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Why You Should Be Making Time To Rest And Recover In 2017

Doing this simple thing can actually boost your fitness goals.

As we head towards a new year and plan our resolutions it can be a great time to switch up your fitness routine and find some extra motivation to take it to the next level. However to help balance new workout challenges next year will also see an increase in the number of gymgoers putting an emphasis on rest and recovery.

Here we round up some of the ways that taking time to recover could boost both your fitness and performance in 2017.

Recent years have seen an increase in the popularity of intense cardio workouts such as HIIT and boxing, and more and more people pushing themselves with endurance events. According to the the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), 2017 will see these fitness trends continue to flourish but also with a bigger focus on recovery to balance out these intense workouts.

The ACSM placed flexibility and mobility rollers at number 20 of 2017's top fitness trends; designed to massage muscles, foam rollers are often recommended but also often forgotten as part of an effective workout regime. 2017 looks set to see fitness professionals encouraging a slower approach to recovery, making more time to stretch and foam roll to heal muscles, relieve muscle tightness and spasms, improve circulation, and recover in order to optimize each workout.

The ACSM also points out that the market appears to be growing for products such as deep-tissue rollers and techniques such as myofascial release and trigger-point relief in order to avoid over-training and injuries.

Myofascial release massages the connective tissue fascia that surrounds other tissues, tendons, bones and muscles while trigger-point relief massages key points in the muscles to relieve pain — both remain more unknown than the foam roller products, but are garnering interest.

Also gaining ground are fitness classes that focus on recovery, such as A.C.C.E.S.S. in New York. Standing for Athletes Connection to Core Endurance, Strength and Stretch, the program led by Rebecca Kennedy emphasizes mobility, flexibility and stability.

Meanwhile the rise of wearables means fitness trackers will also be used not only to push workouts further but also to track and improve sleep — essential to help the body heal and get the most out of your workout.

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