It’s important to note that recovery doesn’t mean sitting on the couch eating junk food. In reality, that’s more often an excuse for laziness and is not a recipe for building good habits or the fitness level you want. Such a misconception may be a reason you think a recovery day isn’t an option for you in your current workout plan, especially if you have a specific goal in mind. 

     Admittedly, that sort of recovery won’t do much to help you. Recovery works primarily by helping your muscles rebuild themselves after a strenuous workout. The basic idea behind exercise is that, by challenging your body, you encourage it to rebuild itself in order to handle the increased workload. With that being said, it’s simple to see why recovery is so important. If your body never has a chance to rebuild, you probably won’t see results. 

     Active recovery might be a better term for what is meant in the fitness industry by recovery. A tough workout may leave you sore and unable to move, but active recovery can help you stretch sore muscles and aid in the rebuilding process. Whether that’s light cardiovascular activity (like walking), light body-weight exercises, or stretching, the key is to keep muscles moving to avoid tightness while stimulating them. Muscles need time to recover from a load or from strenuous activity, but keeping them loose avoids excessive soreness and keeps them stimulated to rebuild stronger. Yoga is an excellent way to recover while still keeping your muscles engaged, with the added benefit of improving strength and flexibility.

     It’s critical to pay attention to health and nutrition during your recovery phase. Getting a full night of sleep is crucial to providing your muscles the time they need to recover, and keeping hydrated helps you avoid cramps and keeps your body working optimally. Likewise, making sure you get the right nutrition helps encourage your muscles to rebuild properly.