Post Workout – The Body’s Recovery Period

Among body builders and body fitness devotees, post workout is that particular phase that follows right after the intensive exercise routines to build muscles for the body. This is the time duration until the next scheduled workout. This is also the time when the body would need to replenish its energy store.

During the period of intense workout sessions, the body suffers damages to the tissues at the micro level. The damage happens because the body fuels the whole workout activity. In the end, the workout does make for a stronger, fitter and muscular build. It also screams the need for repair.

This is natural since the just-finished exercise had depleted the body of its natural stores of essential nutrients. The muscles, the proteins, and the glycogen have been broken and there is need for an after workout repair and restoration.  

Reversing changes 

There is need to arrest these and reverse the changes in the body. The pre-workout supplements do help greatly but the breakage of muscles can be more than what you have prepared for.

The need is to take the post workout supplements immediately after the workout (at least within the next 45 minutes). This is the time when it is most effective to put back into the body what had been taken out (or broken down).

Re-hydration

The first order would be re-hydrating the body with water or preferably water with added electrolytes for fast absorption into the system. The following post workout supplements can bring back right away the lost essential nutrients.

Without them, the body cannot start rebuilding (the most important work) and to add the bulk that was lost. Each of these nutrients has their own work cut out for them in replenishing the body’s needs.

Beta-alanine

This essential nutrient is often included in your pre-workout list of nutrients vital in restoring the pH levels within the muscle to reasonable levels. When you work out, you build up lactic acid in the muscles.

Beta-alanine helps raise the carnosine levels to restore the correct levels ion the body and helps in muscle gains.

Creatine monohydrate / glutamine

This is the form of creatine that’s easily and quickly absorbed by the body.  It is perfect for the body’s recovery. It helps increase the ATP production in muscle cells, and gets the energy right back into them and limits their further breakdown.

Glutamine is another important key in adding fuel back to your muscles. This helps in the repair much faster. It is also anti-catabolic which is good if you are shredding.

BCAAs / carbohydrates

BCAAs (branched chain amino acids consisting of L-leucine, L-isoleucine, and L-valine) are essential in giving better anabolic effects on the body, even better than taking them during the workout. The work is building muscle protein.

Carbohydrates get depleted during workouts and you need to get them back into your system right away. The amounts depend on your body type, age and metabolic capacity. |Different brands have different types of mixes. You need to find out what is best for your type. A post workout is actually the body’s recovery period.