Whether you’re new to Pilates and barre or a seasoned regular, you’ve probably experienced the satisfaction of finishing a great workout, only to wake up the next morning wondering how you’re going to get out of bed because your muscles are so sore. Ouch.
Why does this happen? More importantly, what can you do to ease soreness and help your body recover faster?
While it’s tempting to finish your exercise class and move on with your day, what you do after your workout is just as important as the workout itself. Recovery after a workout is actually where the magic happens. It’s when your body repairs muscle tissue, adapts to the work you’ve put in, and comes back even stronger. Making recovery part of your routine can help reduce soreness, improve performance, and lower your risk of injury, so you can feel your best in your next class and keep making progress.
What Happens to Your Body After a Workout?
Exercise places healthy stress on your muscles. During strength-based workouts like Pilates and barre, tiny microscopic tears develop in your muscle fibers. Don’t worry, this is supposed to happen! After the workout, your body repairs those fibers, and they become stronger and more resilient. This is the actual process of building muscle, you have to break it down in order to build it up.
It’s possible to experience delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), which usually appears 12–24 hours after exercise and peaks around 24–72 hours later. While soreness can be uncomfortable, it’s a normal response, especially if you’ve tried a new movement or increased the intensity of your workout.
Recovery Is Where Progress Happens
It’s easy to think results come from working harder and longer. But, in reality, your body gets stronger during the recovery time, not while you’re exercising. Without enough recovery time, muscles don’t have the opportunity to fully repair. Over time, this can lead to lingering fatigue, decreased performance, and even a higher risk of overuse injuries. Try to start thinking of recovery as part of your workout plan, not a break from it.
Five Ways to Support Post-Workout Recovery
1. Hydrate
Your body loses fluids through sweat during exercise, even in lower-impact classes when it doesn’t feel like it. Replacing those fluids helps your body regulate temperature, transport nutrients, and support muscle recovery. Dehydration can make muscle soreness feel worse and may slow the recovery process. A good habit is to drink water throughout the day rather than waiting until you’re thirsty. Carry a water bottle around with you throughout the day and routinely take a few sips.
2. Refuel With Protein and Carbohydrates
After a workout, your muscles need nutrients to repair and replenish energy stores. Try to include both protein and carbohydrates within an hour or two after class. Protein provides the building blocks your muscles need to recover, while carbohydrates help restore the energy used during your workout.
3. Keep Moving
It might sound surprising, but complete rest isn’t always the best solution for sore muscles. Gentle movement like walking, stretching, or an easy mobility session can increase circulation and help reduce stiffness. If your muscles feel tight after yesterday’s barre class, a light walk or gentle stretch may actually feel better than spending the entire day on the couch.
4. Prioritize Sleep
Amazingly, sleep is one of the most powerful recovery tools available! While you sleep, your body releases hormones involved in tissue repair and muscle recovery. Aim for 7–9 hours of quality sleep whenever possible to give your body the time it needs to recover from exercise.
5. Massage (or use a foam roller!)
There are countless recovery trends online, but research suggests that there are a few techniques that consistently stand out. A large systematic review of 99 studies found that massage was the most effective recovery method for reducing muscle soreness and perceived fatigue after exercise.
Can’t find a massage partner? Foam rolling is another popular option that many people find helpful for easing muscle tightness and improving mobility after exercise. It essentially acts as a massage on your muscles, but at your convenience.
Do You Have to Be Sore for a Workout to “Count”?
Absolutely not! One of the biggest fitness myths is that soreness equals success. While soreness can happen after trying something new or increasing intensity, it’s not the only sign of progress. You can gain strength, improve balance, increase flexibility, and build endurance without feeling sore after every workout. Consistency matters far more than soreness.
Listen to Your Body
Learning the difference between soreness and pain is important. Muscle soreness usually feels like stiffness or tenderness that improves as you move. Sharp pain, swelling, instability, or pain that worsens over time isn’t considered normal and should be evaluated by a healthcare professional before returning to exercise.
The Truth Is…
Recovery isn’t a reward for working out, it’s literally a part of the workout itself. By staying hydrated, fueling your body with nutritious foods, getting enough sleep, and making time for gentle movement, you’re giving your body exactly what it needs to come back stronger for your next class.
Remember, progress isn’t just built during the workout. It’s built in everything you do afterward, too.
Sources:
PubMed Central: An Evidence-Based Approach for Choosing Post-exercise Recovery Techniques to Reduce Markers of Muscle Damage, Soreness, Fatigue, and Inflammation: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis
Underarmour: Post-Workout Recovery Tips for Sore Muscles and Faster Healing
