What's an Active Recovery Day???
As I spent my Sunday riding my bike through the mountain trails here in beautiful Alberta, Canada, I thought to myself… This is very normal for me… What do others do for active recovery days away from the gym? What is a normal off day for most people, do you do anything? Something? Better than nothing… Well, I thought a quick blog post might spark some options for people and if it gets 1 of you off the couch and into some fitness, I guess I’ll chalk up a win for me….
My Sundays vary with the season, but living in Calgary Canada you must take advantage of the mountains so hiking, biking, and snowboarding go in hand with the season. Also, for me baseball and hockey are usually stacked in with workouts throughout the weeks. Then you have your regular walks or mobility (lazy days) mixed in the year when you are really beaten up. I always tell my personal training clients though “Inactivity causes more harm to the body than good.” There are times when you need to slow down, but we always want to keep moving!
Below are some options for active recovery to get yourself or family out of the house and off the couch. I hope you learn to enjoy them as much as I do.
- Go for a walk – Let’s not complicate things… more steps = results. Steady state cardio is very important and puts you into a fat burn zone if done with some pace or hills. We should all try to get at least 10K steps per day EVERYDAY!
- Play a sport – Every city has sports teams you can sign up for. Even if it’s “just for fun” the competitive juices usually burn you more calories than you would on your own. Also adding in more agility, coordination, sprinting, and jumping is amazing!
- Mobility – Tight hips won’t fix themselves… get to a yoga class or download one of many apps (I use ROM WOD) to take you through a variety of stretches and joint mobility drills that will keep your body happier and work better throughout the week.
- Classes – Spin is a popular one. Not to be considered a workout, but some good cardio and gets the blood pumping. Rumble or boxing classes are also a great choice. I’ve also done Barry’s Boot camp if you like running, F45 for interval training, Orange Theory for a mix of running, rowing, and light weights. Choose one that you enjoy.
- Swimming – One of my favorites. Go to a pool and have some fun! Low impact, great cardio, have a hot tub, cold plunge, and a sauna afterwards. Highly recommend.
Now obviously there are many more options. Please let me know your go to active recovery and what makes it special to you. Anything that gets the blood pumping and isn’t going to leave me sore the next day. Even though yesterday I did a bit much on the bike and am feeling some saddle sores today… Good thing it’s a long way from my heart!
In health
Coach Mitch