STOP Doing This AFTER Your Workout!

When it comes to working out, it isn’t just what you do during your workout but after your workout as well that makes a difference in how much muscle you can build. In this video, I’m going to share with you the 10 worst things to do after training that can hold back your gains and undercut the effectiveness of the time you spent in the gym.

The first of these is the use of NSAIDS or ibuprofen after a workout. People often take these in order to diminish the delayed onset muscle soreness they may experience the next day. While this may in fact help with that it also prematurely interrupts the inflammatory process that is a natural part of muscle repair and recovery. Without this, your body may not grow to its fullest muscular potential.

The next thing you want to avoid if your goal is to build muscle is jumping into an ice bath. While cold water immersion therapy has been shown to be beneficial in so many ways it, similar to the use of aspirin, can prematurely blunt the natural inflammatory process that is a natural part of helping to grow muscle.

Next up is one that many are likely happy to put in the rear view mirror and we are talking about the anabolic window. It was once thought that you needed to ingest protein within 45 minutes following a workout in order to see the benefits of muscle protein synthesis. Thankfully, that is no longer supported by science. As long as you have protein either before or within a couple hours after training you are good to go if your goal is to gain muscle mass.

That said, you do not want to diminish the importance of protein in general. Some have taken the lower importance on protein timing to mean that protein intake can also be casual. This is not the case. You need to try and ingest at least .8 to 1.2 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight. Doing this in small and somewhat equal amounts will ensure the consistency is there to see your best muscle growth possible.

Next you want to be careful about when you are doing your conditioning and cardio workouts. If the choice was to do them before or after your workout and your goal was to build muscle then you would definitely opt for after since you wouldn’t want to tire yourself out before your strength training. That said, even right after your workout can be counterproductive for reasons supported by science. You are better off putting them on off days if able.

A couple of things that people might overlook but they are no less important in terms of seeing results from your gym workouts is not weighing yourself after a workout and forgetting to look in the mirror before you leave the gym. If you gauge the effectiveness of your workout by the weight on the scale you are going to be misled, either up or down, by the number. Also, if you forget to look at yourself with a pump you are missing a golden opportunity for motivation to keep you coming back based on the fact that this is one of the only times you get a glimpse of what the after will look like when you are currently the before.

There are a few other mistakes you are going to want to avoid and make sure you’re not doing after a workout. I will summarize them with time stamps here to follow.

For more science based workout and nutrition videos like this, be sure to subscribe to our channel here on youtube via the link below and remember to turn on your notifications so you never miss a video when published.

Jeff Cavaliere MSPT, CSCS served as both the head physical therapist and assistant strength coach for the New York Mets. Jeff earned his Masters of Physical Therapy and Bachelor’s of Physioneurobiology from the College of Health Sciences University of Connecticut Storrs. He is a certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).

[hubermanlab]

All true and very grateful you posted this video Jeff. Thank you! -Andrew

[nomnomyourmom]

0:10 Aspirin
0:50 Ice bath
1:45 Anabolic window
2:40 Insufficient Protein
3:45 Immediate Cardio

5:35 Weigh bodyweight
6:35 Last look
7:45 Alcohol
8:45 Wrong Reward
10:00 Soreness

[BrainBlitz]

Jeff I’m 52 yr old male. Trying to grow. Been at it about 15 months. I’ve lost over 10in in my waist & the rest is growing a ton. I follow you religiously. Thanks for all the insights. We ALL appreciate you.

[tepesb]

I quit drinking almost a month ago, and can say for sure that regular drinking really slowed my progress down. I also sleep very well nearly every night, and don't take nearly as long to wake up every day. No regrets here!

[shaunmcdonald]

Stop making great videos that have helped me tremendously. I don’t have time to watch all of these lol! Thanks Mr. Cavaliere

[peterhalden]

This is great, Jeff! You're giving us advanced science in a direct, no-nonsense, no-jargon way. Personally, I find it difficult to digest ('scuse the pun) scientific articles on this topic so having an educated intermediary is invaluable. Thanks, coach!

[CycoWarriorx]

Just fyi… endurance athlete here 🙋🏽‍♂️… there’s a number of studies that indicate that if you do a leg day, you can do cardio, but you need to wait five to six hours after to do so… the time allows the body/muscles to reset… as Jeff said tho, cardio immediately after is a no…

[raulsaavedra]

If measuring weight, better do that just once or twice a week, but always:
- Right after waking up in the morning
- Also after urinating
- But also before drinking your first glass of water of the day.
That eliminates several short-term factors that can affect a weight measurement. It will help get a much more realistic number.
After a few weeks, that will yield quite a reliable picture of how the weight is truly trending over time.

[SidM]

I've never had to pay for good fitness information, thanks to content creators like Jeff. Been watching this channel for years now. Love from India

[Hantout]

jeff you're a blessing for the workout community, i just started doing some mixed workout (strength + conditioning) it didn't feel very rewarding but going day by day is the best imo, i'll stick to the plan for the next 6 month

[zapthepunctual]

Hey Jeff! Love the information, but I wanted to point out that the there is some ambiguity in the first point. Verbally, you said aspirin several times, however all the reference information in the background was for ibuprofen or generically mentioned NSAIDs, it might be better to make mention NSAIDs or anti inflammatory medications in general.

As always, love the video and thank you for the information.

[samgod]

This guy's incapable of making pointless videos. They're all relevant, informative, and valuable.

Also, he references a study I'd previously read on my own regarding the best timing of protein ingestion and muscle growth.

[JuanOLopezGerena]

Holy $h1t! Jesse is deadlifting how much!? Wow! That's very inspiring!

[SublimeOrange]

Jeff's videos made for my progress more than a personal trainer. Thanks!

[josephlambright]

Im 43, I had lots of pains in my 30's when I used to work out how most do. I had to take some meds, go to doctors trying to fix the pains. Then I wondered if its how I am working out that is causing all of this. So I tried something different, focus on my form of what I am trying to accomplish and go lighter. And sure enough within a year all the pains went away. I have gained more muscle and much happier.
The best remedy to all of this is determine why your having the pain in the first place. It's not age, its your form with too much weight. Stop your ego and lift for your muscles, not how much weight you can lift. Btw compound exercises cause the most pain as I have found.
Your body will thank you when you finally grow properly and have less pains.
Not sure why he didn't address this in the video.

[Watersleigh]

I've been watching Jeff for years and I have to say this is one of the best information packed I've seen and a huge congratulations to Jessie for making those gains.

[marcbencoaching]

As always, just very very good. You can twist it turn it if you want, Jeff is and remains the best I have come across. Training with him would be a treat.

[genovinchenzo]

Reading this comment is killing your gains

[TurboGomez]

One of the best fitness people on YouTube preceise and straight to the point 🙏 Thanks Jeff

[Edward_USMC]

Great vid.. I actually knew this but I'm a 37 yr old usmc combat vet who was recently diagnosed with blood cancer from toxic burn pit exposure in Somalia. Unfortunately I have to take aspirin post workout but I will say my pumps and growth have been really solid since diagnosis 🤷