Improving lower-body recovery is a real headache for endurance sports enthusiasts and body-builders alike. Long periods of leg and thigh training are often accompanied by persistent fatigue. As you'd expect, there's no miracle solution to help you recover much more efficiently.
You'll need to look at your training schedule, your lifestyle and, of course, your diet. On this last point, supplementation provides a significant boost. But you still need to know which dietary supplement and, more specifically, which protein powder to consume to boost leg muscle recovery.
Nutrition: the cornerstone of muscle recovery
The physiological process behind muscle building suggests that nutrition is at the heart of recovery speed. The effort expended during your training phases causes muscle fibres to adapt.
The body then sets about repairing its damage and optimizing the muscle fibers to perform better in this type of effort. This is what training is all about. Once the damage has been repaired, the athlete gains in endurance and strength, and recovers from the micro-traumas suffered by the muscle.
To repair muscle fibres, the body uses amino acids, which come from proteins. That's why specialists recommend consuming 20-25 g of protein after a workout or physical activity, to accelerate muscle recovery and promote muscle gain.
Unfortunately, this need can hardly be met by everyday foods. Everyday food products tend to contain slowly assimilated proteins. What's more, by seeking out more protein in conventional food, athletes will be absorbing more other macronutrients, providing more calories and potentially promoting weight gain.
To remedy these problems, specialist sports nutritionists recommend supplementing with protein powder. Of all the products available on the market, whey protein, with its complete amino acid profile and very high nutritional and biological value, is the best alternative.
Whey to boost muscle recovery in the lower body?
Post-exercise supplementation is a veritable institution among top-level athletes (see our article on taking protein before or after exercise for recovery). For this type of use, whey is by far the best protein powder.
This is because it is highly bio-available, so will be rapidly assimilated by the body. What's more, these dietary supplements have a naturally high protein content, with no need for solvent isolation or special enrichment. Whey contains both essential amino acids (EAA) and branched-chain amino acids, the famous BCAAs (leucine, isoleucine, valine).
Whey has long been used in strength sports (see the best whey for crossfit), but also by long-distance runners, cyclists and trail runners. A study1reveals its potential in disciplines where endurance takes precedence over physical strength(such as soccer, for example). Researchers have shown that this protein powder accelerates the repair of post-exercise lesions, reducing fatigue, aches and pains that may be felt after a training session.
To improve lower-body recovery, you need to dose your whey correctly, so as to absorb 20 to 25g of protein per serving. In recent years, beliefs surrounding the "anabolic window" have tended to disappear. From now on, you won't be rushing to consume your whey shaker immediately after training. You have around two hours after the physical activity or exercise for the body to make good use of the whey.
To find out more, read our article entitled What to take to promote recovery. Among other information, we explain whether or not it's compulsory to consume protein powder to promote muscle recovery, and whether it's possible to build muscle without whey.
More than just proteins and amino acids
Of course, the speed of recovery depends not only on your ability to meet your protein requirements. You also need to ensure that you're properly hydrated. Sports involving the legs call on large-volume muscle groups. As a result, a huge amount of water is lost, especially in trained athletes!
It has long been proven that the loss of 2% of water is enough to disrupt numerous biological functions. Dehydration not only reduces physical performance, it also slows muscle recovery by altering certain biochemical reactions.
It's therefore in your interest to rehydrate during and after long runs or exercises targeting the legs. Without it, you'll struggle to recover from your training session. It's also a good time to replenish your glycogen stores.
Glycogen is a form of glucose stored and available in the liver and muscles. The body uses these substances to rapidly provide energy, particularly during long-duration efforts. As glycogen stores are depleted, fatigue becomes increasingly intense. Replenishing glycogen stores will therefore enable you to recover your strength and energy more quickly before the next training session, whether in fitness or endurance physical activity.
Rehydration and glycogen replenishment can go hand in hand. To do this, prepare an isotonic drink containing a variable quantity of carbohydrates, depending on when you take it, the intensity of your effort, the outside temperature... You can obtain these nutrients with your whey shaker. It then becomes a complete recovery drink, combining the beneficial effects of protein and carbohydrates for your whole body, not just your legs.
To complete this section on nutrition: is alcohol really bad for muscle recovery?
Preparing for recovery
Good physical preparation will also help to relieve the strain on your legs and thus improve recovery. Top-level athletes are familiar with training programs and diets designed to maximize recovery. Certain training plans combined with a specific diet, for example, enable you to boost your glycogen stores before intense, long-term sporting activity. This not only improves the athlete's endurance, but also speeds up recovery after a competition.
Such "precautions" provide the means to protect the lower body. Just remember that regular training does not protect you from injury or pain. So don't leave anything to chance, even when running or cycling occasionally, and don't hesitate to seek specialist advice.
To avoid putting excessive strain on the legs, you should of course allow yourself phases of rest and sufficient sleep. You should also take advantage of a few moments of well-being and relaxation. Massages, yoga and reading are all excellent ways to release physical and mental tension. Mental and psychic relaxation is just as important as physical relaxation. Even a few minutes of these activities a day is enough to reduce physical and metabolic stress. Stress has a direct impact on muscle recovery, and therefore on your physical performance.
To find out more :
- Is it only necessary to consume proteins for muscle recovery?
- Are massage guns effective for recovery?
- Which whey should you choose to optimize your post-workout recovery?
- Whey isolate: when to take it, how and why?
