Post-exercise recovery: an essential pillar of your well-being and sporting performance

Effective sports recovery is essential – not only for achieving your exercise goals, but also for maintaining a general state of well-being.

After exercise, allowing the body to deeply regenerate is needed to prevent injury, continuously improve performance, and ensure good physical and mental health.

At the Molitor Hotel & Spa Paris MGallery Collection***** , sports recovery is at the heart of the training approach provided to members of the sports club. Thanks to a team of expert professionals, including sports coaches, physiotherapists, and nutrition specialists, every aspect of recovery is managed based on each persona’s individual needs.

Similarly, the Sofitel Quiberon Thalassa sea & spa***** is the perfect place to enjoy sports recovery sessions. Overlooking the ocean on the Quiberon peninsula, this establishment is renowned for its innovative facilities, such as aquatic osteopathy in heated seawater and the AlterG® treadmill, which provides a weightless running experience. Its Parcours Marin, featuring nine seawater workshops and offering breathtaking views of the ocean and Belle-Île-en-Mer, is an invitation to completely regenerate both body and mind.

This approach ensures that athletes of all levels benefit from the best strategies to optimize recovery and achieve their sporting goals with confidence.

Jérémy Krystkowiak, sports coach at the Molitor Hotel & Spa Paris MGallery Collection *****, Nelly Simon, Sports Manager at the Sofitel Quiberon, and Jessica Dufour, 400-meter sprint national competitor, tell us more.

How to recover effectively after a workout

In the words of Jérémy Krystkowiak: “There is no training without recovery!”

And he’s right! Effective recovery is essential, not only for achieving sporting goals, but also for reducing the risk of injury and ensuring physical longevity.

Good sports recovery relies on several pillars:

●   Active recovery: often overlooked, this involves light activity to stimulate recovery without tiring the body. This can include gentle walks, Pilates or yoga . The idea is to lower the intensity of your workouts to enable the body to regenerate before the next, more intense session.

●   Sleep: sleep is the central pillar of recovery. A full night’s rest allows the body to repair and rebuild.

●      Nutrition: nutrition is essential for sports recovery. Proteins, which are essential for muscle repair, and carbohydrates, which replenish energy reserves, must be consumed in large enough quantities based on the intensity of the exercise and each person’s metabolism. This is one of the main advantages of working with a coach and a nutritionist.

●   Hydration: this helps to prevent cramps and promotes healthy muscle function.

Nelly Simon also highlights the importance of recovery as a central element of any physical preparation. “Recovery is not just a rest phase; it is an active, essential component that maximizes performance and prevents injury.”

Sports coach, physiotherapy, spa: Why you should work with a team of experts

We now understand that post-exercise recovery is a central part of any preparation routine for achieving a physical goal.

The best way to prepare for this is to entrust your training and recovery to the experts. At the Molitor Paris, the sports coaching services include physiotherapists, osteopaths, and nutritionists, as well as expert treatments at the hotel spa.

The Sofitel Quiberon also brings a unique dimension to sports recovery with its “Le Goût du Sport” program. Specifically designed for people looking to start exercising again or improve their physical capabilities, the program offers recovery treatments using the benefits of seawater. It includes treatments such as remineralizing seaweed wraps, hydromassage baths, jet showers , and marine rain sculpting. Cryotherapy sessions and coached stretching sessions are also available to ensure comprehensive post-exercise recovery.

In fact, there are a number of specific techniques to aid muscle recovery, reduce muscle soreness, and prevent injury:

●   Sports coach: Hiring a sports coach is a way to benefit from a bespoke approach tailored to your needs. A coach can develop a customized recovery program that integrates appropriate exercises, rest periods, and active recovery activities to optimize performance and reduce the risk of injury. They work in synergy with other experts to ensure total recovery of both body and mind.

