Conscious Recovery
Recovery and regeneration for your body and mind is a key component to feeling good. Pilates is amazing, it can be an a great recovery workout if done properly (be sure to filter for “Regeneration” classes in the On Demand Library!). But there are some other fun and easy ways to help your body and mind recover too. Some of these items are fancy tech that are an investment and some are tried and true that cost pennies.
By aiding in your body to “down regulate” it will in turn help your mind wind down too. Over the years I have simply tried but also regularly used the different modalities below to help my own body recover. At different points in my life I have needed different kinds of recovery - something to think about when planning what your recovery might look like.
Last week I had the pleasure of speaking on a panel for all things fitness tech and recovery for Organic Spa Magazine. I figured I would put together a blog for you all on this important pillar of fitness. Keep reading to learn more!
This massage tool is amazing for relieving soreness and knots. It’s a great way mobilize your body pre workout if you’re feeling tight. It’s also great for the end of the day when you’re sitting watching tv, relaxing at home and unwinding your mind and body.
Baths are a great way to relax your mind and your body. Epsom salts are a great way to soothe sore muscles and re-establish possible mineral depletion. I take a bath 1-2 times a week as a way to destress and care for my body. I often put a meditation or audio book on so I can relax, listen, and put thoughts from the day away. Sometimes I use plain and simple epsom salts with no fancy additions. Some of the other salts I love that have other healing properties are the ones by Goop and Urban Remedy. When shopping for bath salts, make sure there are no fillers or chemicals. You should read the labels to make sure what you’re buying is truly healing and not full of crap.
This is by far my favorite recovery tech piece. The body roller helps with lymphatic drainage, soreness, and mobility. It was essential in my marathon training. In this photo I had just come from my 1/2 marathon! I booked the appointment on my way home from the race. It feels amazing on your whole body. How it works is there is a step by step video you follow and it takes you through your whole lower body. The roller massages and “rolls” out your muscles one part at a time. It lasts about 30 minutes and you literally feel like a new person when it’s done! The roller itself is very heavy (about 400 pounds!) and very expensive (about $5,000) so I pay per use at the stretching studio (Stretch’d) around the corner from my house. More and more places are popping up with this device so be sure to check out in your area!
This blanket is the hug your body needs on a cold winter night. Sweatingis a great way to help your body detox and the warmth is a great way to help your body recover. I love lying in this for 30-45 minutes on the highest setting. I always let it warm up for about 10-15 minutes before I get in so it’s nice and toasty from the get go. Make sure you wear socks, long pants and long sleeves so you don’t get burned. I place a towel under met to catch sweat and keep it clean. I place a pillow under my head and knees for support. I prefer to use this on my bed as the floor can get hard on my body after a while. It is an investment but definitely one your whole family can use and is a great biohacking tool!
Bongers are amazing for relieving pain and tension in the body. You literally “bong” your muscles and it helps increase circulation (aka increase blood flow/recovery) and recovery. These are great for getting things going pre workout or at the end of the day as a way to “work out” tension, tightness, and more. Use them on yourself or lie on your stomach and have someone use them up and down the back of your body.
A foam roller is an at home pilates studio must. It is amazing for rolling out your muscles but also when incorporated into a regenerative workout. It can challenge your stability but also help open up tight shoulders, chests, hips and more! I have many foam roller classes in my On Demand library so I highly recommend investing in this prop! Your body will thank me.
TB12 is Tom Brady’s method meant to increase muscle “pliability” and improve performance. It helped me so much training for my 1/2 Marathon back in March and has been a great way to keep pain and tightness at bay. Pilates will always be my #1 for these things but functional body work like this has become an essential part of my body’s care. It is very painful and not relaxing like a massage. It is literal manual manipulation to help relieve things like a tight psoas, glutes, etc. They are located in many big cities around the US and if you are able to work with one I highly recommend it!
Infrared Sauna Followed by Lymphatic Drainage Massage at IMD Beauty
This treatment is amazing. I was skeptical at first and thought it was just a trending thing influencers did. Then I tried it. Not only does it help detoxify your body, but it feels amazing. It really gets things energetically moving around your body. Yes I actually see a difference in how my body looks. But I also feel a difference in my energy and how it moves. I have been going about once a month and it has been an amazing addition to my well being. If IMD Beauty isn’t where you live, try to find lymphatic drainage massage and/or sauna at a spa or health center. Your body will thank you!