Often feel that you aren’t recovering fast enough? Its time to stop blaming old age and work on speeding recovery.

A good warmup and cool down before and after the workout keeps your body happy and ready for the rest of the week.

It boosts recovery, prevents sore muscles and keeps the body mobile and what’s best, you are working on improving mobility in the long run.

Here are a couple of rough guidelines to prep your body for the WOD and some ideas for cooling down that engine after a tough one.

Pre-workout prep (15min):
-Try come to the box a while before the class starts

– Get on a rower or an Airbike if available and get that blood running. You can also go for a short run. Keep it short. Get that heart pumpin’.

– Grab a roller and roll about 6 times (back and forth) per major muscle group (Quads, hamstrings, calves, upperback/shoulder blades, triceps, deltoids/ shoulders). Should’nt take longer than a couple of minutes.

– If squats are on the menu, get into a deep squat and chill out for a minute pushing the knees forward to open up the ankles.

In combo with the class warmup your engine will be greased and ready to tackle the WOD.

Post-workout (cooldown)
Cooling down after a sweaty metcon is a great way to boost recovery. Flush out that lactic acid build up.

-Jump on to a rower and do a chilled 500m row.

-Grab a roller and a ball and do a few light passes. Its a great moment to chat to your gym mates.

Post-workout (at home)
Leave most of the longer stretching for home.

– The famous couch stretch (called that due to the fact that you can actually do it on your couch at home) will open up your hip and stretch the quads, whats best, you can do this while watching your favourite tv show

– Jump off the couch and get into the pigeon stretch position on the ground. Hold for 2min / side.

– Staying hydrated after the workout will also help you recover, flushing all that gunk build up in the body after a heavy workout.

TLDR:
Warmup’s and cooldown’s speed recovery
6 passes with the roller before class
500m row after class to cooldown
Few passes with the rollers after class and socialize
Stretch at home
Drink water

Best regards,

North Engine Crew