As a sportsman at heart, you probably demand a lot from your body in terms of performance. That's why the recovery aspect after a sports session is important. When your muscles have been strained during an effort, you can undertake certain actions that will help muscle repair and play a role in reducing the onset of pain.
Certain products can be of great help in helping your body recover after an intensive sports session. Organic massage oils, soothing creams, natural food supplements, what are the benefits of these products and how to choose them?
Above all, for a total recovery, it is necessary to adopt certain lifestyle habits. A man who does sport is above all a man who takes care of himself and his body. Adopting a healthy lifestyle offers serenity and self-confidence.
Reflexes to adopt before and after exercise
In fact, the more your body is prepared before the sports session, the less likely you are to have aches and pains afterwards. As an involved sportsman, you take the preparation of your muscles before a sports session as seriously as the recovery with suitable techniques during the rest phase.
Before exercise
Before playing sports, it is essential to warm up to avoid aches and pains. To do this, start each session gradually to prepare your muscles and your body for the effort. Stretching is just as important, so don't neglect it.
To keep up with your workout and to nourish your muscles, it is necessary to hydrate well with water. The cells in the body need water to function, and need it more during a sports session. Drinking lots of water also helps to eliminate toxins.
During the session, it is advisable to drink a few sips of water to keep your body well hydrated. Above all, during your session, respect your rhythm, there is no need to force yourself. Increase the intensity of the exercises little by little.
After the effort
How to recover quickly after the effort? À At the end of each session, stretching is useful to restore the muscle to its resting length. The ideal is to wait 15 minutes after the effort, because after a session, the muscle is still warm. It's also a relaxing moment, so take advantage of it!
Are you used to taking a good cold or hot shower after a sports session? You're right, this routine helps to relax your muscles.
If your thighs are aching, the warmth of the water in your bath or shower helps to relieve the pain. Underwater, don't hesitate to gently massage the aches and pains. From bottom to top, this technique helps promote circulation.
Remember to get enough sleep, sleep is important in a man's muscular recovery.
Cold to reduce pain
Cold against aches and pains: myth or reality? While the warmth of a bath or shower is good for mild aches and pains, ice is recommended for muscle aches and pains because it can reduce inflammation. Wrapped in a cloth towel to make it more pleasant than direct contact with the skin, ice reduces blood flow and therefore has a pain-relieving action.
Compression to reduce muscle fatigue
Well known to athletes, compression equipment allows everyone to enjoy their sports sessions in comfort. These products improve blood circulation, relieve tired and swollen legs, and provide better muscle support. Compression also prevents muscle fatigue (cramps and pain).
Massage with organic oils before a sports session
Before a sports session, massage is very useful to prepare the muscle for the effort and to optimize its recovery after the activity. A few minutes of massage at the end of the warm-up will raise the internal temperature and activate micro-circulation.
For an effective warm-up, a toning and warming gel 100% natural origin is your best ally. This gel is made with herbal ingredients known for their multiple anti-inflammatory properties.
A massage, to be effective, must imperatively last more than 5 minutes per muscle group and must be performed from the extremity to the root of the limbs.
The massage to recover from a sports session
The sportsman's number one enemy is the aches and pains of the next day. These pains can be avoided if the recovery phase is well carried out. Then, why does the sports massage make it possible to recover well?
Indeed, the aches and pains point their noses when toxins produced during exercise are not eliminated. To eliminate them, massage with organic oils is the best solution. The massage not only allows to evacuate the toxins and other waste produced during the muscular effort, but also to reactivate the blood circulation, which will reduce the pain.
The massage helps to restore vitality to the body, which is often tired after the effort. By respecting the recovery phase, we reduce the risk of injury and pain which can sometimes remain several days and be missed by athletes for their next sessions of football, rugby, athletics, running or swimming.
You will notice that for athletes who practice running in competition, masseur-physiotherapists are ready to massage them as soon as they arrive. Their effectiveness is therefore really proven: it not only provides psychological well-being for the sportsman thanks to its relaxing function, but also reduces the discomfort linked to pain. Muscles that have been tense due to the intensity of the sports session can be relaxed by the massage, giving them back their tone.
Massages with organic oils after a sports session are not only for top athletes! Everyone should enjoy them. It is an action within everyone's reach, simple and very effective. Experience it to see the benefits.
Self-massage to relax muscles
While it is comfortable and pleasant to get a massage from your spouse or a professional, he may not always be with you and available after your workout! Self-massage is just as effective. Just like a massage performed by a third party, self-massage allows you to :
- Reduce the muscular knots also called "Trigger points".
- Reduce contractures, stiffness, muscle fatigue and prevent aches and cramps.
- Stimulate blood circulation and thus promote waste elimination and muscle recovery.
The heat produced by the massage will cause vasodilatation.
The advantage of self-massage is that you can target areas that seem tense to you and adapt the intensity of the massage to your potentially painful areas, since you know your body like the back of your hand.
How to massage well?
Massaging is good, but you need to know how to adopt the right gestures to optimize the feeling of comfort. As a little tip, it is best to massage by friction from bottom to top in order to prepare the muscle for the effort.
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Sliding pressure
From the bottom to the top of the muscle, slide your hands up and down and apply increasing pressure. The sliding pressure will allow the blood to circulate and promote drainage. You can maintain static pressure on areas of pain and tension.
