For all the fitness freaks very soon muscle recovery equipment is going to be the next big gym equipment trend. Building muscle mass and joining a gym is now become a craze among youngsters and there is nothing wrong. However, what you do for your recovery also matters a lot for speeding up your goal achievement rate.

In this regard, the usage of resistance bands is in the trend that has widely captured the attention of all fitness aspirants irrespective of all ages with its versatile features and benefits for them. Some effective muscle recovery equipment includes a foam roller, electric massager gun, deep tissue muscle recovery tool, muscle roller stick, cold massage roller, massage balls, and resistance bands.

Out of these tools you can use resistance bands in a versatile way like whether your aim is to gain muscle mass, build strength, improving your speed, etc. For every purpose this tool is excellent. And the cherry on the cake is that you can even use it for the post-workout muscle recovery purpose.

The usage of stretching bands post-workout has beaten all other muscle recovery equipment that is used for recovering your stressed muscle and to prepare you for the next day’s gym session.

Its reason seems obvious as well because this simple easy to use fitness equipment not only supports in speedy muscle recovery but it can also be used while doing different intense exercises for toning and strengthening your muscles to increase the resistance of a simple, monotonous strength training workout like push-ups, weight lifting, etc.

It makes these strength training workouts much harder for you, and at the same time helps you in your recovery when used simply after completing your fixed strength training session. If you want to get more details regarding this muscle recovery equipment then read this article till the end.

How Resistance Bands Help in Strengthening and Building Muscle Mass

Table of Contents

Though most of us choose traditional forms of equipment and exercises like free weights and body weight in order to achieve a muscular body with well defined, visible, toned muscles, however, when you use resistance bands along with the conventional equipment and exercise forms it raises its level much greater along with variation that keeps away boredom associated with monotonous strength training workouts.

When you use resistance bands it provides tension to a different section of your body in a unique way comparing to traditional bodyweight and free weights exercises.

The free weights exercise form use weights or loads and gravitation in order to provide tension. In this exercise, the force always remains on the downward side. Hence, you require to take such a position that can easily allow you to target your muscle appropriately.

Like if you want to target your chest muscles then you should lie down parallel to the workout floor, keeping your face upward position. Again if you have to target your back muscles then you have to take a bent-over position so that the tension arises out of your exercise hit correctly the targeted area.

On the other hand, while practicing bodyweight exercises you need to use gravity only unlike the free weights that use loads along with gravity. One most prominent example of bodyweight exercises is push-ups in which you need to keep your body parallel to the floor keeping your face down so that you can push your body upward into gravity.

Herein lies the effectiveness of using resistance bands for strengthening and building muscle mass as while using this exercise equipment the force derives from elastic tension itself. That means as much as you stretch the band more and more amount of tension it will generate.

Hence, you get the freedom of generating tension and targeting any muscle group from different directions as per your wish. Like if you want to hit or target your chest muscle, you can do it freely by standing up-right position. You can generate tension in diagonal form by hooking the resistance band in your one foot or to a bar, above, below, or to your side.

Likewise, the tension or force can be provided in any direction depending upon your will as the force comes from the elastic band, not from the gravity. In this way, it helps in building body muscles along with offering lots of variations than the conventional exercises for building muscle mass.

Still, gravity plays its role in the resistance band exercises too, especially when you do certain types of workouts like doing squats with resistance bands. However, in this exercise equipment, your sole dependency on gravity and loads are eliminated.

Benefits of Muscle Recovery Equipment

Pulseroll foam roller

Exercising itself is a stressful work but it is positive stress as its associated benefit or rewards you get in the form of lean and defined muscle mass. So letâ€™s talk about high-intensity aerobic exercises that are more popular than any other form of workouts.

While doing these exercises such as running, sprinting, resistance training, etc you are likely to develop tiny tears or traumas in soft tissues especially the tissues of your muscles. Though these tears and traumas are very small in size but contain the risk of hampering your muscle’s ability to naturally replenish their glycogen storage which is the primary source of energy when used as a fuel along with other normal consequences like pain and soreness associated with microtears.

