The 6 worst things to do after a workout

Are you hitting Gymbox most days and not reaping the benefits you were hoping for? Then it's time to evaluate and revise your post workout habits. But never fear, we're here to shed light on the most common mistakes.

Don't skip the stretch

It doesn't matter how busy you are, or that you're in a mad rush to get back to the office, or out to the pub – don't forget to stretch. Make time for this important part of your training, as stretching not only helps your muscles recover more quickly, but makes you more limber, too.

Cardio Vs weights

Be mindful as to how much cardio you do after a weights session. Tempting though it is, anything over 30 minutes is too excessive. Research shows that physiological and hormonal mechanisms could be severely hampered, which can lead to muscular atrophy. Your best bet is to separate cardio and weight training by about at least five hours.

Not eating is cheating

You've smashed a class at lunchtime, or just been out for a hefty run after work, and before you know it, you're back at your desk, or sidetracked by mates/family, and you realise you've not eaten. Not only is this a silly idea, especially if you're about to hit the cocktails (throwing a whitey in public is not a good look), but eating no longer than 20 minutes after a workout is vital to replenish nutrients, especially amino acids and carbs. And crisps won't do it, either. Stick to fresh and nutritious meals.

What's Sup?

While there is nothing more important than proper diet and training when it comes to making progress, smart supplementation certainly can hasten the process. So, if gaining muscle and losing fat are high on your priority list then take advantage of such proven supplements as creatine, glutamine, BCAA’s, and leucine by getting an efficacious dose of each either as soon as you are done training, or with the post workout meal.

Avoid the sugar rush

OK, you may have burned some calories and you want to quench your thirst with a sports energy drink, but this is not the wisest move. Sports drinks are way too packed with sugar to be that effective, unless you're running a marathon. For the more regular work out, stick to water and/or coconut water for the ideal replenishment.

Snooze and you won't lose

In a perfect world all of us would be able to grab about an hour’s nap right after training to help our muscles and nervous system recover. Right. For most this is just not possible. At the very least, try and avoid physically strenuous activity after working out. You should take at least a little time to just sit, relax and comfortably consume your post-workout meal. You can do it! Make the time. Weight training will only be effective if the body gets adequate rest to allow for the rebuilding process to take place.