Rest andrecoveryare a crucial parts of any exercise program.
I, for one, am admittedly bad at properly recovering.
They certainly did for me.
Courtesy of Meg Costello
Tassana Landy is a long-time cyclist who recently fell in love with rowing.
A hard workout on water is a 20-plus-mile row, which can amount to over four hours of moving.
For her, recovery is centered around food and dogs (two of my favorite things).
Courtesy of Tassana Landy
Then I do corpse pose [Savasana] upside-down in a comfy chair.
I usually fall asleep for a quick nap, then take my dog on a leisurely walk.
I like to eat something healthy, like a salad with tofu or chicken.
Courtesy of Alfredo Saracho
And then I hydrate.
I actually have a 64-ounce growler that I typically only fill with water.
Ill chug one of those after a hard ride.
Courtesy of Aika Yoshida
Aika Yoshida is an adaptive climber.
Then she climbs six to eight routes, which are about 70 to 80 feet each.
Amanda Brooks is an avid runner who lives in Denver, Colorado.
Courtesy of Amanda Brooks
After she finishes a run, she heads straight to the kitchen.
Brooks says this regimen helps relax and loosen her tired muscles.
After this, shestretches out her hipsin Pigeon pose and then foam rolls head to toe.
Courtesy of Jano Bachleda
Luckily for Bachleda, he is able to receive some cool amenities given he tours with other cyclists.
[The crew will] usually make us pasta with tomato sauce andolive oil.
They add it to everything.
Courtesy of David Tao
Bachleda jokes hell also recover with 10 beers.
(Though I get the impression he might be kind of serious.)
David Tao used to be a competitiveweightlifter.
Courtesy of Sophia Sunwoo
Now, he lifts as a hobby and also doesCrossFitfour to five times a week.
If I dont, I will notice it.
Ill feel fatigued and weak, and I wont sleep well.
Courtesy of Kate Hale
If its a really heavy day, hell enjoy a milkshake or some chocolate.
Carbs make me feel better, Tao says.
For Sunwoo, recovery happened before the workout.
Courtesy of Jess Sporte
Kate Hale is anultra trail runnerwho typically hits double-digit mileage on a weekly basis.
Somewhere between 10 to 20 miles takes as long as three to five hours, depending on terrain.
She does this by unwinding and getting some alone time with a bubble bath and book.
Courtesy of Zoë Knight
After her bath, its sweatpants, homemade pizza, and lots of sparkling water.
Post food coma, I stretch and foam roll for 10 to 20 minutes.
Jess Sporte is an adaptive climber in Boulder, Colorado.
Courtesy of Meg Costello
I eat foods like sweet potatoes and meat, she says.
I also do about 10 minutes of static stretching.
A hard training run would be an 8-plus-mile run at a 10:45/11:00-mile pace.
Courtesy of Esha
After, she makes an effort to immediately rehydrate and stretch.
A tough bike ride is over 10 miles and 1K to 1.5K in elevation gain.
For her, recovery is all about food, sweatpants, and a fire pit.
Courtesy of TJ Wynn
After a long bike ride, I shower and rehydrate, then hopefully cook or grab a satisfying meal.
This is almost always tacos with a margarita, wine, or a good gluten-free beer.
Esha Mehta is an adaptive climber who has been scrambling up rocks since 2009.
A hard workout for her is cardio on a treadmill and laps afterward in a climbing gym.
Another hard workout would be hiking with my gear.
It is a great way to practice footwork and an even better way to learn to trust your feet!
To recover, Mehta loves to eat Pho or chicken and vegetables.
Then its a hot shower or bubble bath to soothe her sore muscles.
I start with 20 minutes of mobility work, then I complete a resistance-exercise circuit.
My final circuit focuses on high heart rate, core, or competition-specific movements.
Often Ill do these circuits wearing a weighted vest.
(Im tired just reading this.)
To recover, Wynn eats a balanced snack or meal immediately after the workout.
I have pretty much all of the self-torture rolling devicesballs, sticks, rollers, and hooks.
Last comessleep, where he aims for eight to nine hours each night.
