Active Recovery
Recovery implies taking a rest from exercise, while activity is the complete opposite.
However, we are designed to move. Every day. And it’s good for us.
What is Active Recovery?
Active recovery is a workout that is performed at a lower intensity, reduced power or lesser resistance than your regular workout. As a complement to your weekly training routine, we have created specific mobility and stretching routines to be performed before and after your workouts to help you prepare and recover from sessions better. Click here to access your 7-day free trial at MOD.
Why is Active Recovery Important?
Active recovery can reduce soreness and speed up the muscle-rebuilding process. For example, after five days of solid training, an active recovery session helps your muscle recovery by increasing blood flow without putting a heavy strain on your muscles and joints.
Active recovery helps by balancing out our high-intensity interval sessions, promoting muscle recovery and maintaining the habit of working out.
Active recovery helps keep the momentum going. Momentum works both ways, so keeping up the habit of exercising on weekends means you’re more likely to stick to it rather than letting a lazy weekend take you off track.
What does Active Recovery look like?
One of the best things about active recovery is that the options are almost limitless. You can change it up as often as you like. Try and pick activities that suit the weather and your environment. That means you’re not locked into a weekend activity you don’t enjoy and won’t commit to.
Making a commitment to active recovery on the weekends can encourage you to try activities you might never have considered before. You can choose something that involves the kids or something to enjoy with a partner, a friend, or alone.
This weekend, head out and try one of the following active recovery options:
- Take a walk
- Longer run at a slower pace
- Bike ride
- Yoga
- Swimming
- Golf or Tennis
Keep it short, keep it simple, and have plenty of variety. But don’t forget, the word here is active!
The important thing is to add some lower intensity downtime and some fun to balance our body and mind for the physical and mental stresses that higher intensity training and life throws our way between Monday to Friday.
Have a great week!
