пятница, 22 августа 2014 г.

Post-Workout Recovery Tips From Olympian Dara Torres

Post-Workout Recovery Tips From Olympian Dara Torres
Photograph courtesy of WH Editors

You'd think Dara Torres would be satisfied. The twelve-time Olympic medalist is one of the country's top female swimmers-in fact, she's tied with Jenny Thompson for the most medals ever won by a female US swimmer. But that isn't enough for her. At 45 years old, Torres attempted to make her sixth Olympic team-and get the chance to end her career on top. While her performance at the 2012 U.S. Swimming Olympic Trials was nothing short of astonishing, a lot has changed since the Torres set the world record in the 50-meter free when she was just 15 years old. And she certainly can't train the same way she could as a teenager.


"You've got to have perseverance and believe that you can do it," says Torres, "It's definitely much harder this time around but I thrive on that. I like having obstacles in my way." One thing she's gained with age is the ability to tackle those obstacles in the most efficient way possible. To be so successful for so long, she's had to master the perfect balance of pushing and resting. Here, Torres shares her stay-young recovery tips to supercharge your fitness routine—whether you're 15 or 45.


Get Some Zzz's Most people don't realize that it's during sleep when your body rebuilds and recovers, says Rachel Cosgrove, trainer and co-owner of Results Fitness in Santa Clarita, California. "You don't get results from the workouts themselves, you get results from recovering from them, and building up fitter and stronger than before." Torres agrees: "I get cranky if I don't get 8 hours of sleep." To make the most of each minute under the covers, Cosgrove suggests having a nightly bedtime ritual. That can include reading a book, having a cup of tea, and switching off your TV and computer at least an hour before bedtime (the light from the screens tells your brain it's time to be awake). Torres says it's worth investing in a comfortable pillow (She uses the Sleep Innovations Rejuvenation pillow available on Target.com for $79.99).


Silence Pain Soreness from yesterday's workout shouldn't be an excuse to skip today's. Each workout causes microscopic damage to your muscle fibers—a process that sounds scary, but is actually natural; it's the way your body builds muscle. The problem: You can feel your hard work the day later thanks to an effect known as delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). As long as soreness doesn't persist longer than 72 hours, and you don't feel like you've strained something, there are simple tricks to minimize the pain. Most effective? Massage. "Massages break up tight muscles, lessen the chance of soreness, and essentially allow your muscles to recover faster," says Torres, who gets one every day (lucky girl!). Can't dole out that kind of dough? Recruit a partner or friend and pull off a massage swap. Another great option for pain relieve, as Cosgrove suggests, is rolling out tight muscles with a foam roller. Icing sore spots after a tough sweat session can also help, says Cosgrove or try using a pain-relieving gel (Torres uses Bengay, available at drugstores).


Stretch It Out: Cosgrove says stretching is beneficial and something people don't do often enough. "Biomechanics has shown that the best way to stretch muscles is by contracting and lengthening them at the same time," says Dara. Here are three stretches to try that she does regularly (from her book Gold-Medal Fitness, available on Amazon.com from $6.72:


For your outer thighs: The Knee to Chest Stretch 1. Lie on your back with your head supported by a pillow, towel, or rolled mat. Cross your left foot over your right knee. Clasp your hands around your uncrossed (right) leg, behind the thigh. 2. Push out with your crossed left leg, contracting your glutes and iliotibial band. 3. As you contract the left leg into the right thigh, use the right leg and the arms to pull the right leg into the body. 4. Pull your right knee to your chest until you can no longer resist. 5. Release and return to start position. 6. Do 5-10 reps on each side.


Original article and pictures take www.womenshealthmag.com site

пятница, 15 августа 2014 г.

Post-Workout Recovery Tips for Cheerleaders and Gymnasts

Post-Workout Recovery Tips for Cheerleaders and Gymnasts

This article originally appeared on BetterBraces.com.


Practice does help make you better. But if you want to tumble stronger, jump higher, and kick better, then you’ve got to focus on your recovery just as much as practice.




