Gulp … gulp … gulp … ahhh! … Oh hey Inner Strength listener. What’s up? I didn’t see you there. I was just downing a tall glass of water. You should be drinking one, too. Water is extremely important and relevant to the topic we’re going to discuss today, which is how to recover your body after taxing workouts.

This podcast comes as a special request from one of my clients, and I’ll tell you, I have been extremely high on good recovery ever since I experienced the excruciatingly painful consequences of no recovery following the weeks upon weeks of intense work leading up to the 2007 IFBB state championships.

Settle in, and take notes on the knowledge I’m about to drop on you because it will help you get better results -- bigger gains in less time while reducing soreness and protecting against tactile and nervous system injury.

Are you training hard enough for recovery to be an issue?

Most people don’t. When I say “hard enough” I mean how much of your nervous system are you activating when you train? If you are training at an intense level then recovery, i.e., proper rest, becomes extremely important. Here’s what you’re gonna need to know:

• How often you REALLY need to train hard in order to see great results (06:10)
• What recovery days do for your body and your sympathetic and parasympathetic systems (06:56)
• Don’t just sit there! What you need to be doing on recovery days (06:41)
• The one exercise you must do on your recovery days to lower the stress hormone, cortisol (06:48)
• What a cup of water and your nervous system have in common (07:37)
• How high focus and creativity can use just as much energy as working out (08:11)
• The absolute best time to work out to get your brain fired up and eliminate the issue of willpower (08:05)

The best diet … AND the best recovery tool … Sleep!

Sleep is your body’s natural recovery and repair tool. When you sleep, your body regulates hormones and recharges the brain. This is why when I hear so-called gurus talking about their “strug-life”, “sleep when you die” mindset, I have a hearty belly laugh. I’d do it right in their face, too, because I know it’s all a bunch of nonsense. If they are doing this, I can guarantee you it’s not often, and if it is, their productivity and creativity are so impaired, it might even make me sad for them. Don’t buy them day-old donuts. Here’s what you need to know about what happens when you sleep:

• The absolute best sleep cycle that maximizes the average person’s circadian rhythm (09:16)
• What your body does between the hours of 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. that will make you want to have your teeth brushed and head on the pillow by 9:30 each night (09:10)
• Why deep sleep between the hours of 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. is so important for your creativity and productivity (09:25)
• There are some people who are the sleepless elite, but chances are, you ain’t it (10:06)

The one thing ain’t the only thing when it comes to nutrition and recovery ...

Amino acids are the building blocks for rebuilding your muscle tissue. You need lots of good high-quality protein (i.e., amino acids) for recovery, but you’ll also need more. Learn:

• Why eating only protein will slow your recovery to a crawl (11:29)
• What else you should be eating (11:42)
• How much water you need to be drinking. (This is VERY important!) (12:06)
• How anabolic steroids work and how they enhance recovery (11:55)
• The supplements that will help you recover faster (13:12)
• What is really going on when you’re sore (12:51)
• What to do to promote healing and rejuvenate your nervous system (14:33)

Massage and stretching …

Here are a few other things that help cut recovery time, release endorphins and promote nervous system rejuvenation:

• The magic touch! How massage helps with recovery (15:39)
• A way of stretching that feels amazing, loosens tight joints and muscles and will leave you feeling like a million bucks! (16:04)
• Go dark, float and soak. How deprivation tanks promote recovery (16:23)
• Don’t be a deloading dummy. Just listen to your body for when you need to scale back (17:04)

Well, friends, this was a full episode. There was a lot of great information you can use right away to help you get the most out of your training. Remember, stress comes in many forms and you can use these tips to deal with stress in all of its forms. Now get out there and get after it! You’re stronger than you know.

More next time!

Peace,

• Kyle Newell

If you have show suggestions or an interesting idea you want me to talk about, please contact me at [email protected] or at [email protected]. You can also leave a comment or review on today’s show. We love hearing from you!