One of the most common questions I get asked about is “How can I recover faster from these workouts?”. I have a pretty steady recovery routine that I like to follow on a daily basis. Here is my basic checklist:
- Consume protein at every meal/snack
- Drink half of my bodyweight in ounces of water every day
- Foam roll for 5-10 minutes pre/post workout
- Stretch/work on flexibility for 5-10 minutes post workout
- Sleep at least 7 hours every night
- Take a 30 minute siesta mid day if possible
- Take an Optimum Omega fish oil pill with each meal throughout the day
- Visit the chiropractor once a month for a tune up
- Plan workouts in advance with muscle recovery in mind
- Listen to the body and throttle back as needed
Recently I have rediscovered one of my favorite supplements that I used to use when I competed in powerlifting back in college: Glutamine! Glutamine is one of the most abundant amino acids in the body and we are often in a Glutamine shortage when we are going through strenuous workouts. Glutamine also helps maintain a healthy blood acidity balance and can reduce Cortisol levels. The main reason I LOVE supplementing with Glutamine is that I can tell a huge difference in my soreness levels post workout! We have just started carrying a Glutamine product at our studio and I’m already having clients come up to me and say that they are noticing a difference in their soreness level as well! Another great thing about Glutamine is that it is relatively inexpensive. We sell the About Time Glutamine product for $16.00 for 250g. There is no flavor so you can add it to any drink or use the “human blender method” like I do and just put the powder in your mouth and swish some water around and swallow!
So here is my Glutamine regimen:
I mix 5g into whatever I’m drinking DURING my workout. If you want to supercharge your workout drink you can mix in a scoop of our AUX energy blend as well.
I take another 5g before bedtime.
If I’m feeling really sore the next day or if I had a very tough workout I will take another 5g dose with my first meal the next morning.
Taking 10-15g per day should make a noticeable difference in your ability to recover out from those tough workout sessions you are doing!
