How to Improve Recovery Between Intense Workouts

Intense workouts place an enormous amount of stress on the human body.  Whether executing explosive resistance training, extended bodybuilding workouts or high intensity interval training (HIIT) routines, adequate recovery is critical to ensuring maximal results and preventing injury.

How to Improve Recovery

The question of how to improve recovery between intense workouts has been explored and answers sought for decades by scientists, coaches and competitive athletes.  

Thankfully, all of this research has resulted in data that can help us drug-free athletes, bodybuilders and power lifters enhance and expedite recovery for continued progress.

In his book, Power: A Scientific Approach, Dr. Fred Hatfield outlines several variables affecting recovery time and offers valuable tips and pointers on how to recovery quickly between grueling workouts.  

Below is a list of some of the variables discussed in the text:

• Size of Muscle Group – Larger muscle groups require more time to recover than do smaller ones

• Muscle Fiber Type – Fast-twitch muscle fibers take longer to recover than slow-twitch muscle fibers

• Range of Motion – Exercises performed through a full range of motion (ROM) subject the muscles to greater stress, thus requiring more recovery time

• Nutrition – A sound nutritional and supplementation plan can significantly reduce recovery time between intense workouts

• Alcohol Abuse – Regular consumption of large quantities of alcohol can negatively impact exercise recovery

• Age – Older lifters (over age 35) tend to require more recovery time than do younger lifters

• Eccentric Movements – Performing the negative portion of an exercise causes greater muscular damage, thus resulting in greater recovery time requirements

• State of Overtraining – Physical and psychological exhaustion and fatigue can drastically increase the amount of time required to adequately recover between intense workouts

Many of the above variables can be easily addressed.  However, factors such as age cannot be changed but should be strongly considered when designing and implementing a workout, nutrition and supplementation program.  

Size of Muscle Group

Dr. Hatfield applies several of the above factors to a charting system that can aid lifters in determining recovery requirements for specific muscle groups.  Those muscle groups that are composed primarily of fast-twitch muscle fibers and are generally used most frequently, such as the quadriceps and pectorals, tend to require more time to recover.

Alcohol Abuse

Alcohol is a central nervous system (CNS) depressant and impacts every cell in the human body.  As discussed in the article Alcohol and Exercise: Negative Effects, long term alcohol abuse can have a profound impact on exercise recovery.

Chronic drinkers often experience B vitamin deficiencies, liver and kidney problems, dehydration and muscle cell degradation.  These effects can greatly reduce the recoverability of the muscular system and can result in decreased athletic performance. 

Proper Nutrition is Critical

Perhaps the most controllable lifestyle variable that can easily be addressed when trying to improve recovery between intense workouts is nutrition.  Regular ingestion of high quality food sources that contain protein, low-glycemic carbohydrates and essential fatty acids (EFAs) are critical to expedite full recovery between workouts.  Intelligent use of fitness and bodybuilding supplements are indeed an important component in the application of this principal. 

Sleep

One of the most overlooked variables in the improvement of workout recovery is rest, particularly sleep.  The  majority of the body’s natural restoration process occurs during deep sleep. 

Dr. Matthew Walker goes into much greater depth on the science of this concept in his book Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams. (affiliate link)

One of the most important hormones that is responsible for workout recovery, muscle building and fat loss is human growth hormone (HGH).  It is possible to naturally increase growth hormone production through adequate sleep, preferably eight to ten hours per night.  For an increased growth hormone response, one or two short naps during the day is recommended.

While the variables discussed above are by no means exhaustive, they are among the most important and easily manipulated lifestyle and exercise factors that influence exercise recovery.  Application of techniques and strategies that improve recovery between intense workouts can result in greater performance, fewer injuries and improvements in muscle mass and body fat levels.  

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