Before Anna Cockrell became a professional track and field athlete, she didn't always cool down or stretch after exercising. Between night classes and early morning practice in college, she didn't have much time.
Once she started paying attention to her post-workout routine, Cockrell, a two-time U.S. Olympian and Olympic silver medalist, says she saw her fastest times yet.
"The things I'm able to do physically are far greater than anything I've ever been able to do in my life," she says.
Studies have shown that exercise recovery can reduce your risk of injury and soreness and help improve athletic performance. But many people don't prioritize these activities after working out, says Dr. Natasha Desai, co-director of the Center for Women's Sports Medicine at NYU Langone Health.
"People usually only schedule time for that physical stress — and none for support and self-care, which is a recipe for disaster in the long-term," she says.
Whether you're a pro athlete or new to fitness, here are four essential activities to do after hitting the gym — and why you should do them, according to science.
Step 1: Cool down for 10-15 minutes. It'll help prevent dizziness and fatigue.
The cool down is like the off-ramp of your workout. Just as you wouldn't jump immediately into the hardest portion of your exercise session, "it's a bad idea to go straight from your last rep to your car," says Cockrell.
When you exercise, your heart diverts blood flow away from organs that aren't being used, and sends it to your muscles to help them contract. But after you work out, you no longer need that greater blood flow to your muscles.
To redirect blood flow back to your organs, take a moment to cool down, or gradually decrease the intensity of your physical activity. When people skip this step, they might experience a big drop in blood pressure, feel dizzy or fatigued, Desai says.
How to do it: Spend 10 to 15 minutes doing a low-intensity movement of your choice after your workout. That might be speed-walking, slow-jogging or biking at a lower cadence, Cockrell says. You can alternate between the movements.
If that means shaving some time off the hard part of your training session to squeeze in this effort, so be it, Cockrell says. Her workouts are "not complete until I cool down."
Step 2: Roll out your muscles to reduce soreness and boost your athletic abilities.
Now, it's totally fine to feel a little sore after your gym session, Desai says. You might even like it — that soreness means you put in the work.
But if you wake up the next morning feeling like you can't get out of bed, that's too sore, she says. "That means there's so much tension in that muscle that if you worked out hard [the next day or a few days later], you could really injure yourself."
Research has shown that foam rolling your muscles makes a big difference in reducing soreness in subsequent days. It's a type of gentle soft-tissue massage that you can do on yourself after a workout.
One 2015 study had eight male participants do sets of heavy back squats, followed by either no foam rolling or 20 minutes of foam rolling right after, and then again a day and two days later. Those who took the time to foam roll could sprint more quickly and jump farther in follow-up tests. They also reported less pain.
How to do it: You can purchase a basic foam roller in the $10 to $15 range, though if you belong to a gym, they'll likely have some available as well.
Place your foam roller on the ground and lay down on top of it, making sure the muscle you want to hit is positioned above. Then slowly roll your body back and forth for about a minute before hitting the next muscle. Concentrate on the muscle groups you used during your workout — in the above study, participants concentrated on their quads, hamstrings, glutes and more.
Step 3: Stretch your muscles to improve flexibility and prevent injury.
While it's easy to gloss over this step, stretching is key for preventing injury. Doing it regularly helps improve flexibility and range of motion, according to guidance from the Mayo Clinic.
The secret is to strike the right balance of discomfort. It can be tempting to push the limits of your flexibility, but stretching should never feel painful, Cockrell says.
How to do it: If you're not sure which stretches are best, start with the basics. If you feel pain, scale back. These stretches should feel like a light pull on your muscles. Aim to hold them for about 30 seconds, according to the Mayo Clinic.
- Quadriceps stretch: Grab one ankle and gently pull your heel back toward your butt. Hold that position for about 30 seconds. Then switch sides.
- Knee-to-chest stretch: Lie on your back and hold one knee to your chest until you feel light resistance. Hold for about 30 seconds, then alternate sides.
- Yoga: Cockrell likes to take yoga classes on her off days. Rather than aiming to nail the poses, she likes to "work toward progression."
Step 4: Eat protein right after exercising to build up new muscle fibers.
When you work out, you create microtears in your muscle fibers. In response, your body repairs those weaker muscle fibers and fortifies them, making them stronger.
To build up those fibers, eat some protein as soon as possible after a workout, says Jeremy Ford, a sports dietitian and nutritionist at the University of South Carolina.
Your body "is in a state of increased ability to use protein," and will break it down into amino acids that are then incorporated into those new muscle cells.
How to do it: You can get your protein from a variety of sources. If you're rushing to get home after hitting the gym, try a chocolate milk, protein shake or protein bar, Ford says.
Your protein doesn't need to come from animal sources. "Think lentils, lima beans, kidney beans, almonds, peanuts, sunflower seeds, tofu or edamame," he says.
Bonus tip: Draw yourself a relaxing bath.
Cockrell likes to take baths three to four times a week. She adds essential oils and Epsom salts to kick her bath up a notch – research has shown that Epsom salt can help lower inflammation and relax your muscles.
Recovery doesn't always need to feel like work, she says. It can feel like an indulgence too.
The digital story was edited by Meghan Keane. The visual editor is Beck Harlan. We'd love to hear from you. Leave us a voicemail at 202-216-9823, or email us at LifeKit@npr.org.
Listen to Life Kit on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and sign up for our newsletter. Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekit.
300x250 Ad
300x250 Ad