●   Spa therapists and staff: sports massage is one of the key techniques emphasized by Jérémy Krystkowiak. This type of massage is designed to sooth sore muscles, accelerate the elimination of toxins, and prevent post-workout aches. At the Molitor, massages are designed in collaboration with top athletes. The spa even offers a range of massages tailored to your preferred sporting discipline:

○   Swimmer’s massage: this massage targets the shoulders, the neck, the back, and the abductors.

○   Golfer’s massage: this hour-long massage focuses on the shoulders, the hips, and the spine.

○   Runner’s massage: this hour-long massage focuses on the legs, the lumbar region, and the trapezius.

○   Boxer’s massage: this massage targets the legs, the arms, and the torso.

○   Tennis player’s massage: this massage targets the legs, the hips, the lumbar region, the neck, and the arms.

●   Cryotherapy: Cryotherapy involves exposure to extremely low temperatures to help reduce inflammation and muscular pain. Cryotherapy sessions can aid recovery after intense sporting activity, as it stimulates blood circulation and venous return. Cold-water baths are also highly beneficial. These activities are very intense, and should be done with the help of an expert who will be able to coach you throughout and ensure maximum benefit.

●   Coached stretching sessions: Guided stretching sessions are also a pillar of full-body recovery. These sessions help maintain muscle flexibility, prevent injury and improve range of motion. Jérémy Krystkowiak explains that stretching is excellent for muscle fibers and should be practiced as regularly as the workouts themselves to ensure effective recovery.

●   Physiotherapy: Physiotherapists play a vital role in helping athletes restore muscle function and increase mobility after intense exertion. They use techniques such as joint mobilization and ultrasound and electrotherapy treatments to accelerate recovery and prevent future injury.

●   Osteopathy: Osteopaths provide additional, synergistic expertise by working on the entire body to improve alignment and overall function. This holistic approach helps to release deeply-held tensions and optimize bodily harmony, which is crucial for high-level performance and recovery.

●   Nutrition: Adequate nutrition is essential for effective recovery. Nutritionists can design personalized diets to support muscle repair, replenish energy stores, and maintain optimal hydration. They also provide targeted advice on macronutrient and micronutrient requirements after exercise.

For Jessica Dufour, the three most effective pillars of her recovery routine are “cold baths, massages from my physiotherapist, and self-massages, which I perform with a roller or a ball to massage deeply.”

The importance of sleep for post-exercise recovery

Sleep is fundamental to the physical and mental recovery process among athletes and beginners alike. It plays a key role in muscle repair, memory formation, and hormone regulation.

Deep sleep in particular is crucial for accelerating the effects of muscle repair and tissue regeneration. During this phase, the body releases hormones which are vital for repairing damaged muscles and adapting to intense sporting activity.

Nelly Simon is unequivocal: “Nutrition plays a major role in providing the body with the right quantity – and quality – of energy before and after exercise.”

Water and food: the two pillars of effective recovery

A balanced diet and intense hydration are essential for optimal recovery after exercise. Both play a key role in repairing damaged muscle tissue, restoring energy reserves, and regulating the body’s needs.

What diet is best for effective recovery ?

When we think of a sports diet, we often think of proteins. Protein is essential for repairing and rebuilding muscle fibers after intense physical exercise.

Jérémy Krystkowiak recommends a protein-rich diet before, but especially after exercise: “For a balanced meal, 70% protein after training is ideal.” Nelly Simon agrees, adding: “To promote recovery, it is recommended to consume protein for muscle and tendon reconstruction, and carbohydrates to recharge glycogen stores if the training was high-intensity.”

Protein sources such as lean meat, fish, eggs, and legumes are therefore particularly beneficial for the body.

Another essential source of energy in the diet is carbohydrates. These are essential, as they help replenish glycogen stores which are depleted during exercise. Carbohydrate intake should be adapted to each individual morphology and needs.

Water: what level of hydration is best for effective recovery?

Water plays a fundamental role in the recovery process. Not only does it help replenish fluids lost during exercise, but it also facilitates the transport of nutrients throughout the body.