- Kneading the muscles
It involves grasping a muscle between the palms of your hands and kneading firmly.
- Take into account all muscle groups
For a successful massage, be sure to take into account each muscle group in order to relax all parts of your body.
- Massage right after exercise
For maximum efficiency, it is best to massage as soon as possible after stopping the effort.
- Massage for at least 5 minutes
For results, massage each muscle group for a minimum of 5 minutes. Take the time for a deep, relaxing and revitalizing massage.
Choosing a sports massage oil
When it comes to choosing a massage oil, it is important to learn about the benefits of the product's components in order to optimize your recovery. There are many sports products on the market, and choosing one can quickly become a real headache.
However, choosing a good massage oil can largely make the difference with a low-end product whose benefits will be limited.
Sports massage oils based on essential and vegetable oils are widely used by athletes for their multiple benefits. This routine can be performed before the session as a warm-up or afterwards, during the recovery phase.
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This organic massage oil for men prepares your muscles for exercise and soothes them after your workout. Ideal in cold weather, this 100% natural heating oil is composed of Natural Tahitian Edelweiss Monoi (AO), Organic Baobab Oil, Organic menthol, Organic Cayenne pepper extract and Natural Camphor.
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This organic heating gel is the must-have in your gym bag. It is practical and transportable for all your sports sessions. This gel prepares your muscles for the effort, energizes and reduces feelings of discomfort during the effort.
The massage with organic oils is also a moment of shared relaxation, very pleasant to strengthen the bonds. Take advantage of it.
As a modern man who takes care of himself, you can also decide to make it yourself, from organic essential oils, good for your skin and your health.
Which essential oils for sportsmen and women?
Essential oils can be a great asset to help muscles relax and promote blood circulation. They are natural plant-based products with multiple benefits, which will bring considerable help to the body both to warm up and to recover.
To make your own homemade muscle massage oil, here are a few ideas.
Super Lavandin essential oil
Used to prevent cramps and aches, this organic essential oil is very effective during your warm-up phase. In a 20ml bottle, mix 15 drops of super lavender essential oil in combination with a vegetable oil such as sweet almond.
Juniper essential oil
This essential oil is known for its draining and relaxing properties. It is most often used to massage the lower limbs. Before exercise, it is very effective for warming up the muscle and preparing for the sports session. You can mix 10 drops of this essential oil with 10 drops of essential oil of lavender aspic, accompanied by sweet almond vegetable oil.
The essential oil of Wintergreen
Very well known by sportsmen, since it has anti-inflammatory virtues necessary for your recovery. You can dilute it with a vegetable oil: macadamia, sweet almond, calophylla.
The essential oil based on Arnica
Used as a massage oil, arnica has proven to relieve the pain of athletes. It is a real asset for its soothing properties. The arnica montana is able to limit the impact of bruises.
Peppermint oil
A general physical and psychic stimulant, peppermint oil can have a powerful analgesic effect and soothes muscles. It is capable of providing an intense sensation of freshness for athletes who have just completed a tiring sports session. This oil, combined with Arnica, is used in the composition of Tiger Balm, very famous for its action on muscular pains.
Food supplements for the sportsman
Good sports practice is inseparable from a healthy and balanced diet. Good performance is totally dependent on a good warm-up, good recovery and sufficient protein, vitamins and essential nutrients.
Sometimes, it is difficult to fully meet all of our body's needs simply through diet. That's why taking food supplements daily can make a difference, helping your body fight general and muscular fatigue.
The dietary supplement will help to make up the deficits, and thus improve your sports performance.
Among them, you can easily consume :
- Omega 3
- Vitamin B
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin D
- Magnesium
- Zinc
It is preferable to give preference to natural food supplementsThis is to the detriment of processed products or products of animal origin which are available in quantity on the market. They are more easily assimilated by the body and do not contain any substances that are toxic to your health.
Super foods for sportsmen and women
To boost your immune system and your performance, here are the sportsman's superfoods. They can also contribute to muscle preparation and recovery after exercise.
- Acerola
Rich in natural vitamin C, it ensures vitality and tonicity during exercise and helps to strengthen the immune system. In order to be in shape for your sports activities, acerola helps you to fight against episodes of fatigue. It participates in the manufacture of collagen, a substance responsible for the regeneration of connective tissue. It helps to strengthen the joints.
- Açai Bay
Commonly used as a dietary supplement by many athletes, acai berry is rich in antioxidants and is a real energy concentrate.
- The Tribulus
Highly concentrated in steroids, tribulus is often used as an alternative to doping products for high-level athletes. Tribulus promotes endurance as well as an increase in muscle mass. It allows a faster recovery and is a tonic for the whole organism.
- Cherry juice
According to a study published by the journal Nutriments in 2016, consuming cherry juice regularly would be beneficial for athletes. Indeed, this drink is rich in anti-inflammatory components. It helps prevent muscle pain after a session of intense sport.
To improve your performance, you can also consume beet juice, which contains nitrates that have a positive effect on physical capacity. It helps to better supply the muscles with oxygen.
You are an athlete but have not yet taken the plunge to healthy and responsible consumption? It's time to open your eyes! Eating healthy, for your health and for the environment can give you a real sense of satisfaction. It has been proven that taking care of yourself with organic products brings a feeling of well-being and reinforces your self-confidence.