After an intense workout, it can be tempting to collapse on the couch and let your body recover in total rest. But what if gentle movement could actually help you heal faster? That’s the idea behind active recovery.
Unlike rest days that involve complete stillness, active recovery workouts use low-impact, restorative movements to reduce muscle soreness, improve circulation, and keep your body primed for future training.
In this article, you’ll find out how much active recovery affects the results you get from your main workouts, and we recommend five routines you can try at home.
What Is Active Recovery?
Active recovery gives your muscles a little TLC. It’s not total rest, because your body still moves, but just at an easy pace. This means light walks, easy indoor cycling, yoga, or even some gentle stretching.
The goal is to get your blood flowing, flush out soreness, and help your muscles bounce back faster.
In fact, if you overtrain and forget to rest, you might start plateauing and even moving backwards. So, training more is not always the solution: sometimes giving your body a chance to recover by taking a break from weightlifting is more beneficial than you could imagine.
Plus, it keeps you from feeling stiff and sore the day after a challenging workout.
Types of Active Recovery
Active recovery means keeping your body moving gently so your muscles heal faster, soreness fades quicker, and you should start seeing gains when you begin lifting again.
Some great ways to do this include:
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Light cardio
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Yoga and stretching
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Foam rolling
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Light resistance work
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Mobility drills
5 Active Recovery Routines to Try
You can try many great active recovery routines, from yoga to light walking or cycling. Experiment to find something you enjoy. Maybe yoga isn’t your thing, but you prefer some stretching and foam rolling. Or perhaps you want to move more and prefer indoor cycling or swimming.
Give these five active recovery routines a try and find out which ones work best for you.
Workout 1: 30-Minute Indoor Cycling
Indoor cycling is one of the best ways to practice active recovery. If you’re looking for an indoor bike for your own home, the Speediance VeloNix indoor cycling bike is a compact and sleek option.
Workout:
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5 minutes on low resistance on a flat surface (1-5 resistance)
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10 minutes higher resistance on a flat surface (60-80 RPM cadence)
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10 minutes on a slight incline (60-80 RPM cadence)
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5 minutes cool down on a flat surface (1-5 resistance)
Workout 2: 30-Minute Pilates for Beginners
Pilates is a low-impact exercise that Joseph Pilates originally created to help World War I soldiers recover from injuries. It’s great for core exercises, increasing flexibility and mobility, and improving balance and coordination.
You don’t have to be a Pilates guru to get started. You can find great videos online, or you can follow this simple Pilates routine:
Workout:
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Pelvic curl (10 reps): Lie on your back with knees bent and feet hip-width apart. Tuck your hips under and press through your heels to lift into a bridge.
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Chest lift (10 reps): From bridge position, lift head and shoulders off the mat to warm up the core.
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The hundred (100 reps): On your back, lift your head and shoulders, and pump your arms while keeping the core engaged.
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Roll up (5-8): From lying flat, use core strength to roll up to seated.
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Leg circles (10 reps each leg): Lying down, lift one leg and draw small controlled circles.
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Side kick series (10 reps each leg): Lying on your side in line with the mat, kick your top leg forward and back to target your glutes and hamstrings.
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Scissor lift (20 reps alternating): On your back, lift legs and alternate scissor-like motions for hamstring and core work.
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Spine twist supine (5-8 reps): Lie on your back, bend one knee, and gently cross it over your body while keeping your shoulders flat. Hold briefly, then switch sides.
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Active rest pose (1 min): Lie flat on your back, relax your arms by your sides, and gently rock or roll over your spine with light pressure to release tension.
Workout 3: 30-Minute Yoga And Stretching
If you’re into yoga, your active recovery days are the best way to get your Warrior II on. After hard workout days, yoga and stretching will help your muscles recover faster. You’ll also feel a lot better after a few Savasanas and downward dogs.
Workout:
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Cat-cow: 1 min
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Downward dog to plank flow: 1 min
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Low lunge with side stretch (each side): 1 min
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Standing forward fold: 1 min
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Sun salutation A (3 rounds): ~5 min
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Warrior II to reverse warrior to extended side angle (each side): 2 min
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Chair pose to forward fold (2 rounds): 1 min
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Half split pose (each side): 2 min
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Seated twist (each side): 2 min
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Bridge pose: 1 min
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Pigeon pose (each side): 4 min
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Seated forward fold: 2 min
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Butterfly stretch: 2 min
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Supine spinal twist (each side): 2 min
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Savasana: 2 min
Workout 4: Full Body Mobility And Activation
Full-body mobility and activation sequences allow you to improve flexibility and mobility and get your body moving to flush out soreness and fatigue. This is to be done without weights or resistance bands.
