How to Recover Like an Athlete to Stay in Great Shape for Life

PSA: Your workouts are only as good as the recovery you do in between. Professional athletes know this best — despite the intensity of the training, their bodies are resilient enough to do it day in and day out. Why? Because they don’t just train hard — they recover intentionally.

But this doesn’t just apply to pro athletes.

“If you work out, period, the key to any outcome you’re striving for (muscle gains, better endurance, or just feeling good) is to have a recovery routine,” says Dr. Jeff Kreher, functional medicine physician and sport medicine specialist at PALM Health.

Whether you’re doing Pilates every week, running once in a while, or strength training regularly — whatever your workout of choice is — the gains are as much in the recovery as they are in the training.

Recovery is the phase where the body rebuilds and adapts.

• Muscle fibers repair themselves in order to grow back stronger.
• The nervous system shifts into parasympathetic mode to rebalance your energy consumption and heart rate variability.
• Cartilage and ligaments rebuild after the physical stress of exercise to support your joints.
• Hormones, particularly the stress hormone cortisol, rebalance themselves during this time.

This recovery period is essential; neglecting it can lead to overtraining and overuse injuries, as well as long term wear-and-tear that can affect your longevity. So while we may not all be pro athletes, it’s in our best interest to recover like pro athletes. 

Dr. Kreher recommends these five steps for optimal recovery. 

1. During Your Workout: Roll and Stretch

Foam rolling (self-myofascial release) and stretching can help warm up your muscles, restore range of motion, reduce tightness, and increase blood flow to fatigued areas.

• Foam rolling applies pressure to soft tissues, potentially decreasing soreness and improving flexibility.
• Stretching, especially dynamic or active stretching, helps improve joint mobility and tissue length.

For your next workout, make sure to save 5-10 minutes in both the beginning and end of your workout to roll out and stretch.

2. Post-Workout: Compression Therapy

Compression devices use sequential air pressure to mimic muscle contractions, which helps move blood and lymphatic fluid through the body. This can reduce muscle fatigue and soreness after exercise, particularly in the legs.

Research shows that compression therapy may:

• Improve removal of metabolic waste and fluid between cells
• Reduce delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS)
• Support faster return to exercise readiness

“This recovery technique is widely used among athletes who need to recover quickly between workouts or competitions thanks to its effectiveness,” says Dr. Kreher. It’s best used immediately after your workout to get ahead of muscle soreness and swelling.

3. Post-Workout: Cold Therapy

Cold exposure, including cold plunges and cryotherapy, has become a common recovery strategy to reduce muscle soreness and inflammation after intense activity.

• Cold plunges typically involve immersing the body in cold water (around 50–59°F) for a few minutes. This helps constrict blood vessels, reduce swelling, and temporarily dampen nerve activity related to soreness.
• Whole-body cryotherapy uses cold air (often below -150°F) for 2-3 minutes to achieve similar effects in a shorter time frame.

Studies suggest cold exposure may aid muscle recovery most when used within two hours after exercise, particularly in endurance or high-intensity training; however, it can be beneficial at any point in time.

4. Between Workouts: Infrared Heat

Unlike traditional saunas that heat the air, infrared saunas use light waves to warm the body directly. This form of heat exposure penetrates deeper into tissues and may improve circulation and support recovery from soft tissue injuries. Plus, it’s deeply relaxing, so it also supports mental and emotional recovery on top of physical recovery.

Many users report reduced joint stiffness and improved sleep following infrared heat sessions. Sleep is another key indicator of physical performance (it’s tough to have a great workout on a poor night’s sleep, right?).

Infrared heat is often used on rest days or after exercise to enhance recovery without additional physical stress.

Dr. Kreher’s pro tip: Try infrared heat immediately after cold therapy — the stark contrast can compound these benefits.

5. All the Time: Proper Nutrition

Of all the ways to facilitate recovery, nutrition is the most accessible place to start.

• Protein intake post-exercise provides the amino acids needed for muscle repair and growth. Our specialists recommend 20-40 grams of high-quality protein within a few hours after training, and a total goal of 80-90 grams per day.
  • Pro tip: While it’s best to get your protein directly from food sources (typically meat or plant protein), it can help to supplement with a protein powder.
• Creatine, a compound stored in muscle, helps regenerate ATP (the body’s energy currency). Creatine supplements have been shown to support recovery between training sessions and enhance lean mass gains over time.

Together, these nutrients help the body rebuild and prepare for future workouts.

Recovery can be easy to gloss over, especially if you’re tired or busy or in a rush. But making time for recovery is just as important — if not more important — than making time for the workout itself.

Whether you’re training for performance or trying to keep your body as healthy and resilient as possible with age, incorporating strategies like cold exposure, heat therapy, compression, mobility work, and proper nutrition can make a measurable difference in how your body responds to exercise. You’ll bounce back quicker between workouts, feel stronger, and move with more energy and agility.

Prioritize recovery, and your body will thank you — immediately and in the years to come.