The Best Active Recovery Workout Includes These 6 Moves

Even though I’m a longtime recreational athlete, this is the first time I’ve incorporated active recovery into my routine. In the past, I’ve planned my own schedule with running days, strength training days, and complete rest days. But this year, I decided to work with a trainer to prevent midlife injuries.

I decided to do strength training two days a week to supplement my running, and when I checked my training app I was surprised to see that there were three workouts.

One of them was called “active recovery.” That’s not something we discussed.Did I have to give up a precious rest day? But since I had his cooperation for my own benefit, I had no choice but to try.

Honestly, I’m now a believer. The recovery workout was the perfect amount of exercise to loosen up stiff, aching joints and muscles without breaking a sweat.

So how do you know how much to do on an active recovery day? Are active recovery days better than rest days? And how often should you do active recovery days?

We asked personal trainers to answer these questions and share their must-have moves to create the best active recovery workout.

The benefits of active recovery and complete rest

What’s the benefit of active recovery over lazy days? “Movement gets the blood flowing.” Nicole Winter, CPTSenior Coach Ladder“You’ve probably heard the expression ‘exercise is lotion’ and this is exactly why it’s so important to incorporate active recovery to help your body recover after intense exercise.”

Anyone who has ever spent hours on the couch knows that it can stiffen your joints. Grey’s Anatomy I’m a binge watcher, so my breaks often involve stumbling to the bathroom or the fridge, but the benefits of active recovery make it worth it.

1. Improved recovery time

Exercise fatigues muscles, and the body adapts to the demands by rebuilding muscle tissue. Active recovery Improve¹ This recovery period.

Rest is a key component of fitness, says Shawn Steerforth, NASM-CPT, a stretching expert. Stretch LabBecause of its benefits, active recovery is recommended over inactive rest days.

“[Active recovery] “It increases blood circulation, reduces muscle stiffness, speeds up muscle repair and rejuvenates the body without requiring the same intensity as regular training,” he says.

2. Reduce pain and inflammation

Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is no joke. It makes sneezing, laughing, and even sitting uncomfortable. Does it make you hate taking bathroom breaks on leg day? Muscle edema (swelling) and inflammation could be the cause of your muscle pain and stiffness. Active recovery is help.²

When you train hard, your lactic acid levels rise. When lactic acid builds up, it causes acidosis and makes your muscles hurt. The faster you can get rid of it, the better you’ll feel. By comparison³ Compared to passive rest, active recovery speeds up the process significantly.

Several the study^Four Active Recovery suggests that cold water immersion may have anti-inflammatory effects without freezing the body.

3. Improved flexibility and mobility

Dynamic stretching (deliberate stretching that goes through a full range of motion) should be done regularly as part of the best active recovery training. Improve^Five It increases the range of motion of your joints and improves your flexibility.

You don’t need to be as flexible as a world-class gymnast, but improved flexibility will allow you to move more efficiently and reduce the risk of strain. Adding in range-of-motion exercises will make your muscles more flexible, improving your movement and preventing injury.

What is Active Recovery?

Most exercise puts some kind of physical stress on the body. If your body can recover and adapt to the training load, that stress can be a good thing and you’ll come back healthier and stronger. Recovery and repair are just as important as hard training.

“Active recovery should look like a very relaxed, low-impact workout.” —Nicole Winter, CPT

So what exactly is the difference between active recovery and a regular workout? The effort. You don’t have to push yourself, says Winter. “Active recovery is like a very relaxed, low-impact workout. Your heart rate should stay low and steady without spiking.”

Regular training involves challenging yourself and getting out of your comfort zone. Active recovery is the opposite: “Keep your heart rate between 30 and 60 percent of your maximum rate and do exercises that promote recovery without putting too much stress on your body,” suggests Steerforth.

To estimate your maximum heart rate, use 220 minus your age. Then multiply by 0.3 and 0.6 to get your target range. (If you’re 35 years old, your maximum heart rate is about 185 beats per minute, so an optimal active recovery workout would keep your heart rate below 111 bpm.) You don’t have to exercise very much to reach this goal.

How often should you do active recovery?

If you’re looking to improve your strength and overall health, how often should you have an active recovery day? Winter incorporates active recovery one day each week for his clients. “That means programming in about 10 minutes of guided stretching, if that’s what you like to do, which is a great way to incorporate structured active recovery.”

