Among people starting their adventure with strength training, the most common mistake is omitting an important element, i.e. muscle regeneration. Neglecting this factor can be counterproductive. We can very quickly get injured in this way, which will only limit our possibilities and make the road to the dream figure long.
The basis for ignoring regeneration among many people is primarily the expectation of amazing effects in a very short time. That is why so many “beginners” run to the gym every day, regardless of the need to regenerate the body. At the same time, they forget that the process of building a perfect figure is time-consuming and requires long-term effort – systematic training and strong mental commitment are necessary. For this to happen, you need to learn how to do it, how to eat properly and ensure that the effects are permanent and do not harm your health.
A day without training is a day wasted…?
The above statement is very far from the truth. Although many people focused on quick success and muscle building would like to go to the gym every day, this is a big mistake that can result in injuries over time and not bring satisfactory results. Keep in mind that non-training days and the sleep process are two more things that bring us closer to our goal.
Of course, there is no way to determine exactly how much you need to regenerate a given muscle group. This process depends on many factors, such as:
- Age,
- amount of sleep,
- Diet,
- training intensity,
- The way you train
- supplementation,
- Genetics,
- How to spend days off from the gym.
According to generally accepted standards, the body needs from 2 (48 hours, i.e. one day break between workouts) to 10 days for full muscle regeneration. The bigger the muscle group, the more days it takes. Muscle fibers are divided into:
- Fast-shrink – responsible for such activities as sprinting, squeezing weights, jumping, bouncing the ball. They get tired quite quickly and need more time to recover.
- Slow-twitch – engaged in endurance activities, e.g. in long-distance running. They work for hours and don’t need as much recovery time.
Therefore, endurance training allows us to take shorter breaks between training days. How to speed up muscle recovery processes in general? There are several ways to do this:
- Relax, e.g. by listening to music,
- sleep more,
- Consume protein before bed and training,
- Take an ice cold shower after exercise
- hydrate your body,
- Use the sauna or jacuzzi,
- Eat cherries as they reduce muscle pain due to their antioxidant content.