As you grow older those knocks and scrapes you inevitably receive while playing sports or doing exercise take extra time to heal, and pain can sometimes become a constant companion rather than a fleeting annoyance.
Pro athletes know this all too well, doing everything they can to remain in top shape for as long possible in order to make the most of their short careers.
In this article we look at the recovery techniques that many top athletes use, which you yourself can copy.
Yoga is increasingly being used by many top sports stars to remain supple and injury free
Yoga and Pilates
There is nothing new about yoga or pilates, but it has taken time for many sports players and teams to banish their prejudices in order to benefit from such exercises.
One of the greatest Heptathletes and British Olympians Jessica Ennis-Hill used yoga to remain fit while she was pregnant, which certainly worked out well for fans of hers who backed her to claim a medal at the Rio Olympics.
And it’s not just in the UK, yoga and pilates have a particularly strong following among American sportsmen and women.
The newly crowned NBA Champion LeBron James can’t get enough of yoga. He often cites it as one of the key reasons for him being able to deliver for basketball fans, who regularly wager sports free bets on the big man’s Lakers to slam dunk the opposition. NBA old timers such as Dirk Nowitzki and Shaquille O’Neal have also been known to roll out their yoga matts in order to turn back the hands of time, using deep stretches and breathing techniques to keep themselves limber.
Swimming is the perfect way to tone up, while also working on your cardio and flexibility
Swimming
As joints get older and weaker they become more susceptible to damage from high-impact cardio exercises, such as road running and kettle bell training.
Swimming is unique in that it helps tone muscle while also being superb for increasing lung capacity and providing a stellar cardio workout. All while doing virtually zero damage to joints.
Combat sports stars are among the biggest advocates for the benefits of swimming, with people like Anthony Joshua and Vasyl Lomachenko dedicated to long sessions in the pool.
Sleep, Eat, and Get a Massage
While gentle exercise can help temper the damage done by a strenuous workout or race, there is still no replacement for eating well and sleeping.
Throw in a good deep tissue massage in between and you will find you’re raring to go the day after you exercised, rather than hobbling round like a broken human being.
