If muscle building is your goal then you need to pay attention to your recovery.  After all, this is where muscle is built.  A great training program will put you on the right path, but if you don’t take measures for optimal recovery then don’t expect to be stronger or bigger at your next training session.

Of course, the main factors involved in good recovery are proper nutrition, sleep, and supplementation.  But there are some other things that can be done to speed up the recovery process and allow you to build muscle and strength at a faster rate.

One of the best muscle building secrets I have found is the use of Epsom salt baths for muscle soreness relief and faster recovery.  The special thing about Epsom salt is that it contains high concentrations of magnesium.

Magnesium is typically deficient in most hard training athletes.  This can be corrected through traditional magnesium supplementation, but Epsom salt baths have some unique benefits that can’t be achieved with oral magnesium supplementation.

The first is that the magnesium is absorbed through the skin.  This has two benefits that go above and beyond oral magnesium supplementation.  The first is that the magnesium bypasses the stomach and liver which means that it is easier to increase blood levels of magnesium with Epsom salt baths.  The second is that since the magnesium is absorbed through the skin there is no stomach discomfort to contend with, which is a frequent complaint of those taking oral magnesium supplements.

Epsom salt baths are also very calming to the body.  The magnesium helps the nervous system to relax, while the heat from the bath relaxes the muscles, not to mention the calming affect that a relaxing bath has on the mind.  When these factors are combined you get a powerful recovery-promoting effect.

The one caveat to Epsom salt baths is that they can’t be done too frequently or too soon after a workout.  Either one of these situations will negate the beneficial effects and may even make the recovery situation worse.  It is highly recommend that you seek the advice of a professional if you want to successfully incorporate Epsom salt baths or any other recovery procedure into your training program.

If you are struggling to get stronger from one workout to the next, or are having trouble gaining muscle quickly, then you may need to look at your recovery between sessions.  Remember that just because you are not sore doesn’t mean that you’re recovered.  There are a variety of other indicators to look for and many additional recovery modalities to use, all of which are outlined in Athletic Muscle Building.