Drinking enough water throughout the day, and particularly after exercise, is therefore essential to facilitate better muscle recovery. According to Nelly Simon: “Adequate hydration is vital for overall physical preparation and helps to prevent injuries, cramps, and fatigue.”

Active recovery and rest: Your hard work deserves a reward !

Post-exercise recovery doesn’t just mean lying back on the sofa and not moving. It can also be active, incorporating light activities that promote blood circulation and help eliminate toxins such as lactic acid.

Active recovery can involve light walking, gentle yoga, reformer Pilates, or low-intensity cycling. These exercises help to maintain mobility while helping the body to recover more effectively.

The key is to find the right balance between these active recovery sessions and absolute rest. In preparation for a sporting event, a competition, or a specific goal, active recovery is encouraged as a way to stagger your training sessions. However, after very intense effort, opt for absolute rest with no exercise aside from stretching. This will enable deep, complete healing and allow the body to regenerate fully.

Rest days (active rest or absolute rest) should therefore be planned as carefully as training days. “The aim is to create a virtuous circle, both physically and mentally, to promote complete harmony throughout the body,” says Jérémy Krystkowiak.

Using technology to aid recovery after resistance training

Technological progress has made it possible to facilitate sports recovery, particularly after intensive weight training.

Percussive massage tools, such as the Theragun, are particularly popular among sports coaches. These tools offer a targeted approach to relaxing muscles and reducing tension through rapid, repeated pulses delivered to the muscles, which help to increase blood circulation and accelerate the healing process.

At Sofitel Quiberon Thalassa sea & spa***** , these techniques are accompanied by thalassotherapy methods, which use the natural properties of seawater to enhance the effectiveness of post-exercise recovery treatments.

You can also use compression garments to support muscle recovery. More and more brands are now creating sportswear that includes this technology. By applying gentle but constant pressure to the muscles, these garments improve blood circulation and reduce the risk of post-exercise soreness and swelling.

Nelly Simon emphasizes the importance of this technology in the recovery process: “We recommend the use of technology such as cryotherapy and percussive massage tools for our customers after intense sessions. These options, combined with our thalassotherapy expertise, offer optimal recovery.”

It is important to remember that the use of any machine to promote sports recovery should be used with care. Percussive massage tools, for example, should not be used on the back of the neck, or any other sensitive area of the body. Be careful, and if in doubt, ask one of our coaches or experts to help you with your sports recovery!

Mental preparation and recovery

Mental preparation plays a crucial role in the sports recovery process. Adopting techniques such as meditation and guided relaxation can help reduce stress and significantly improve recovery.

Jessica Dufour personally believes in the importance of meditation in her recovery routine:

“Regulating stress with breathing exercises just before a competition helps me to be in complete control.”

This mental approach enables her to refocus and maintain optimal concentration during bouts of intense exercise.

By integrating guided relaxation practices, which include deep breathing and visualization, athletes can effectively release accumulated psychological tension. This holistic approach not only enhances physical recovery, but also boosts mental resilience, which is essential for top-level sporting performance.

Tracking and adjusting your recovery strategy

Remember to regularly evaluate the effectiveness of your recovery strategy to make sure it is meeting your needs. At Molitor, bespoke follow-up and monitoring is a foundation of the coaching services offered at the sports club.

As Jérémy Krystkowiak says:

“In our program, the first coaching session is included in the membership to establish a personalized recovery plan. After that, regular check-ups are necessary to adjust and refine the methods in line with each individual’s progress and specific needs.”

This personalized follow-up helps to ensure that every athlete, whether amateur or professional, continues to progress towards their sporting goals while maintaining their best possible health and performance.

Good recovery is essential to help you achieve your sporting goals! Our coaching, physiotherapy, and nutrition experts offer bespoke treatments to optimize your recovery and help you achieve your goals.

And if you want to recover for even longer after a huge effort, you can rely on the expertise of our thalassotherapy treatments , such as the one provided at Sofitel Quiberon Thalassa sea & spa***** .

A well-deserved wellness break !