Have you ever wondered why it is that pro athletes seem to be able to recover from strenuous activity so quickly? It’s not just their genetics. Instead, it’s all of the things that they’re doing throughout the day to make themselves fitter and stronger. 

In the past, if you wanted to get to the top of a sport, you just had to train harder. Only a vanishingly small number of people were pushing their bodies to the limit. And that’s one of the main reasons why they won. 

Today, though, most people are pushing themselves to the max during training. The emphasis now, therefore, is shifting to recovery. Athletes want to be able to get back into training quicker to give themselves an edge over the competition. 

But what exactly are elite athletes doing to recover more rapidly? And how can you emulate them? 

They Are Eating Berries

Imagine if there was a legal pill that reduced muscle soreness and allowed you to get back in the gym faster without hampering adaptation. People would hail it as a miracle. 

But, as it turns out, there’s no need for a lab to develop any such pill because nature has already done the job for us. Researchers have discovered that eating berries assists muscle recovery without hampering adaptation. In other words, you get just as much adaptation as you normally would, but without the soreness, allowing you to get back into the gym quicker. 

They Are Focusing On A Range Of Nutrients

In the past, athletes would typically focus on getting the optimal macronutrient ratio. Every day they would attempt to get 20 percent protein, 70 percent carbs and 10 percent fat – something like that. 

But as science moves on, we’re realising that macros are a side show. It’s not the isolated compounds that matter so much as the actual food that you eat. 

Because of this, many top athletes, like Novac Djokovic, are focusing more on the foods themselves. They’re not worrying so much about whether specific items on the menu hit their macro ratios. Instead, they are seeking out foods that make their bodies feel better and support their microbiome. 

Focusing on a range of nutrients – besides the essential ones – gives the body new tools it can use to repair itself after training. It’s great for reducing inflammation and even getting rid of excess stress. 

They Build Recovery Days Into Their Schedule

When you train, you put multiple tissues in your body under stress. Lifting weights, for instance, taxes more than just your muscles. It also forces your nervous system into a frenzy and affects how your blood vessels supply your tissues with blood.

Athletes, therefore, build recovery days into their schedules. Many will literally sit on the couch all day eating to provide their bodies with the rest and relaxation that they need to come back stronger. 

Recovery days should be all about recovery. You shouldn’t try to squeeze in a workout here or there. Instead, you should just let your body rest and do what it needs to do. If you are training correctly, you shouldn’t need to work out every day. Training days should provide all the stimulation your body needs to get fitter. 

They Get People To Support Them

Pro athletes usually have a race day entourage – people who support them after they compete. These individuals are waiting in the stands, ready to supply ice packs, heat packs and whatever else the athlete needs. 

If you have the option, it’s nice to bring somebody with you who can help you as you train. They can do things like bring you food or provide you with drinks after a long and challenging event. Having somebody there to support you after a triathlon or a marathon can be a life-saver. 

They Go For Regular Massages

Massage is one of the most powerful tools there is for exercise recovery. A proper deep tissue massage helps to restore blood flow to tired muscles and helps to eliminate waste products. Sports stars who rely on their muscles to function typically get massages immediately after their training sessions. They help to open up the tissue and prime it for healing. 

People who regularly have sore muscles can use skin-based products or a CBD muscle balm. These infuse into the skin and muscle tissue, providing relief at the neurological level. If you’re new to training, they can make it easier for you to get back in the gym faster.

They Take Carbs Right After Exercise

If you want to get the most out of your workouts, taking carbs straight after exercise is essential. Evidence collected over the last half century suggests that people who flood their bodies with carbohydrates seem to recover better than those who don’t. 

There are various theories for why this is the case. The most basic is that people who take carbs are providing their body with the raw material that it needs to come back stronger. Building new tissues requires a lot of energy, so carbs provide that. 

A more sophisticated view sees carbs as priming the body for growth. By changing the hormonal environment of the body after exercise, they create the conditions that will allow muscle to grow. Combining carbs with protein from animals appears even more potent. 

They Pay Close Attention To Hydration Levels

People like to talk about the importance of hydration endlessly. But there is some good science to back up the idea that people who exercise hard should be taking on a lot of fluids. 

Mineral water companies have sometimes exaggerated the benefits of hydration in the past, leading to scepticism. But when you hydrate properly by getting the water and salts that you need, it can improve exercise performance. 

Remember, during exercise, you sweat a lot. This eliminates a lot of salt from the body which can lead to dehydration. If you’re dehydrated, your body is less able to recover and repair. Instead, they slip into maintenance mode, which is the opposite of what you want if you are trying to get super fit.