Just 10 minutes, one day a week, with minimal effort? Sounds very doable.

What kind of exercise is best for active recovery?

The type of exercise you do on your active recovery days is entirely up to you, but remember to keep it moderate.

“Active recovery could include LISS (low-intensity steady-state aerobic activity, or mobility and dynamic stretching). This could be a walk with the dog, a 15-minute flow yoga session, or a slow-paced cycling session,” says Winter.

Don’t want to choose for yourself? These exercises from Steerforth and Winter combine to make the best active recovery workout:

How to do the best active recovery workouts

1. Walking

It doesn’t get any easier than that: Whether on a treadmill or outdoors, “walking is a really simple and easy way to get your blood flowing, with the added bonus of getting you to walk more often,” says Winter.

1. Keep your head up. Try to keep your gaze level instead of looking down.
2. Keep your shoulders relaxed and your arms slightly bent and swinging naturally.
3. The pace should be moderate – fast enough to get your heart rate up a little, but slow enough that you can carry on a conversation comfortably.
4. This part of the active recovery workout is time- and Daily Step GoalBut aim for at least seven minutes.

2. Standing Quadriceps Stretch

Is your lower body sore from leg training? “This stretch targets your quads, and I like this move because it helps you maintain balance and also releases tension in your quads,” explains Steerforth.

1. Start with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Firm your pelvis and squeeze your right glute.
3. Grab your right foot and lift it up, as close to your hips as possible.
4. Keep your shoulders down and back.
5. To maintain your balance, focus on a spot on the floor or hold on to something to keep you stable.
6. Hold for 30 seconds, then switch to the other side.

3. Down Dog to Up Dog

It’s simple, but effective! “Following a yoga sequence, like downward dog to upward dog or forward bend to half lift, can help you get in tune with your body and relieve any soreness you may have from the previous day’s workout,” says Winter.

1. Start on all fours with your hands shoulder-width apart and your fingers spread apart, and your feet hip-width apart.
2. Curl your toes and engage your core as you lift your hips back. Straighten your legs so that your body forms a “V.”
3. Hold for a breath and come into a plank position, keeping your elbows close to your body.
4. Lower your hips toward the floor and lift your chest forward.
5. Keeping your neck in a neutral position, look ahead with your shoulders down and back – this is Upward Facing Dog Pose.
6. Hold your breath and return to Down Dog.
7. Repeat this sequence for a minute, then place your knees on the floor if you need to take a break.

4. Forward bending

Steerforth recommends this stretch as it works the hips, mid-back, and hamstrings: “A lot of exercises put a lot of strain on the back and hamstrings, so this is a good move.” For an added twist, try bending your back 90 degrees and raising one arm up towards the sky.

1. Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
2. Bend at the waist, keeping your back straight and bending your knees slightly so they touch the floor.
3. As you exhale, lower your torso towards the floor and release completely.
4. Inhale, place your hands under your knees and lift your body slightly so that it is bent at a 90-degree angle.
5. I hold my breath and sink again.
6. Repeat for 30 seconds.

5. Targeted Stretching

Find any tight muscles and gently stretch them. Performing both dynamic and static stretches “increases blood flow to the muscles and increases range of motion,” says Winter. This stretch, which Winter says is great for relieving quad and hamstring pain.

1. To perform the hurdle stretch, first sit on the floor.
2. Bend your right knee and place your right foot slightly back.
3. Extend your left leg straight out in front of you, toes pointing up.
4. Keeping your chest high, grab hold of your left foot with your left hand until you feel a stretch in your front leg.
5. Hold the stretch for three breaths, then switch to the other side.
6. Repeat for 30 seconds.

6. Low Lunge Hip Opener

Feeling stiff from sitting? “This move opens up your hips and stretches your hip flexors and hamstrings,” says Steerforth, who also gives your mid-back a nice stretch.

1. Start by kneeling on your right knee and bending your left leg at a 90-degree angle in front of your body.
2. Keeping your chest and head up, slowly lean forward. You should feel a stretch in your right hip flexor (the front of your hip joint).
3. Place your right hand on the floor parallel to your left foot and raise your left arm overhead in line with your right arm.
4. Hold your breath.
5. Repeat on the other side for 30 seconds.