To answer this question we have to understand what happens exactly while we workout.

Every intensive training causes microtrauma, this are little tears in your muscle fibres. If you want to train properly you’re aiming for those little microtrauma, it stimulates the muscle cell activity, this is necessary to repair the muscle damage again.

The high cell activity after a workout sends a signal to your body to built up that specific area more. If you keep this balance in between training and recovery your body will gain more strength.

But what can you do to recover better?

ACTIVE RECOVERY

If you do active recovery it is very important that you take the intensity back to a lower level (60 percent of your normal pace). 

WHY IS THIS SO IMPORTANT?

If you lower your intensity your heart rate will slow down as well. By reducing your MHR (heart beat in one minute) to below 80 percent your body goes back to an aerobic state. That means no more lactic acid production.

(Please notice that the percentage may vary depending on your level of fitness).

One of the many age-based equations to calculate your rough maximum MHR is 206.9 - (0.67x age). The trouble with all of those formulas is that they are missing informations as genetics, medication, body size, altitude and so on.

The best will be that you’re training with a heart beat monitor, that indicates your heart beat after feeding it with your informations.

An active recovery lasts longer than a “normal cool-down”. It is up to you what activity you chose but you should stick at it for at least 20 minutes.

BENEFITS OF AN ACTIVE RECOVERY :

• reduction of lactic acid, that causes you sore\stiff muscles

• increase of your blood flow, which means more oxygen and nutrients reach your muscles again

• easing of fatigue 

• improvement of your mood

• maintenance of your heart rate

Activities such as jogging, cycling, swimming (to name but a few) in combination with foam rolling, stretching exercises or a massage are helping you even more to recover.