Recovering from exercise is a very important aspect of your training regimen. If you don't allow your body to recover properly in between training sessions you can hinder your development as well as potentially cause yourself injury.
Here are a few tips I've used to help my body recover faster in between training sessions.
1. L-Glutamine. This is an amino acid that aids in muscle preservation. I am not going to give an overly technical and boring scientific explanation. Taking glutamine helps to repair your muscle tissues faster and break acid build up. That's why when you take it the soreness (which is lactic acid) goes away faster. If you want a more in depth explanation of glutamine simply Google it and you'll find a ton of information on this amino acid.
2. Stretching. Many people underestimate the importance of stretching the muscle. Stretching can improve your circulation and in so doing speed up the recovery process in the muscles. Some people say that you should stretch in between bench pressing sets. I disagree. My martial arts teacher always suggested stretching is a workout in itself and should not be taken lightly so stretching should be done after you've completed your training. Your body will be thoroughly warmed up and loose and you will reduce the potential of injury.
3. Rest. You must get adequate rest. Muscles grow and repair while you are sleeping to if you don't get enough rest you are not giving your body the time it needs to grow and improve. Adequate amount of sleep may be different for each individual; some people can do fine with five hours sleep while others need a minimum of seven.
4. Protein. Your muscles are made up of protein as you know so you must give them the fuel that they need to repair and grow. Protein intake will vary from person to person and some people will tell you that you need a minimum of 1 gram per 1 pound of bodyweight. You should experiment and find out what seems to work well for you based on your goals.
5. Active recovery. After 48 hours of your bench pressing training session you should do some light chest exercises for about 3 sets. I usually do Hindu push ups and this works well to help my muscles recovering faster. You could do some other form of chest exercises such as light flys or cable crossovers.
Here's a sample of how I put this all together. Within one hour after I've finished bench pressing I drink a protein shake with 50 grams of protein and 3 to 5 grams of glutamine. I sleep six hours a night (this works well for me), and 48 hours after I've trained I do my Hindu push ups.
I hope these simple tips help you to recover faster in between your bench pressing workouts.