Here-in-lies the importance and effectiveness of muscle recovery equipment which helps in the healing and recovery of your tensed and traumatic muscles very comfortably.

One of the popular muscle recovery equipment is the stretch or resistance bands which is though in use since two-three decades but recently has gained immense popularity as the muscle recovery equipment which is as essential as workout training itself.

The muscle recovery equipment after the completion of your main workout class help in releasing metabolic byproducts such as lactic acid that accumulates within the cells due to high-intensity exercises.

If this accumulated lactic acid is not removed on time then it can cause muscle soreness as well as it can also weaken or damages the electrical stimulus necessary for the muscle contraction. Also, it can impair your ability of ATP regeneration which is a molecule necessary for frequent muscle contraction.

However, you can protect your muscles from all these traumas and damages risk by using muscle recovery equipment like the foam roller, pulse roll, massage gun, resistance bands, etc which is soon going to be the next big gym equipment trend.

Your muscle recovery after training with stretching creates a favorable environment that stimulates your muscle’s ability to heal and recover from those commonly occurring microtraumas.

Also, muscle recovery equipment helps your body to get easily adapted to the stresses that generate during the exercise practices. Hence, you stay ready to sustain the pressure and tension of hectic and long workout sessions irrespective of all types of exercise. Every time you come up with enhanced energy and endurance level, that ensures practicing high-intensity workouts very easily without any risk of injury.

The muscle recovery equipment also helps in clearing out all accumulated metabolic waste as well as help to replenish your bodyâ€™s ability to produce ATP that fills your body with the optimal level of energy needed for you to work on your peak strength. The usage of muscle recovery equipment after exercising usually provide the following benefits-

Eliminates toxins from your body
Reduces the buildup of lactic acid in your muscles
Relieves from muscle soreness
Stimulates blood flow
Improves muscle flexibility
Keeps you regular in your exercise class or routine
Cools down your body
Prepare you for the next day strenuous activity

Benefits of Spending Time on Stretching after a Workout

The reason why spending time on stretching after completing your daily workout session is as important as spending time for your primary workout itself is because it prepares your body for the next day’s fitness class by healing all the tears and wounds caused by strength training and other bodybuilding workouts.

We can outline some prominent benefits associated with post-workout stretches under the fooling heads-

Stimulate Blood Circulation

Post-workout stretching practices do a great job by improving the level of blood circulation throughout your body. This is really very beneficial and effective for the stiffed and sore muscles which are some obvious consequences of the post strength training or body weight lifting exercises.

While practicing intense forms of workout your body supplies blood to the heart at a speedy rate that causes it to beat at a fast rate and it also raises your body heat.

So, when you stretch your body it helps it to cool down as well as to achieve a normal heartbeat rate. Lactic acid which is released from your body while doing any intense form of workout is broken down with the stretching practices. Resulting in it aids in speedy repair and recovery of your muscles.

The muscles group which were not receiving blood supply sufficiently now again will start getting enough level of blood supply that helps them in getting strength and good health. Also, it enables your heart to attain its healthy resting rate which was beating rapidly during the intense workout session.

Â It Increases Flexibility Level

Post-workout stretches bring lots of fitness and health benefits along with it, among them increasing your flexibility level is the vital one. The range of light motions brought by stretches enhances the flexibility of your different muscle groups.

It aids in releasing stress from the contracted and constricted muscles groups and help them in getting their most comfortable state or position. Over time your body becomes more flexible that without getting stressed or tension it moves and stretches freely in any direction in any form.

Resulting in, with an enhanced level of your muscles flexibility the risk of getting injury reduces to a great extent even if you try a new and more stressful workout on a given day.

The regular practice of post-workout stretches makes it very simpler for your body to stand, bend, squat, and any other form of flexible exercises that you canâ€™t imagine in the lack of a good flexible body. Runners who practice leg stretch after the long run activity soon manage to strengthen their muscle power as well as endurance level.

