11 Mar 4 Things You Should Never Do After A Workout

 

Preparing for a workout can actually be kind of fun, hear us out here. You book your favourite boxing class in advance, make sure your comfiest leggings are clean, and plot your escape from work to get to the studio on time.

But then, once you’ve checked “work out” off your to-do list, you probably plop down on the couch and move on with your busy life. Are we right?

Many people aren’t aware that your post-workout routine is almost as important as the workout itself. It’s not that doing the “wrong” thing or activity is going to derail your workout efforts, but there are certain habits that are beneficial after a workout that you shouldn’t ignore.

Whether you have a regular daily workout routine, or are just getting back into exercise, here are some post-workout activities and habits that you should probably avoid.

 

1. Don’t skip the stretch and cool-down

Every minute spent stretching or cooling down after a workout might feel like one more minute you could be outside and living your life, but you really should stretch. Better yet, you should do some sort of self-myofascial release, like roll and release, in order to improve circulation and help relax your muscle tissue after a hard workout.

 

2. Don’t wait to have a snack

Ideally, you should aim to eat within 30-45 minutes after a workout in order for your body to properly synthesise nutrients that will help with muscle repair, according to the American Council on Exercise. Aim to eat something with about a 3-4:1 carbohydrate-to-protein ratio, such as a banana, nut butter, and cup of nut milk.

 

3. Don’t pull an all-nighter

Sleep is a very underrated aspect of workout recovery. During the rapid-eye movement (aka REM) stage of sleep, your body repairs and rebuilds its tissues that were damaged during the day. So, skimping on sleep after a solid workout not only makes it harder to wake up the next morning for your workout, but it also screws with the progress you could otherwise reap.

 

4. Don’t keep your sweaty clothes on

This one is pretty obvious, who wants to continue with their day is slopping wet activewear? Not only will changing out of your sweaty clothes prevent uncomfortable vaginal infections and chafe, but also it will improve your hygiene standards, something that will make you feel better in yourself.

Written by Cory Stieg

After your next sweaty Yogaholics online practice, don’t forget to tick off these 4 must do’s!

This article originally appeared in Refinery 29, see the full article here.

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