Crossfit Fitness Challenge Pt. 6: Recovery

ISHPEMING — So you just got done working out… now what? In the final installment of the ABC Ten and Crossfit 906 Fitness Challenge, Sarah Mac follows up to see what the body needs post–work–out.

When you hear the word recovery you may think of rest and rehabilitation, and you may also think of staying in bed or taking it easy. In Crossfit, or other high intensity workouts, recovery means rebuilding the muscles right after the workout.

Crossfit 906 Trainer Shannon Terres says, “Recovery, for exercise is very important, no matter the exercise, but especially in intense exercises it is very important to recover. So right after your exercise, before you even catch your breath, you should really have some sugar. I know that sounds funny, but the sugar neutralizes the lactic acid which is built up during intense exercise and it also begins the protein synthesis process. So you want to have sugar right away.”

The recovery process doesn’t stop there though. Five minutes after the work out the body will need protein.

“A lot of people will do chocolate milk because that covers the sugar and the protein,” Terres added, “I typically will do a juice, like 100% juice, no sugar added.”

One hour after the workout you should have a balanced meal. One–third of your plate should have a protein, and the other two thirds should hold carbohydrates.

Terres says, “When you recover in this way your muscles are going to repair a lot faster. So when you work out hard, especially in intense exercise, your muscles break down, and you need these foods to rebuild these muscles so that you can become stronger.”

Terres says that the if you don’t recover like this after your work out the muscles will take the proteins that they need from other muscles and organs. It’s like the saying one step forward but two steps back.

Don’t forget to tune in tomorrow night with me and Danielle Davis as we reveal our results, and don’t forget share your fitness challenge stories with us on Facebook.