Is it a good idea to relax for, like, 5 to 15 minutes immediately after the workout?
I learned to relax pretty well years ago when I was practicing yoga (not gymnastics-yoga, but the real deal, if that makes sense). I’m able to induce a pretty deep relaxation quickly (to the point where the muscles do not resume movement immediately, but it takes conscious effort to “reboot” them), I’ve done it many times so I should be able to do it even immediately after an intense workout.
But my question is - will it help the training or not?
I’m usually pretty fired up from training and find that relaxing afterwards helps a lot. Dr. Lowery once recommended listening to music that you find relaxing while writing your training down in your log. Very beneficial if you train with a lot of intensity.
[quote]AlbertaBeef wrote:
I think it would definitely benefit your nervous system recovery, especially after something like Tabata training or training for absolute strength.[/quote]
Nervous system recovery - definitely.
But I was wondering if it would shift the balance away from catabolism. Deep relaxation is clearly a low-metabolism state when performed in the usual way. But I wonder if, when performed immediately after workout (OK, immediately after the protein + carbs shot), it depresses catabolism more than anabolism. It’s just a hunch, perhaps someone has some data?..
Relaxing is very beneficial, I find. After a workout I make my shake and just sit and relax. I breathe deeply and let all my muscles relax while I sip and cool down. Sometimes I get so relaxed I doze off. So I would say take it easy after a workout and enjoy some silence.