Recovery Isn’t Just for Your Body

By: Joel Cochran

Being the resident Mobility Guy I have had countless conversations with members who are tired of being in pain or having a consistent ache that just wont seem to go away.  If you are one of these people who I have talked too then you probably know the question that I will mostly ask.  What is your recovery like?

Ah yes, the R word.  It’s the most underutilized tool used in the Welded community, and yet it just might be more important than the workout itself!  Recovery techniques such as foam rolling, yoga, massage therapy, ROMWOD, cool downs, heat therapy, epsom salt baths and of course proper nutrition; gives our bodies a fighting chance against the high intensity training that we put it through daily!

The more we recover the better we feel and perform on a daily basis.   But Welded isn’t the only thing in our lives that tends to leave us beaten and bruised.  Work, family, friends, relationships, finances all play a factor in daily stresses that can drastically affect not only our physical health but also our mental and emotional health as well.

So my question to you is are you recovering from your daily WOD’s with life?  Most of us wouldn’t look at it this way but depending where you’re at in life, you might feel like your are doing an emotional Fran everyday!  If this is the case what are you doing to help recover so that you can be the best you each and every day?

Not sure what to do?  Well here are my 3 recovery tips for life:

  1. Headspace – Headspace is a guided meditation app that can be used daily to help relieve stress and create a true sense of peacefulness.   The best part about Headspace is that you can do it anywhere and it only take 10 minutes for results that will last all day.  Download the app today and let me know what you think!
  2. Quality Time – One of the greatest recovery tools for life is spending time with people you love!  In a day and age where we are always “plugged in”  I always make sure to set aside daily time to turn everything off and engage with someone I truly care for.  This can be making dinner plans with a friend, calling a family member who you haven’t spoken too in a long time or just spending 15 minutes with your significant other every night with ZERO distractions.   My suggestion for this recovery tool, write it down in your schedule each week and you will find that it will happen!
  3. Do What You Love – I really mean it!  If you love to play the guitar, then find time every week to play the guitar!  If you love to be outdoors than make sure to plan a trip once a month to breathe fresh air.  Maybe you like to garden, swim, do yoga, read, write poetry, or just see a good movie;  whatever makes you smile make time for it!

Well there you have it, those are my top 3 recovery tools for living a happy and healthy life.  What are yours?!