Stimulate Energy

People who are targeting to build muscle mass has to put their extra level of effort and energy level to achieve their targeted fitness goal. In this practice, it is very usual to feel energy suck when you sweat for hours on weightlifting and body lifting workouts.

So, you need immediate replenishment of this expended level of your energy which is very much possible with the post-workout stretches. You can easily notice that while stretching your body there is an immediate energy upliftment that happens in your body which remains consistent and steady. However, be sure to stretch your body in the right way to get this instant boost of your energy benefit.

You have already learned that practicing post-workout stretches helps in cooling down or calming down your body and in this process your brain produces a good amount of endorphins, a chemical responsible for the positive and happy feelings.

Hence, with a peaceful mind, you are natural to replenish with a good amount of energy that you can utilize on the same day or reserve it for the day ahead to continue your fitness journey. With this type of energy boost, your body naturally gets prepare to face new challenges with a high spirit.

Adds Range of Motion

Post-workout stretching practices are great for improving and adding a range of motion by increasing your muscle’s flexibility. On the other hand, muscles group that have not been stretched since the long past are likely to remain constricted. Resulting in you canâ€™t move these constricted muscles group to its full range and capacity.

On the other hand when you use all of your muscles effectively by incorporating stretches after the completion of your primary workout session then it naturally improves the range of motion of your muscles. So you become capable of using them to their maximum capacity which is likely to bring better effect and results out of your regular workout practices.

Enhances Muscular Coordination Level

Muscular coordination plays a vital role in a good fitness session which automatically comes from the stretching practices. Muscular level coordination is very important for people who practice strength training for toning and defining their muscles.

When you practice post-workout stretches you give improved functional mobility to your tired or stressed muscles. Resulting in it naturally manages to maintain coordination or synchronization in the right form.

With an increased level of muscular coordination, your risk of injury reduces to a great extent. Hence, you manage to build muscle mass at a much speedy rate with an extreme level of safety.

Removes Lactic Acid

While practicing muscles workout your body produces lactic acid in a good amount which makes your engaged muscle groups sore and fatigued. Resulting in, you get tired of doing these practices and stop doing them or have difficulty in your next day workout session.

So to avoid this concern and to maintain the continuity of your everyday fitness class it is very crucial to practice post-workout stretching. The stretching practices work very effectively in removing or eliminating lactic acid accumulated in your body that is making you more fatigue so easily. Also, it relaxes your sore or stressed muscles and fills them full of energy levels.

Helps in Preventing Pain

One of the great benefits of post-workout stretching for which it is especially known is relaxation from the pain. Yes, it is true that stretching will not totally disappear the pain generated from the stressful workout session but definitely it will minimize the pain intensity to the very low level.

So by preventing the post-workout pain it helps in reducing your risk of injury to a great extent which is highly possible in the case of tight and stressed muscles.Â Hence, we can say that practicing stenches after exercises are really effective for reducing your susceptibility to injuries.

Establishes Mind-Body Connection

Post-workout stretching not only benefits your physical body but it is equally beneficial for your mental health as well. It helps in improving your mental clarity as well as helps in building mind-body connection which is very much important for safe and effective exercise practices especially when you participate in intense forms of workout.

Stretching helps in harmonizing your mind, reduces your mental level stress, and relaxes your mood immediately. Also, by establishing a mind-body connection it helps you to understand easily which area of your body is stressed or sore and need your care and attention which is great for the speedy, healthy, and natural recovery.

Final Verdicts

Now we hope you must have understood the importance and benefits of using muscle recovery equipment irrespective of your fitness goals. So here we would like to add one more important thing is that the muscle recovery equipment whether it is a foam roller, massager, or resistance band is effective for you no matter whatever stage of your fitness journey you are in at present.

[expand title=”View Article Sources“]

[/expand]

Why Muscle Recovery Equipment is the Next Big Gym Equipment Trend