Active Recovery

It is important to incorporate strength/resistance training or circuit training into our workout routine, as opposed to just cardio. Strength training can help keep your muscles and bones strong, can increase your metabolism for increased calorie burn, help improve your balance, can help with the management of chronic disease, along with a slew of other health benefits. However, there is something you can do to make your strength session even more effective: active recovery.

If you have never heard of active recovery, it is the idea of continuing to move after a bout of activity. For example: you just busted out 15,20,25 (however many) push-ups, and your arms are burning. Most of us will sit still while the burn fades and we can do another set, or go do the pull-ups we had planned next. However, instead of sitting still between sets, try incorporating active recovery into your next sweat session. Finish your push-ups, and while you recover, lightly jump rope, or do butt kicks or high knees. Even just walking around in between sets can be effective; simply put, just keep moving.

Even light movement can help keep your heart rate and metabolism up for maximum fat burn, burn some additional calories, and helps keep your momentum going for the next set. So next time you head to the gym for your weight training session, try taking a jump rope with you.

Try out active recovery and leave a comment on whether you felt it added to your workout!