Post Workout Recovery: Smart Ways to Reduce Muscle Soreness & Recover Faster at Home
- Author
- Feb 24
- 3 min read
Your Ultimate Guide to Proper Recovery Post Workout (Part 1) - Everything You Need to Know
Besides resting muscles 48-72 hours after an intense workout, what else can you do to reduce soreness, improve recovery and support muscle repair?
Post-workout recovery isn’t just for elite athletes — it’s ESSENTIAL for anyone who wants to train consistently, prevent injury, and feel strong week after week.
This segment will focus on recovery strategies you can do at home.
Heading #3: Lifestyle Recovery Strategies
#1: Traditional Stretching: Static Stretching, PNF
Stretching involves moving your body into positions that lengthen and elongate the muscles.
Static Stretching
Holding a position that lengthens muscle(s) for 20 seconds or longer. Check out our 5-minute stretch videos for stretch ideas.
PNF (Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation)
Also known as assisted stretching. This involves a personal trainer, physiologist, or physical therapist helping guide you deeper into specific positions safely.
Benefits:
Reduces muscle soreness
Decreases muscle tension
Improves flexibility
Promotes healthy joint range of motion
Supports injury prevention
Pro Tip: Check out our stretch videos
Stretching should be done DAILY. I always recommend clients to stretch 5 MINUTES PER DAY (especially tight areas) rather than relying on one long massage or stretch session once per week. Consistency is key.
#2: Self-Myofascial Release: Massage Guns, Massage Balls, Foam Rolling
These next recovery methods apply pressure to your muscles and the surrounding connective tissue (fascia) to relieve tension and improve circulation.
Massage Gun:
Massage guns provide percussive therapy — rapid, repetitive bursts of pressure and vibration deep into muscle tissue.
Benefits:
Stimulates blood flow and lymphatic drainage
Reduces delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS)
Promotes faster recovery
Increases relaxation and circulation
A 2023 study published in Healthcare found that "massage guns may reduce DOMS when used immediately after exercise or within 24–72 hours post-workout."
When to Use:
After workouts
After long periods of inactivity
Avoid If:
Muscles feel acutely tender
An existing injured area
Massage Balls & Sticks
Because of their shape, grooves, and curvature, these tools are excellent for targeting specific trigger points. They offer similar benefits to foam rolling but allow for more precise pressure in smaller muscle groups.
#3: Lifestyle Recovery Strategies
Recovery doesn’t stop when you leave the gym.
Protein & BCAAs
Protein is essential for muscle repair and growth — especially if you train 3 or more times per week and have strength or muscle-building goals. I talked EXTENSIVELY about this in other blogs, especially, my blog: How to Build Muscle Mass Being Vegan and Is Soy Healthy or Unhealthy?
Pro Tip:
More is not always better. Excess protein intake can contribute to weight gain. This depends no many factors: your goal, your weight, current fitness level, pre-exsisting health conditions. Balance matters. I highly suggest guidance on protein intake if you are considering additional protein supplementation (antyhing outside of your standard meals).
Epsom Salt Baths
Epsom salts may help relax muscles and reduce tension when used with warm water. They’re great when you have extra time to soak your feet or fully immerse your body in a warm bath.
Benefits:
Reduces muscle soreness
Reduces inflammation
Prevents/reduces cramping
Improve circulation
Improve sleep quality and relaxation (everybody can use some of this!!)
Pro Tip:
Soak your body or specific area of the body for 15 minutes to an hour.
Sleep: The Ultimate Recovery Tool
Adults should aim for 7–9 hours of sleep per night. Yet consistently, I hear clients say that on a “good day,” they get 6 hours!!
Sleep is when the real recovery magic happens.
Post-Workout Benefits of Sleep:
Regenerates cells
Repairs muscle tissue broken down during exercise
Builds new muscle
Strengthens bones
Reduces inflammation
Supports fat metabolism
Lowers risk of injury
If you’re training hard but not sleeping enough, you’re limiting your result and YOU'LL repeat the cycle of tiredness...
Check out the National Sleep Foundation’s sleep duration chart by age.
Final Thoughts
Recovery is not weakness. It’s strategy. If you want to train consistently, build strength, reduce soreness, and protect your body long-term — recovery needs to be intentional.
Train smart. Recover smarter. Repeat.
Works Cited:
Let us know your favorite form of recovery in the comments below!
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