OFF SEASON WORKOUT AND MUSCLE RECOVERY SESSSION!
So excited to bring you guys an update on my improvement season!! Things are going great and we are still on track for nationals in June!! EEEEEP I am so happy with my progress so far this season and cannot wait to step on stage again to show off all of the hard work I have been putting in! In this off season I have focused more on muscle building and really trying to add more muscle mass overall to my physique! I am so happy with the muscle growth that I have acheived in the last few months! There has been one thing stopping me from really pushing myself to have full intense workouts… Pain in my left SI joint. For those of you who dont know the SI Joint also know as the Sacroiliac joint is location toward your lower back and into your glute. This has been causing pain in my left glute and restricting me from lifting weights to a certain degree. I have been taking my leg days slightly lighter and using lighter weight to avoid furthering the injury or creating a new injury.
I have definitely been pushing intense workouts for my other muscle groups to ensure nothing is being neglected. Thankfully I have not ran into any other issues so overall this improvement season has been going AMAZING for me!!
WHY IS MUSCLE RECOVERY IMPORTANT?
Muscle recovery is something that not many people prioritize in their fitness jounrney. They focus on a well balanced diet, and intense exercise. Proper recovery should be in the forefront, muscle recovery is important for a number of reasons. When you exercise, you are essentially breaking down your muscle fibers, which can lead to delayed onset muscle soreness and fatigue. Recovery is the process of repairing and rebuilding those muscles so that they can become stronger and more resilient and have better overall muscle function.
One of the main benefits of muscle recovery is that it can help to prevent injury. When your muscles are fatigued and sore, you are more likely to experience strains, sprains, and other types of injuries. By allowing your muscles to recover properly, you can reduce your risk of getting injured during your workouts.
Muscle recovery is also important for improving athletic performance. When you exercise, your muscles use up energy and produce waste products, such as lactic acid. Proper recovery allows your body to clear out these waste products and replenish its energy stores, which can help you to perform better during your next workout or competition.
What should I be focusing on at home for Mucle Recovery?
During your Recovery process there are a number of things that you can focus on at home to really optimize and accelerate muscle recovery. First and foremost, getting enough sleep is super important being well rested and allowing your body to fully reset will give you the energy you need to accomplish your workout the next day. Second, making sure youre getting enough calories in, whether youre tracking your Macronutrients or not you want to make sure you have well balanced diet eating the proter nutrients to fuel your body and providing the necessary fuel for energy production. Focusing on your protein intake is super important in muscle protein synthesis, giving your body the amino acids it needs to repair those broken muscle fibers! One last suggestion is foam rolling, this allows the body to relieve any inflammation or release any knots that might build up during your workout. These are just a few examples of things to do to maximize muscle recovery and really make sure you’re doing all that you can to hit your fitness goals and reduce muscle damage.
Sports Medicine for Muscle Recovery!
If your injury or muscle pain is far more than something that can be treated at home. Sports Medicine is an amazing practice overall that I highly recommend using. This allows the doctor to analyze and asses any issues you might have to focus on the muscle group and specifically muscle tissue in the area your experiencing the pain or issues. Every Sports Medicine doctor has different methods of treatment so find the one that works best for you and your injury. For me personally I go to Dr. Mike Flores at AMP Sports Med & Recovery. They focus on and utilize Percussion Therapy, scraping and cupping. The Percussion therapy is used to breakdown and remove lactic acid in the muscle tissue. In my youtube video, Dr. Mike Flores explains the process of their practice from beginning to end, including Chircopractic at the end of each session. He goes into detail about what method is used for what treatment and the benefits of each treatment as well! I absolutely love going their and feel like a million bucks evertime I leave!!
LETS TRAIN!!
Come along with me to train legs with my trainer Kyler Jackson!
Went through a pretty tough workout routine with Kyler, absolutely destroyed my legs in the best way possible LOLOL I will post the workout below for you, definitely give it a try! We kept the SI joint in mind when selecting and executing the workouts to ensure no more muscle damage or issues arrised.
Leg Day Workout!
Always stretch before your workout!!
- Walking Lunges – 3 sets of 20reps (body weight)
- Leg Extensions – 4 sets of 15reps
- Lying Hamstring Curls – 3 set of 12reps
- Leg Press – 3 sets of 15reps
- Sissy Squats – 4 sets of 12reps (body weight)
Improvement Season Posing!
Posing during your off season is just as important as posing during your prep for a show! This can be a very uncomfortable process. TRUST me when I say, this posing session HUMBLED me to another level!!! I am currently sitting at the highest weight I have ever been, but also have more muscle mass than I ever have! Posing during my off season allowed me to see the muscle growth that I have achieved over the last few months. As well as, get me back into the swing of walking around in heels and perfecting my poses and routine as a whole. The more practice you do off stage, the more confidence you can portray onstage and just overall comfort being in heels and your bikini! I always say next to your physique your posing is one of the most important things! You can have an amazing physique to bring to the stage but if your posing is off then your not showing off the hard work you’ve done to get that stage ready physique!
Thankful for YOU!
I am so beyond glad that I can bring you guys along on this journey with me and share all of my experiences! My hope is to inspire or educate someone with each blog and youtube video I create! Whether you are already a competitor, aspiring to compete, just starting out in your fitness journey or just living an overall healthy lifestyle I hope what I bring to you helps you in some way! I love sharing my journey and experiences, just know you’re not alone in your jounrey! Make sure to follow all fo my socials to get more of an insight on my day to day life and journey!
