The weight gain is an ambition shared by many people of all ages, from teenagers to senior citizens. Embarking on this journey requires a holistic approach that combines training, a protein- and calorie-rich diet and rest. For young people in particular, monitoring health and weight is crucial to prevent any negative effects on their development.
Recovery isn't just about quality sleep and limiting movement, it also includes a complement known as active recovery. This concept encompasses light exercises between training sessions that promote blood circulation, facilitate toxin elimination and accelerate muscle fiber repair.
But how can active recovery influence mass gain in adolescents and adults? Are there any tangible benefits to developing it to increase muscle mass? Which active recovery devices are most effective for any individual, regardless of age? We'll be addressing these questions throughout this article.
Contents
Understanding active recovery and its importance in bodybuilding
Active recovery is an essential strategy involving low-intensity activities between rigorous training sessions. This method plays a crucial role in muscle regeneration, helping to reduce fatigue, expel toxins, promote blood circulation and prevent injury.
What is active recovery?
In contrast to passive recovery, which advocates total rest after an effort, active recovery involves gentle exercises such as stretching, walking, yoga, or joint-friendly exercises such as low-intensity cycling or swimming. The aim is to maintain a heart rate between 50 and 70% of your maximum. The optimum duration and frequency will depend on the athlete's level, the intensity of previous workouts and the goals pursued.
Why is active recovery crucial for mass gain?
In bodybuilding, especially when it comes to building mass, active recovery is an essential lever, as it not only contributes to muscle growth by facilitating fiber regeneration, but is also an integral part of well-balanced training.
The increase in hormone secretions, such as growth hormone and testosterone, is supported by the continuity of exercise over active poly-muscular recovery efforts, supports protein synthesis and enhances overall health.
For all these reasons, active recovery is an invaluable tool for avoiding the pitfalls of excessive exercise in adolescence, adulthood or for senior citizens. It encourages a sensible approach to physical training throughout life. It also helps manage the negative effects of lactic acid build-up, such as muscle aches and cramps. In short, adopting active recovery means opting for the development of "sustainable" muscle mass, while working on health and performance at all ages.
The benefits of active recovery for mass gain
Active recovery offers significant benefits for those looking to gain mass, touching on physiological, preventative and performance aspects. Let's discover the key benefits of this technique.
Improves blood circulation and muscle repair processes
Active recovery plays a crucial role in improving blood circulation in muscles, resulting in better oxygenation and nutrition of tissues. This process is essential for muscle repair and growth. Blood transports amino acids, essential for building muscle proteins, as well as anabolic hormones, which stimulate protein synthesis. Active recovery also helps to eliminate metabolic waste products such as lactic acid and ammonia more efficiently, thereby reducing post-exertion muscle soreness. In short, it accelerates the regeneration of damaged muscle fibers, optimizing muscle growth.
A 2015 study(1) focuses on physiotherapy techniques used to manage peripheral nerve injuries, including methods that can be considered part of active recovery. The authors highlight the importance of kinetic therapy in repairing peripheral nerves after damage, with an emphasis on improving circulation and energy delivery to tissues. This suggests that specific active recovery techniques can play a crucial role in reducing the risk of injury by improving muscle function and blood circulation, which is essential for muscle repair and recovery.
Reduced risk of injury and improved flexibility
Active recovery is also beneficial in reducing the risk of muscular, tendon or joint injuries, which could hamper progress in muscle mass. It helps maintain good joint mobility and prevents stiffness and contractures by preserving muscle and tendon elasticity. What's more, it helps improve muscular flexibility, resulting in greater amplitude of movement and better execution of exercises. In this way, it plays a preventive role against injury and promotes greater flexibility.
Accelerated muscle recovery and improved performance
Finally, active recovery contributes to faster muscle recovery and improved sporting performance. It reduces muscular and nervous fatigue, which can limit progress and motivation. By maintaining adequate physical activity, without overloading the muscles, it supports energy expenditure and fat burning, which is favoured during prolonged low-intensity efforts. As a result, active recovery promotes greater physical fitness and enables significant advances in muscle development.
Despite the fact that massage is considered beneficial for athletes, a 2005 article(2) points out that the mechanisms and direct links of these massages with performance or recovery lack hindsight and scientific data. They produce mechanical pressure that can improve muscle compliance, increase joint amplitude, reduce passive and active stiffness, and potentially increase blood flow and muscle temperature. Psychological effects are also positive, but its impact on muscle function remains uncertain, requiring further study.
