Your young athlete is on a winning streak, triumphant after a big game. While they may want to just go running off the field or court, now and for the next few days, they should engage in recovery workouts to keep up their strength and momentum.
Doing active recovery exercises will reduce any post-game soreness and can also speed up the recovery process. Recovery workouts can improve a youth athlete’s fitness and well-being, providing mental and physical relief from rigorous workouts, ultimately benefiting their total wellness and athletic performance.
Keep reading to discover a few different ways athletes can relax and rejuvenate their bodies post-game.
Yoga
Yoga after the big game is one way to encourage muscle recovery. You’ll see improved strength and flexibility. Try yoga for 15 to 30 minutes after your match by engaging in deep stretches, which will ease any tight muscles and improve joint mobility.
It’s important to know that yoga can help build up your mental resistance and support stress relief as well. Additionally, yoga has been seen to improve blood flow, and this upgraded circulation will increase your focus and sharpen your skills for your next game.
Stretching
Stretching after workouts is another excellent way to train smart. The main goal here is to relieve stiffness and build up your range of motion. Stretching for five or ten minutes can push back on the delayed onset muscle soreness that sometimes sneaks up after rigorous activity.
Doing your stretches can dampen any pain or inflammation of the muscles, allowing for a more optimal recovery. Try passive static stretches by relaxing into a position and using an outside force, like a band, to stretch. You could also do dynamic stretching that involves movements with only your body, like leg swings or walking lunges.
Walking
We all remember being told to walk during our cool-down period after doing the mile run in our PE class. Walking is beneficial after any extensive activity because it is an active recovery method.
Walking for six to ten minutes helps to cool your body down by bringing your breathing back to normal and calming your heart rate after the adrenaline and excitement of the big game.
Parents should note that engaging in active recovery can encourage the appropriate lactate concentration in the muscles during recovery, which helps stimulate growth and repair.
Cycling
Cycling has become a popular aspect of regenerative training sessions. A cycle session after vigorous work can lower the pain level you might experience after a game. This recovery activity can also increase your strength. The movement is vital because it promotes steady blood flow and keeps your legs moving. Cycling helps combat exercise-induced muscle damage, which protects young athletes from muscle soreness, injury risk, and declined strength.
Bodyweight Training
Young athletes can benefit from bodyweight training because it encourages increased muscle mass and upgraded strength. It’s important to know that timing the bodyweight training after a game or a workout can be advantageous, too.
In addition to strengthening the muscles, initiating bodyweight training as a recovery activity will support mobility and posture. This training is essential for neuromuscular health, which will sustain your young athlete into adulthood by working the muscles and keeping the joints moving effectively. Ten or so reps of exercises like push-ups, squats, or calf raises after a match can promote the mobility you need to maximize athletic prowess.
