Sports Recovery

Sports recovery after exercise is a major challenge for athletes who regularly workout. Failing to recover adequately between sports or training sessions can set your progress back and hinder any gains.

Every athlete wants to keep ‘down-time’ to a minimum whilst avoiding over-training or injury. Accelerating sport recovery will help your body to become, fitter, stronger and faster and ready for the next session.

Sports nutrition and sports supplements which are formulated to aid sports recovery can help you:

• Improve recovery times
• Train harder with greater intensity
• Perform at your best during each session
• Maintain optimal health and immune system
• Improve results and athletic performance
• Reduce the risk of injury

As different sports and disciplines require varying nutritional strategies, there is no "one size fits all". The choice of sports supplements has to be specific to your individual needs, goals and workout.

To acclerate sports recovery after training or competition you need to consume:

Protein - for repairing and building new muscle tissue

Carbohydrates - for energy and glycogen replenishment

Fluids and sodium - for rehydration

Sports recovery supplements for weight trainers and bodybuilders

• All-in-One Supplements
• Amino Acids
• Creatine
• Meal Replacements
• Nutrition Bars
• Post Workout
• Protein Shakes
• Testosterone Support
• Weight Gain

Supplements to aid recovery following aerobic exercise

• Energy powders

How to get a head start on the sports recovery process

One of the best ways to get a head-start is to consume a good post-workout nutritional shake immediately following your workout.

All-In-One Supplements, Meal Replacements, Post Workout Formulas, Proteins Shakes and Weight Gain supplements offer numerous benefits. They all contain a blend of energy rich carbohydrates to help replenish muscle glycogen levels, protein for its muscle building / muscle sparing properties and are usually fortified to provide a signficant source of additional vitamins, minerals and amino acids that aid a strength athletes recovery process.

These supplements should be consumed immediately following exercise and crucially within the ideal 45 minutes following your training session to maximise the recovery window.

Creatine helps to replenish ATP (adenosine triphosphate) which is the energy source for high intensity, short duration bouts of exercise. By taking a creatine supplement you stock ATP stores which not only give power to workouts but gives greater rapid recovery of ATP.

Nutrition Bars, Protein Ready-to-Drinks and Liquid Meal Replacements provide a handy source of carbohydrates, proteins and other nutrients for post exercise recovery.

High Protein Bars and Meal Replacement Bars are perfect when your appetite is suppressed following a workout, or you have limited access to food after exercise or you don't have time to eat properly between meals or the next exercise session.

Amino Acids help to repair damaged fibres following exercise and are essential for muscle building. Additionally Aminos aid in the formation of enzymes, hormones and neurotransmitters which aid the rebuilding process.

Tesosterone Support formulas such as ZMA may help to boost muscle building hormone levels by plugging any deficiencies in Zinc and Magnesium and are typically taken before sleep.

Why consuming carbohydrates immediately following exercise is best

As the highest rates of muscle glycogen storage occur during the first hour following exercise, it's recommended to consume carbohydrates as soon as you've completed your workout. Failure to take advantage of this refuelling window will lead to low levels of glycogen levels until you eat.

Supplements such as carbohydrate powders enable you to rapidly consume carbohydrates and are easy on the stomach.

Immediate intake of carbohydrates after exercise = Immediate effective recovery

Key factors affecting refuelling and post exercise recovery

When deciding on a supplement strategy to accelerate recovery, keep in mind the following factors:

• Extent of your fuel depletion, primarily glycogen stores after exercise
• How dehydrated you are
• Extent of protein catabolism and muscle damage
• Goals you're trying to achieve, increase muscle, reduce body fat
• Duration between workouts
• Total recovery times
• Availablity of key nutrients required during recovery period
• Appetite and opportunity to consume food, drink and sports nutrition supplements post workout

Failure to refuel sufficiently following exercise will impede your results. Always ensure you have the correct supplement strategy in place to enhance the rate of restoration.