March 28, 2025—Now that the weather is warming up, it's a good time to start, restart or step up your workout routine. But just as getting regular exercise is important, so is your recovery afterward.
Why workout recovery is important
When you exercise, you are placing stress on your body, explains the American Physical Therapy Association. Working your muscles causes tiny tears. And, during high-intensity exercise, your muscles use enzymes and glycogen (a kind of sugar) for fuel. At the same time, lactate and other waste products build up.
That might sound bad, but all that stress is actually a good thing. As you recover from it, your body starts to adapt to the challenge it faced, and your muscles get stronger and more efficient.
Recovery is a crucial part of that cycle. According to the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), when you don't give your body a chance to repair the stress of your training, you raise your risk of injury, illness or overtraining.
Workout recovery tips
According to NASM, most people don't need to go to extremes to recover from their exercise routines. But a few simple tips can help you maximize recovery—and get the most from your workout.
Stay active, just less so. You don't have to sit on the couch and do nothing to recover after working out. In fact, low-intensity activity can help your muscles remove fatigue chemicals and stimulate healing, says NASM. So take a leisurely walk or bike ride to help your muscles bounce back. This is known as active recovery.
Don't be afraid to take a day off. Just because active recovery is good for you doesn't mean that you should never take a day off from exercise. Give yourself permission to skip a workout, especially if you've been training hard or notice your exercise performance getting worse instead of better.
Try cross-training. Cross-training involves doing different activities on different days of the week. This can help by not overtraining the same muscles day after day. If you lift weights on Monday, for example, hop on the treadmill or go for a swim on Tuesday.
Refuel. Your body pulls nutrients from the foods you eat to fuel your exercise session. Replenishing these fuels helps the muscles repair while rebuilding your energy supply.
The American Heart Association recommends including healthy carbs (like whole-grain bread and brown rice), fats (such as salmon and nuts) and proteins (think skinless chicken breast, beans and lentils) in your post-exercise meal. Drink plenty of water to rehydrate your body too.
Ask an expert. To make the most of your training—or if you're concerned about an injury or medical condition—ask your doctor or physical therapist for personalized advice on balancing exercise and recovery.
Considering an ice bath?
Cold temps may help reduce inflammation and help the body remove waste products, reports the American Council on Exercise. But evidence is mixed. And some research indicates it might be more helpful in the short term. Over time, it may slow the body's adaptation to exercise.
Learn more
Do you get sore muscles after working out? Learn ways to deal with muscle soreness so it doesn't stop you from reaching your fitness goals.
Sources
- American Council on Exercise. "Do Women Have Different Recovery Needs?" https://www.acefitness.org/continuing-education/certified/november-2022/8164/do-women-have-different-recovery-needs.
- American Council on Exercise. "The Science of Post-Exercise Recovery." https://contentcdn.eacefitness.com/SAP-Reports/Post-Exercise_Recovery_SAP_Reports.pdf.
- American Council on Exercise. "Training Recovery: The Most Important Component of Your Clients' Exercise Programs." https://www.acefitness.org/certifiednewsarticle/2757/training-recovery-the-most-important-component-of-your-clients-exercise-programs.
- American Heart Association. "Food as Fuel Before, During and After Workouts." https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/nutrition-basics/food-as-fuel-before-during-and-after-workouts.
- American Physical Therapy Association. "Tips to Recover From a Workout." https://www.choosept.com/health-tips/tips-recover-from-workout.
- National Academy of Sports Medicine. "Exploring the Science of Recovery." https://blog.nasm.org/the-science-of-recovery.