The Importance of Recovery after a Boxing Class

Can you honestly say that after every workout or class, you take some extra time for stretching or active recovery? Proper recovery after any physical activity is important for many reasons as it allows time for muscle healing and repair, improved performance, and reduced risk of injury. 

Although there can be several ways to incorporate recovery into your post-exercise routine, we specifically want to touch on some different ways to recover after a boxing class!

1. First and foremost (this is a no-brainer) DRINK WATER- and lots of it. Your body loses a lot when you’re working hard and dehydration makes it much harder on your body to recover. Other fluids can be helpful in replacing electrolytes too such as coconut water, natural fruit waters and sports drinks such as Powerade/Gatorade. 

2. Consuming proper nutritious foods. Proteins made up of amino acids are important for rebuilding and restoring the damage done to your body during your workout. Carbs and fats are also important to restoring your body for peak performance. Your diet highly depends on your goals so keep in mind that if you are trying to lose, maintain weight, or build/tone muscle- your consumption is going to look very different; But all in all proper nutrition is very important to your recovery process.

3. Stretching is very important for cooling down your muscles after a tough workout in class. Be mindful that if you are stretching long after your initial workout that you don’t over-do it. That’s right- if your muscles aren’t warmed up to some extent, stretching can actually do more harm than good, listen to your body and what it needs! Foam rolling is a great option for this!

4. Alternating heat/ice as well as recovery aids such as CBD, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDS) like Ibuprofen, Naproxen, Advil, Aleve can be useful. These modalities are especially helpful if there is any soreness/pain or existing injury that may be persisting. 

5. Sleep, sleep, sleep. Nothing heals the body faster than good quality rest. Make sure that you are comfortable, preferably in a dark, cool, quiet environment to get some shut eye. This aspect of recovery not only heals your body, but allows your brain to rest in order to function efficiently for peak performance. 

Keeping a simple post-class routine to make sure that you are cooled down and your muscles are ready to repair is so important. There are obviously many more ways to go about your recovery process, but these are key aspects to making sure you are feeling great and are ready to go for your next class!