Muscles experience great stress after undergoing exercise, whether weight training or aerobic. The stress on the muscles may vary according to the intensity of the exercise, the amount of nutrition in the diet, and the amount of time the muscles worked. Muscle recovery is needed for the muscles to repair themselves and make them ready for the next exercise.

If you spend around five to ten hours a week exercising, the greatest part of our time is allotted for muscle recovery. Those who are undergoing bodybuilding should understand the different factors that affect muscle recovery, and the different techniques needed in maximizing muscle regeneration.

There are several factors that affect muscle recovery. One of them is age. In general, older people need a longer amount of time for their muscle recovery compared to younger individuals. It has been proven that those who are over 25 years of age need longer time for their muscle recovery.

The level of experience in training will also have an effect on a person’s muscle recovery. In essence, more experienced bodybuilders need less time for their muscle recovery compared to beginner bodybuilders.

Stress is your enemy. It has also been proven that psychological factors can have an effect on the muscle recovery. Stressors such as work, personal heartaches, finances, and everyday burnout can have an effect on the muscles’ ability to recover from exercises. On the long run, stress can have more serious repercussions such as insomnia and headaches. Do your best to limit stress in your life at all times, especially when you are on a serious weight training plan.

Diet is the ket to building muscle. Muscle recovery can be affected by the amount of essential nutrients present in the weight trainer's diet. It is also no secret that regular bowel movements allow the body to get rid of metabolic wastes, and allow the muscles to recover faster. Read diet to build muscle.
 

How muscles recover from exercise

The muscles recover from exercise in two ways: in between sets, and in between training sessions. The intensity of the training session, the goal of the training program, and the energy system utilized usually affect the muscle’s recovery.

Rest for 3-5 minutes between weight training sets. Recovery between sets depends on how phosphagen is replenished in the body. The duration of an exercise has an effect on the amount of phosphagen depleted in the body, although the body is able to replenish it quickly. It is said that the body can replenish up to 70% of it half a minute after the stop of an activity. Having enough rest in between sets is vital in allowing the body to replenish phosphagen. Cutting short rests in between sets would mean that the body won’t have enough phosphagen to fuel the next activity, which means less than ideal performance.
 

Sleep is key to muscle recovery. 8 hours of sleep per night is recommended for the body to properly recharge itself.