Most of us have set pre-workout routines: stretching, drinking water, queuing up an inspiring playlist. But what do you do after the workout is over?
According to a new study, as reported by The Diamondback, you may want to add drinking milk to your post-workout routine. The yearlong study, in which participants drank a chocolate milk product from a company called 5th Quarter Fresh, found that milk helped muscles recover post-workout even better than some other post-exercise products did.
RELATED: Chocolate milk and a nap: The quick road to muscle recovery
Participants were tested on their ability to perform different exercises, then given a variety of drink products that help aid post-workout recovery. The individuals then completed the same exercises to see how well the participants’ muscles repaired after consuming different products.
Individuals who drank milk between exercise rounds had only a 2 percent decrease in muscle work, compared to an estimated 16 percent decrease in muscle strength among those who drank other recovery drinks in between workouts.
Of course, while these findings could be beneficial, lactose intolerant individuals would need to look into alternatives.
RELATED: Not into milk? Here are 5 other science-supported protein shake alternatives
In addition to possibly drinking milk, we found some other post-workout rituals that might be worth looking into. HuffPo asked a handful of top fitness trainers what they did right after their workouts, and here’s what they shared:
Wash your hands
Sixty-three percent of gym equipment tested positive for viruses, including the cold-causing rhinovirus, in a study in the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine.
Go grocery shopping
“A trip to the grocery store is always part of my routine,” says Dallas-based Kristen Hoffman, an instructor at Exhale. “Junk food sounds awesome when I’m chilling on the couch, but when I’ve just done something good for my body, I’m much more likely to buy healthy stuff.”
Eat a healthy snack
A study in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition suggests that fueling up with blueberries before and after a workout may help muscles regain strength faster and lower your levels of exercise-induced oxidative stress.
Foam-roll and stretch hip flexors
A 2014 study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that foam-rolling after a demanding workout helped reduce muscle soreness and increased subjects’ range of motion.
And stiff hip flexors (which can be caused by sitting too much) can lead to lower-back pain. Help prevent the progression by stretching them daily. One way to do it: Kneel on the floor and place one foot out front with your knee bent at a 90-degree angle. Then push your hips forward, keeping your front knee above your front foot, hold and switch legs.
Tackle creative problems
Post-workout may be the optimal time to take on any type of mentally challenging task, as research in Psychology and Aging suggests that exercise has an immediate positive effect on cognition.
RELATED: Is it OK to have a post-workout beer (or two)?
Curated article from CBS News and the Huffington Post
Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine
Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition