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Just like any other sport, cheerleaders and gymnast need to take the time to practice, strength-train and stretch—this is especially important to increase flexibility. With so much pressure, bodyweight and demand place on the body during cheer and gymnastics, athletes need to also take part in a proper recovery program daily.


Post-workout recovery is more than just a cool down stretch. Post-workout recovery involves stretching, rolling, icing and more. It allows your body to repair the muscles that were worked during activity so they are healthy to go the next day.


Recovery Tips and Tools


Stretching

Stretching helps increase your range of motion, which decreases the resistance on your muscles during activity, improving your flexibility.


Electric Muscle Stimulation (EMS) Compex

Consider a Compex device to recover faster and pain-free. This small EMS device is like a self-massager. Small electronic pulses are delivered to your nerve fibers in order to create involuntary muscle contractions—bringing fresh oxygen and nutrients to your muscles to flush toxins out within 4 to 6 minutes. Simply put the small self-adhesive pads (electrodes) on the muscle area you’d like to work. Select recovery and let Compex help you get repair your muscles.


Ice Therapy (Hyperice)

Ice therapy can help reduce inflammation or joint pain that occurs post workout. You should apply ice after a workout or practice to keep swelling at a minimum. Hyperice keeps the ice in place while applying compression to the sore/worked area—reducing your risk for injury.


Self-massage

Studies suggest that post-workout massage reduces swelling, preventing sports-like injuries. And who doesn’t love a massage? Simply use a foam roller or small firm ball to roll out sore muscles from your practice. This simple practice flushes lactic acid out, reducing the next-day soreness.


Topical Pain Relief

Topical creams and gels can offer a little heat when muscles are tense, allowing your body to reduce stiffness. A tight muscle limits your range of motion, which is an open door to injury. Apply a small amount to your injured area to get the blood flow moving and ease tension.


Bracing Solutions

With a little compression and muscle support, braces can help take away chronic muscle pain. If you have nagging pains from repetitive wear and tear, look for a wrap that can allow you to stay moving without any limitations. A basic brace can support and reduce pain, giving you the confidence you need to jump, kick, flip and tumble.


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Original article and pictures take www.activekids.com site

вторник, 5 августа 2014 г.

Post-Workout Mistakes That Cause Weight Gain

Post-Workout Mistakes That Cause Weight Gain

Feeling like you hit the gym pretty regularly but aren't seeing results? One of these post-workout habits may be sabotaging your weight-loss results.


  1. You reward yourself too much: The workout's done, the sweaty clothes are off, and you've been eyeing that piece of cake for a while. While occasional indulgences are smart — and necessary — using your workout as an excuse to help yourself to junk food is not going to get you the results you're after, so don't use the fact that you've just burned 300 calories as an excuse to indulge in twice that much.
  2. You skip the stretch: You may think of the cooldown as a waste of time, but regularly skipping your post-workout stretches will put you at risk for injuries that will sideline your weight-loss progress by keeping you out of the gym.
  3. You recover with a sports drink: Sugary sports drinks can replenish electrolytes, but if you've just finished a short workout, the extra calories are probably unnecessary. Save the sports drinks or coconut water for intense workouts lasting more than an hour or for workouts in hot weather.
  4. You use it as an excuse: Monday's boot-camp class was so hard, so you can be forgiven for nursing your sore muscles until the start of next week, right? Not the best idea if you want to see pounds dropping on the scale. Make sure you get at least 300 minutes of vigorous exercise every week in order to stay on the right weight-loss track.
  5. You wait too long to eat: Refueling soon after a workout is crucial because it's what helps you rebuild muscle after a workout. Since the more muscle mass you have, the higher your metabolism, make sure you fit a snack of carbs and protein into your post-workout ritual.
  6. You don't schedule the next one: You should pat yourself on the back for finishing this workout, but don't let your self-congratulations get in the way of scheduling your next workout. You'll only see progress if you make exercise a consistent part of your week.

Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography


Original article and pictures take media1.popsugar-assets.com site