Workout:
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Cat-cow stretch: 1 min
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Quadruped T-spine rotations: 1 min per side
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World's greatest stretch with rotation: 1 min per side
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Hip flexor stretch with overhead reach: 1 min per side
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90/90 hip switches: 2 min
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Glute bridges: 2 min
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Dead bugs: 2 min
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Side-lying clamshells: 1 min per side
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Bird dogs: 2 min
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Standing hip circles: 1 min per leg
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Deep squat hold: 2 min
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Lateral lunges: 1 min per side
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Inchworm walkouts to push-up position: 2 min
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Shoulder dislocates with band or stick: 2 min
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Scapular wall slides: 2 min
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Y-T-W shoulder floor raises: 2 min
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Bear crawl forward/backward: 2 min
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Reverse lunges with knee drive: 1 min per side
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High knees in place: 1 min
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Jumping jacks: 1 min
Workout 5: Foam Rolling And Self-Myofascial Release
Foam rolling and self-myofascial release are excellent choices for active recovery days, especially if you’re feeling stiff or sore. A foam roller or massage ball can target tight muscles, improve blood flow, and speed up recovery between training sessions.
Workout:
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Begin seated on the floor with a foam roller behind you.
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Roll out upper back: Position the roller under the shoulder blades, support the head with your hands, and roll from mid-back to upper back for 2 minutes.
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Thoracic extension: Pause with roller under mid-back, extend arms overhead, open chest, hold 30 seconds, repeat 2–3 times.
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Rear deltoid release: Shift to the back of the shoulder and gently roll a small area for 1 minute on each side.
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Glute release: Sit on roller, cross one ankle over opposite knee, lean slightly toward crossed leg, roll glute for 1 minute each side.
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Piriformis release: Continue in the same position, apply extra pressure by leaning more into the hip, and roll a small targeted area for 1 minute on each side.
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Hamstring roll: Place the roller under the thighs and hands on the floor for support. Roll from just above the knees to sit the bones for 2 minutes.
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Adductor roll: Lie face down with one leg bent out to the side. Place the roller inside the thigh and roll from the inner knee to the groin for 1 minute on each side.
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Hip flexor release: Shift the roller slightly toward one hip, roll from the top of your thigh toward the front of the pelvis for 1 minute on each side.
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Calf roll: Place the roller under the calves, put your hands behind them for support, and roll from the ankle to just below the knee for 2 minutes.
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Achilles/ankle release: Focus the roller closer to the ankle and apply small rocking motions for 30 seconds on each side.
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Tibialis anterior roll: Flip over, roller under shin, and gently roll from ankle to just below knee for 1 minute each side.
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Chest/pec release: Lie face down at an angle with the roller under the chest, gently roll side to side for 1 minute on each side.
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Neck release (gentle): Lie on the floor, place a small ball or roller under the base of the skull, and slowly nod the head side to side for 1 minute.
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Full back roll: Place the roller under your spine vertically, arms out in T position, and slowly rock side to side for 1 minute.
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End your workout with 1–2 minutes of deep breathing while lying with a roller under the spine to open the chest and relax.
The Benefits of Active Recovery
Unlike complete rest, active recovery involves low-intensity exercises that help your muscles heal, reduce fatigue, and prepare you for your next training session. Beyond the physical advantages, it also supports mental well-being and keeps you connected to your fitness routine.
Enhanced Muscle Recovery
Low-intensity movement increases blood flow to fatigued muscles. This helps your blood deliver essential nutrients and oxygen while removing metabolic waste. It can also reduce soreness and stiffness, which helps you bounce back faster after intense workouts.
Reduced Risk of Injury
Active recovery keeps muscles and joints engaged without overloading them. It also supports flexibility, mobility, and joint health and can lower the likelihood of strains or overuse injuries.
Improved Circulation
Even light activities like walking, swimming, or indoor cycling stimulate circulation. It promotes efficient nutrient delivery and waste removal throughout the body. Better circulation aids overall recovery and energy levels.
Mental Health Benefits
Gentle movement during active recovery can help reduce stress, elevate mood, and reinforce positive exercise habits. It provides a mental reset while keeping you connected to your fitness routine.
How Often Should You Practice Active Recovery?
You should practice active recovery every week, preferably at least once a week. If you’re taking days off from weight lifting and hard training, practicing light active recovery is always recommended.
Even if you don’t feel like executing a whole routine, you can always opt for a 20-30 minute light walk, swimming, or indoor cycling.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Does an Active Recovery Day Mean?
Active recovery day means skipping the hard workouts and letting your body recover while doing low-impact exercises, like swimming, Pilates, yoga, or foam rolling. In short, it means doing some form of activity without over-exerting yourself.
What Exercises Are Considered Active Recovery?
Any light cardio and low-impact exercises can be considered active recovery. For instance, cat-cow, jumping jacks, planks, high knees, roll-ups, bodyweight squats, and so on. Gentle cycling, swimming, and walking also count as active recovery exercises.
How Effective Is Active Recovery?
Active recovery is so effective that it’s actually considered essential. If you skip active recovery and keep working out too much, you might notice you’re not gaining muscle. Find a gentle exercise you enjoy, and incorporate it into your fitness routine.
Active Recovery Boosts Healing, Reduces Soreness, and Prepares You for Future Workouts
Active recovery helps your body recharge, combats stiffness, and keeps you progressing toward your fitness goals. For instance, light cardio, stretching, mobility drills and low-impact movement give your muscles time to recover and ensure you can come back stronger for your next session.
If you’re looking to maximize both your training and recovery, the right equipment makes all the difference. For strength-building sessions, explore the Speediance Gym Monster 2. And on active recovery days, the Speediance Velonix is designed to keep you moving without overtaxing your body.
