Active recovery

Active recovery refers to low intensity movement done on a rest day or the day after a hard workout, instead of complete inactivity. Common examples include a relaxed walk, easy cycling, light swimming, yoga or a short mobility routine targeting whichever joints or muscles feel tightest. The intensity should stay low enough that you finish feeling looser rather than tired.

The general idea is that gentle movement keeps blood flowing to muscles that are still repairing, which many people find helps them feel less stiff than sitting still all day. It also gives you a chance to check in with how your body is actually feeling, since a body scan during an easy walk or stretch session can surface tightness or soreness you might otherwise ignore until it becomes a bigger issue.

A common mistake is turning active recovery into another hard workout, which defeats the purpose and can add to fatigue rather than reduce it. Keeping the effort noticeably lighter than a normal training session, and pairing it with tools like a foam roller or a few minutes of stretching, tends to work better than either extreme of doing nothing or pushing hard again the next day.