Recovery is an essential part of training and yet most people do not recover well enough to make significant improvements in performance. Why? They do a poor job of balancing stress and recovery. If you don’t spend the necessary time recovering from a workout, you run the risk of degrading performance or even worse, injuring yourself. Consistent mobility and recovery sessions can boost performance, help your body heal and prepare for the next workout, and improve your overall health. Want to take your performance to the next level? Check out our list of our Top 10 Recovery Products.
1. Foam Roller
Let’s start with the basics. A Foam Roller is a necessity in every athlete’s tool kit. Foam rolling is a simple way to relieve soreness and reduce inflammation. We recommend foam rolling before, during, and after a workout to see those benefits. When it doubt, roll it out! Ready to upgrade your foam roller? Check out the Hyperice Vyper 2.0 at the LAB which adds vibration to aid in working out even the toughest muscles.
2. Lacrosse Ball
Still keeping it simple, the next up should be a staple in your gym bag. A lacrosse ball is the easiest to find, smallest, and least expensive recovery product out there. You can use the lacrosse ball on all muscle groups. Another perk is that the lacrosse ball can get into those difficult to reach places that a foam roller can’t, like your shoulder or hip. Check out the Hyperice Hypersphere Mini available at the LAB!
3. Theraband
Therabands are great for light-resistance stretches or recovery cooldowns. A huge perk of therabands is that they are light and easy to take with you wherever you go. You can get therabands with different resistance levels to use for different movements and intentions. As always, we recommend staying on the lighter side of resistance for your recovery work.
4. HyperVolt
The HyperVolt percussion massage device is a LAB favorite! This massage gun increases oxygen and blood flow throughout the body, relieves soreness, and can improve overall mobility. You can get similar results to a 30 minute foam rolling session in about 5 minutes, which is great for busy athletes. Grab one today at the LAB.
5. Protein Supplements
If you aren’t getting enough protein post-workout, you are probably not giving your body the nutrients it needs to repair your muscles. We recommend 20 to 30 grams of protein within an hour after your workout to optimize muscle recovery. Ascent Whey is the best mixing protein we’ve ever used, the flavors are fantastic and there are absolutely no artificial ingredients!
If whey protein isn’t your thing, we recommend Vital Proteins Recover. This collagen protein replenishes electrolytes, includes essential vitamins, has 5g of BCAAs to recover better, and supports joint health. Plus, it mixes easily and has great fruity flavors!
6. FitAid RX
There are hundreds of recovery drinks available on the market, but one of our favorites is FitAid RX. FitAid RX is developed with the same vitamins and clean ingredients as other LifeAid beverages, but it adds creatine to help build muscles as you recover.
7. OOFOS Recovery Footwear
While you won’t win any fashion awards in these sandals and shoes, your feet will feel so good you won’t care. A favorite post-workout shoe of our runners and ruckers, nothing feels better on achy feet than putting on a pair of OOFOS slides. Trust us, you won’t be disappointed!
8. NormaTec Boots
Another favorite recovery product of the LAB is the NormaTec 2.0 Compression Boots. These boots use dynamic air compression to aid in flushing the legs after a tough workout or spending all day on your feet. Studies show that a session can help relieve muscle aches and/or pain and temporarily increase circulation resulting in increased flexibility and range of motion, injury prevention, and accelerated recovery time! We recommend a session at least 3 hours after your workout to get the best results. You can book a NormaTec Session at the LAB here.
9. Mat
A mat may seem pretty basic, but you’ll want one for every single mobility session you do for a comfortable, clean surface. Plus, we have some pretty cool enduraLAB mats available for pre-order. If you’re interested, email Whitney to get on the list.
10. Meditation
We all need a little mental recovery! So often we only focus on the body, but calming the mind can aid in stress relief, improve our sleep and improve our overall mood. We’ve been playing with a new product at the LAB called Core and so far we are loving it! Core is for anyone who could use some support in developing a consistent meditation habit. Core’s vibrations center your attention during meditation, and the biosensors give you feedback to see your body’s physical response, including your heart rate variability (HRV), a leading indicator of wellness.
These are our top 10 recovery products! You can go out and buy every single recovery product out there, but remember that nothing can replace the benefits of sleep, hydration, and nutrition. Without these three, the recovery products’ benefits will not be as great. Prioritize your sleep by setting a bedtime reminder on your phone and having a wind down routine. Don’t forget to hydrate before, during, and after your workout. Fill up a couple water bottles with FloWater if you have to! Nutrition can be as easy or tough as you make it, so make sure to schedule a nutrition consultation with Coach Isis if you have any questions.
Most of our recovery products are available in the Pro Shop (at the best prices you can find), so stop by soon to stock up on the necessities! If we don’t carry it at enduraLAB, we’ve linked an option from Amazon. Happy shopping, and happy recovery!
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