becomes stiff and stuck. They both open the muscles and increase blood flow which allows the body to heal quicker. Ask a licensed massage therapist for help if you are injured so they can properly work out the areas to aid in the best recovery. If seriously injured consult a medical doctor for further assistance. l

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