Fitness enthusiasts and professional athletes alike always strive to find new and effective ways of healing injuries, preventing them with proper care, and of course, reducing muscle and joint soreness that imminently follows a strenuous training session.
However, the most commonly overlooked segment of the training cycle that can impact all of the aforementioned issues is recovery. Every sports-addict spends hours fine-tuning their diet and their exercise regime, but recovery often falls through the cracks. In addition to incorporating rest days into your routine, here are a few ways you can boost your recovery with floatation therapy and other powerful strategies!
Pinpointing your weakest link
First of all, depending on your fitness field, how would you define an exceptionally strenuous workout? Competitive or not, every athlete has their own tempo of training and a system of progression. Many lifters might say that their most demanding cycle is during their peak week, when they go for their PRs, while a cyclist might tell you that having two different workouts during one day (a morning cycling session and an evening gym workout) can be particularly grueling.
Perhaps you find it excruciating to run on a hot day or go rock-climbing in other extreme weather conditions, yet you wouldn’t miss it for the world. It’s especially in these circumstances your body needs extra recovery methods to ward off injuries, stay healthy, and to be able to continue training the next time with less pain and discomfort.
Prevention as your best spotter
Before you even start your challenging workout, plan ahead and implement your own preventative measures. Depending on the sport, they should be designed to not only help you go through the workout harm-free but also handle your post-training muscle aches and CNS recovery. Solid pre- and post-exercise meals are necessary to prevent catabolism and potential issues with the immune system, while regular hydration is essential for a safe workout and recovery alike.
Moreover, what you wear is so much more than a trend – studies have shown that high-quality compressive clothes and state-of-the-art fitness wear are, in general, designed to not only boost your performance during training, but also keep you safe and speed up the recovery. Proper warm-ups and cooldowns also play a pivotal role in your long-term health, so never skip them if you want your next deadlift PR to be safe and strong.
The post-workout floating perks for your body
The sheer luxury of soaking your entire body in the soothing Epsom salts is more than enough to ensure relaxation and rest with endorphins as natural pain-killers rushing through your body. But in addition to the serene and comfortable environment of a soundproof tank and lying immersed in darkness, floatation therapy is a sore body’s dream-come-true. Studies have shown that floating helps reduce lactic acid and pain levels, while exercise-induced cortisol is also lowered as a result of floating.
Chronic pain and lasting tension in your body are also significantly lowered over time, which means that the more often you indulge in floatation, the greater the rewards you will reap, increasing your focus, improving your physical performance and strengthen your mind-muscle connection. Due to its relaxing effect, your quality of sleep and immune function will also improve, helping your body recuperate even after you leave the tank and head home.
Benefits above and beyond the physical
In addition to loosening your muscles and connective tissue, floating is an excellent solution for helping your mind cope with stress-related symptoms, such as low energy levels, blood pressure, a negative mindset and insomnia. Regular floating sessions help create a more mindful, positive attitude in everyday life, while the effects of chronic fatigue wear off slowly, but you will be able to feel the difference after a single session.
With our everyday exposure to stressful situations, noise and significant mental and physical challenges, it’s no wonder we need a powerful tool to relieve stress on a long-term basis. Competitive athletes and your regular gym goers often find it difficult to find an effective solution for optimal recovery, so workouts become a source of stress instead of a serotonin-boost, and this is where floating can step in and save the day.
A few final thoughts
Floating in a weightless state and immersed in Epsom salts is a perfect solution for modern-day athletes who need to keep their workouts and recovery safe, in order to go back to their next routine stress and pain-free, and ready for their next PR. Combined with a solid diet plan and an exercise routine to match your abilities, recovery in the form of floating will ensure that your muscles and your nervous system are up to the task at hand, whatever it may be.
Contact us to find out how we can help you or book a float today!
By Luke Douglas
Editor at ripped.me
