"Everyone should practice recovery." These words from two-time Olympic fitness champion Whitney Jones are very important to anyone looking to change their looks and performance. However, not everyone pays as much attention to recovery as they should. There is a lot of emphasis on what happens in the gym and what pre-workout to do before your workout, but what is done after the last set will go a long way in determining the results you can get. Many IFBB Pro League athletes, including Jones, believe that recovery from one workout is preparation for the next.
That's why this week's edition of Femme Flex Friday is dedicated to some of the latest and greatest ways to recover from your workout. They will be joined by Dawn Nasta of Nitrigue Health, who shows the co-hosts some of the best ways to maximize recovery.
Electrons plus
Wings of strength
Nasta starts with the Electrons plus, a device that offers pulse therapy with electromagnetic frequency (PEMF). She sits on the pad and she sends the frequency to the person she's touching, in this case the left arm of FFF co-host Alina Popa. The advantage of these machines is that they are very location-specific.
"When muscles are injured and blocked from fatigue, it won't fire at all," said Nasta. “So we're basically trying to charge a battery. We try to take energy from the healthy area and transfer it to these areas, then charge it and enable it to get some energy and activity. "
Neufit Neubie
Courtesy Wings of Strength
This device also sends electrical currents to the muscles but can actually be used during or after a workout. Nasta demonstrated the machine on Jones to show how it can be used to induce a hypertrophic response.
"Each part of the body has a specific padding," explains Nasta as she puts on the pads for Jones. “This device sends a neurological signal to the brain at 500 pulses per second, where it can actually force this muscle to relax and lengthen. This is what specifically sets it apart from other machines on the market. ”
Although the device can be used during a set, that device cannot help maximize recovery until the end of the set.
"While she's in between her work sets, I increased it to 500 pulses per second, and basically that automatically puts her in recovery."
Ice bath
Even if there are newer forms of recreation, sometimes the old school wins. Ice baths are still used and Popa is trying this strategy for the first time. Nasta shares why this is so successful for athletes.
“The amazing thing about the ice bath is that all of your vessels constrict when you step into the ice bath. Then when you get out, they open up again. Through this process, you eliminate a lot of metabolic waste. It will reduce inflammation. ”Jones said she used this until the peak of the week leading up to the Olympics.
Compression boots
Wings of strength
Last but not least, the co-hosts and Nasta discuss compression boots and how they can improve regeneration in the lower body. Jones uses these after the ice baths.
“It helps get the blood circulating again. I need it after an ice bath because it helps me to just warm up again, ”said the former Olympic champion. Nasta shared other advantages.
“You can use recovery after a strenuous workout or whenever you want to increase blood flow and circulation. This will clear out the toxins and inflammation in your legs. You will get a better definition. "
To see how these machines and strategies can help you make the most of your recovery time, check out this week's episode of Femme Flex Friday in its entirety at www.wingsofstrength.net.