Active recovery strategies for weight gain
Active recovery is a key element in maximizing mass gain, but its effective implementation requires specific know-how. It's important to note that throughout the duration of mass gain, it's important to monitor not only the intensity of bodybuilding sessions, but also the quality of nutrition. In addition to active recovery, remembering to stay hydrated when building mass is crucial to good health and optimal metabolic performance. Nutritional tricks, such as preparing high-calorie shaker recipes or using a homemade gainer, can help achieve the extra calories needed. Similarly, eating a diet rich in omega-3s on a daily basis can support muscle repair and development thanks to their anti-inflammatory effects. Here we look at the activities best suited to active recovery, how to incorporate them into your training schedule and tips on how to get the most out of them.
Types of activity recommended for active recovery
Choosing the right activities for active recovery is essential. They must be of the right intensity and duration, so as not to overwork the muscles already in use. The goal: maintain a heart rate between 50 and 70% of your maximum heart rate. The maximum heart rate is generally calculated by this formula: FC max = 207 - (0.7*age), i.e. for a 40-year-old, an estimate of 207 - 28 = 179 BPM.
Among the most beneficial activities are :
- Stretching: to relax muscles, improve flexibility and prevent injury. To be practised without straining.
- Walking and jogging: stimulate blood circulation, help eliminate toxins and reduce stress. Ideal the day after a session or on a rest day.
- Yoga: improves breathing, relaxation and balance. Depending on your needs, incorporate the day after a session or on a non-training day.
- Cycling: good for the cardiovascular system and gentle on the joints. At moderate intensity, after training or on a rest day.
- Swimming : rather crawl or back crawl, a suitable environment for joints, ligaments and tendons.
Integrate active recovery into your training program
Consistently integrating active recovery into your routine is essential. Here are a few principles to follow:
- Variation of sessions: alternate between intense training sessions and active recovery sessions, to enable optimal muscle regeneration. Ideally, you should plan 3 intense training sessions and 2 active recovery sessions per week.
- Adapted duration and frequency: adjust these parameters according to your needs and feelings. A 20-30 minute session after an intense day or on a rest day is generally recommended.
- Variety of activities: to avoid monotony and target different muscle groups, alternate the types of active recovery activities.
Tips for maximizing the benefits of active recovery
Effective active recovery also involves a few tricks, including the addition of nutritional supplements such as whey (ideal for mass gain) taken in the right way to enhance the benefits for muscle development. To ensure effective muscle growth, it's essential to calculate your calorie requirements for mass gain and monitor the amount of protein you consume, which should be adjusted according to your weight and activity level. A gainer for ectomorphs, for example, can be an effective way of achieving the high calorie targets required for this morphology. Meal organization also plays an important role, as does meal frequency, which can influence the continuous supply of nutrients essential for muscle rebuilding. Alongside a healthy diet and, where appropriate, quality supplements with impeccable traceability and no additives in their composition, quality sleep is another pillar; indeed, it is during sleep that the vast majority of muscle recovery and growth takes place, particularly in growing youngsters. These principles, combined with active recovery, can considerably optimize your mass gain, helping you to reach your goals more easily, whether you're a determined teenager, a young adult, or a more mature person.
A word of clarification regarding young people who have not yet finished growing and are looking to put on weight. This process is not harmful in itself, but care must be taken not to maximize mass gain before the end of growth, at the risk of jeopardizing the latter. In this case, "mass gain" should be very gradual, and seen more as an overall muscular reinforcement, linked to the practice of other sports.
Review of key points:
- A balanced diet: opt for meals naturally rich in proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, vitamins, minerals and water (vegetables, fruit, legumes, preferably wholegrain cereals, eggs, meat and fish in reasonable quantities). Adapt your diet to your mass objectives and training schedule, giving priority to foods that promote muscle recovery and avoiding those that disturb sleep.
- Quality sleep: aim for between 7 and 9 hours' sleep a night, and make sure you sleep in an environment conducive to effective rest.
- Adequate hydration: drinking enough water before, during and after training is essential for good muscle recovery and optimal body function. Avoid dehydrating drinks such as alcohol.
Conclusion
Active recovery is a method that involves performing light activities between intensive training sessions. Its main aim is to promote muscle regeneration and stimulate muscle growth. This technique offers a number of essential benefits for mass gain, including improved blood circulation, a significant reduction in the risk of injury, accelerated muscle recovery and an overall improvement in performance. To adopt active recovery, it's crucial to select activities that match your level and goals. Wisely integrating active recovery into your training routine, while following healthy practices such as a balanced diet, restful sleep and adequate hydration, can significantly optimize your mass gain and help you reach your goals more easily. It's time to take the initiative towards more effective training: start integrating active recovery into your program now!
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