Recovery
Soreness, sleep, stretching, rest days — what actually helps you recover, and what doesn't.
- Myths Busted
Overtraining symptoms: 0 of 39 studies found a biomarker
5 reviews · Sports Med + Int J Sports Physiol Perform
Overtraining symptoms are real — stalled lifts, poor sleep, low mood — but no test confirms them: 0 of 39 studies found a validated biomarker.
- What Actually Matters
Heat beats ice for sore muscles — especially after 24 hours, per a 2021 meta-analysis
5 studies · 32-RCT meta-analysis (2021)
Ice isn't the best DOMS fix — heat works better, especially past 24 hours, per a 2021 meta-analysis of 32 RCTs and 1,098 people.
- Myths Busted
Stretching doesn't prevent injury — but a hip and core programme cut overuse injuries 39% (2024 RCT)
3 studies · 2 RCTs · 2024 BJSM RCT
Stretching before a run won't stop you getting hurt. Here's what actually works — according to a 2024 RCT of 325 novice runners in Br J Sports Med.
- Myths Busted
Foam rolling does reduce soreness and improve range of motion — what 6 studies actually found
6 studies · 2 systematic reviews, 3 RCTs
Foam rolling cuts soreness, boosts flexibility, and speeds recovery — but dosage and timing matter. Here's what 6 peer-reviewed studies actually found.
- What Actually Matters
How to warm up before lifting: movement-specific beats everything else — backed by 4 RCTs
4 RCTs · J Sports Sci, Scand J Med Sci Sports
Skip the treadmill jog. A movement-specific warm-up outperforms cycling, vibration, and foam rolling — per 4 RCTs in top sports-science journals.
- Myths Busted
Sauna after your workout, not before — it cut systolic blood pressure 8.0 mmHg in a 2022 RCT
4 studies · RCT + 2 reviews
Sauna before or after your workout? The research is clear: post-workout sauna adds real cardiovascular gains — per a 2022 RCT and two priority-journal reviews.
- Myths Busted
Dynamic stretching belongs in your warm-up, static stretching after — what 35 studies found
5 studies · 2 meta-analyses · J Strength Cond Res
Dynamic stretching keeps strength intact before a workout. Static stretching can reduce force output if you overdo it. Here's exactly how to use both, per a 2023 meta-analysis of 35 studies.
- Myths Busted
Soreness is not a measure of muscle growth.
3 studies · Zhang 2026 meta-analysis
Feeling wrecked after leg day doesn't mean you're building more muscle. Here's what the science actually says — including a 2026 meta-analysis of 49 studies.
