We’ve all been there—crushing a workout, feeling invincible, and then waking up the next day barely able to move. Resistance training does wonders for strength, muscle growth, and overall health, but recovery is where you will see and feel the difference. If you’re not optimizing your recovery, you’re leaving gains on the table and increasing your risk of burnout and becoming sick or injured. So, let’s talk about how to recover like a pro and keep crushing your workouts!

1. Prioritize Sleep

Sleep isn’t just about feeling rested—it’s when your muscles rebuild and repair. Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night. If you’re pushing hard in the gym, your body needs extra time to recover. Some tips to improve sleep:

• Keep a consistent sleep schedule (even on weekends!)
• Limit screen time before bed (blue light messes with melatonin)
• Create a dark, cool, and quiet sleep environment
• Avoid caffeine in the late afternoon

For more sleep tips and why it’s important read Unlocking the Power of Sleep: Why It’s Vital for Your Health.

2. Nail Your Post-Workout Nutrition

Your muscles need fuel to recover. After a tough resistance training session, aim for a combination of protein and carbs to replenish glycogen stores and jumpstart muscle repair.

• Protein: Shoot for 20-40g of high-quality protein within 30-60 minutes post-workout. Options include whey or plant-based protein shakes, lean meats like chicken or turkey, fish, eggs, Greek yogurt, or tofu.
• Carbs: Carbohydrates are crucial to restore muscle glycogen, which gets depleted during training. Opt for whole food sources like oatmeal, quinoa, sweet potatoes, whole grain bread, rice, bananas, apples or berries.
• Fats: While not as crucial immediately post-workout, including healthy fats like avocado, nuts, or olive oil in your next meal can support overall recovery and inflammation management.
• Hydration: Muscles are 70% water. Drink plenty of fluids to replace what you lost through sweat. Water is essential, but if you’ve had an intense workout, adding electrolytes (sodium, potassium, magnesium) can help with muscle function and rehydration.
• Supplements: If you want to optimize further, consider adding creatine (to enhance muscle recovery and strength) and omega-3 fatty acids (to help with inflammation and recovery).

A great post-workout meal could be something like grilled chicken with sweet potatoes and roasted veggies, or a smoothie with protein powder, banana, almond butter, and chia seeds. The key is to provide your body with the right nutrients to repair and grow stronger.

3. Active Recovery & Movement

Lying on the couch all day after leg day might sound appealing, but light movement actually speeds up recovery.

Try:

• A 10-20 minute walk
• Gentle yoga or mobility work
• Light cardio (think low-intensity cycling or swimming)
• Foam rolling and stretching

This keeps blood flowing and delivers nutrients to your sore muscles.

4. Manage Stress (It Affects Recovery More Than You Think)

Your body doesn’t differentiate between physical stress from training and mental stress from life. High cortisol (the stress hormone) can slow down muscle recovery.

• Meditate or do breathwork
• Spend time outdoors (get some sun aka Vitamin D)
• Laugh, hang out with friends, or do something you enjoy
• Avoid overtraining—listen to your body!

5. Use Recovery Tools (But Don’t Rely on Them Too Much)

Things like massage guns, ice baths, saunas, and compression gear can help with muscle soreness and circulation, but they aren’t magic bullets. Use them as part of a balanced recovery plan, not as a substitute for sleep, nutrition, and movement.

• Massage Guns & Foam Rolling: Help release muscle tightness and improve blood flow.
• Ice Baths & Cold Therapy: Can reduce inflammation and muscle soreness, though they may blunt muscle growth if used immediately post-workout. It’s best to use cold therapy 24 hours after the initial workout but say you have a hike or race the next day and don’t want to be as sore, an ice bath would be the way to go.
• Compression Gear: Increases circulation and may reduce muscle swelling.
• Infrared Saunas: These are becoming increasingly popular in recovery routines. Unlike traditional saunas, infrared saunas use infrared light to heat the body directly, promoting deeper tissue, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4493260/ Benefits include:
  • Increased circulation, helping to deliver nutrients and oxygen to muscles.
  • Reduction in muscle soreness and inflammation.
  • Detoxification through sweating, aiding in recovery.
  • Improved relaxation and stress reduction, which indirectly supports muscle recovery by lowering cortisol levels.
  • Enhanced mitochondrial function, which can improve energy production and muscle repair.

For best results, spend 15-30 minutes in an infrared sauna post-workout or on rest days, staying well-hydrated before and after.

The sauna that I use at home in budget friendly and a space saver. We have it in our bedroom but can also be set up outdoors under a covered patio or in the garage. The draw back for a budget friendly sauna is that it’s only a one seater 🥲 and there’s no room to lay down BUT for the money it definitely gets the job done and you feel so relaxed after a session!

If I had the space and money I would get a larger wooden infrared sauna where you can have more space to lie down, have speakers for music and relax a little bit more. So, if you have the means to accommodate a larger sauna you won’t regret it.

6. Optimize Your Training Schedule

Your recovery strategy should match your training intensity. If you’re lifting heavy 5-6 days a week and not allowing enough rest, you’re setting yourself up for burnout. Consider:

• Splitting up muscle groups (e.g., upper/lower splits or push/pull/legs)
• Deload weeks every 4-6 weeks to give your body a break
• Listening to your body—if you’re feeling wrecked, take an extra rest day or two.

7. Track Your Recovery

Pay attention to how you feel. Are you constantly sore? Feeling fatigued all the time? Not progressing in your lifts? Those are signs that you may need to adjust your recovery plan. Keeping a workout and recovery journal can help you spot patterns.

Final Thoughts

Resistance training is amazing for your body, but recovery is where the real progress happens. Think of it as the glue that holds your training together.

Prioritize sleep, fuel your body, stay active, and listen to what your body is telling you. Do that, and you’ll be back in the gym feeling stronger and ready to crush it.

Got any favorite recovery tips that work for you? Drop them in the comments—I’d love to hear them!