Quick quiz: What do you think is the most crucial aspect of reaching your fitness goals or being the best in your sport?

If recovery wasn’t your first thought, you might want to think again.

Anything else that might have popped into your head first— like training hard, developing discipline, sticking to your diet, and getting quality sleep—is important. But if you aren't fully recovered after every training session, you're working against your goals.

Inadequate recovery can not only slow down performance and progress, it could cause you to go in the opposite direction, leading to decreased strength, muscle loss, fat gain, an injury, and even a health condition.

Unfortunately, most people don't prioritize recovery at all.  But even if you do, chances are you're probably walking around only partially recovered. 

The reason? You're probably not covering all recovery bases. Even if you take enough rest days, get pretty good sleep, and count every macro to ensure you are eating enough protein—it might not be enough.

Yes, these are the foundations, but there are essential supplements that serve as recovery accelerators, providing the exact nutrients your body needs to significantly enhance the recovery process (some of which are nearly impossible to get from food alone.)

In this guide, we'll tell you why recovery is essential and what it means to be fully recovered (spoiler: it's not just about muscle soreness). We will also reveal what our experts consider the three essential supplements needed for optimal recovery.

Why Is Recovery Important?

It's a common misunderstanding that it's during exercise that you develop muscle, get stronger, and build your dream body. When actually, that primarily happens after your training session. 

Your workouts are only part of the equation. The magic happens during recovery. 

During intense training, you break down muscle tissue, create microscopic muscle damage, and trigger inflammation. None of this is bad; it's necessary for growth and results. It only becomes a problem when you don't give your body what it needs to fully repair and recover.

As mentioned earlier, most people don't prioritize recovery, and those who do are probably leaving out crucial steps that leave them only partially recovered. Partial recovery is certainly better than no recovery but can accumulate over time, slowly chipping away at your performance and results without you even realizing it. 

Whether you're an elite athlete training to be the best in your sport, a regular gym-goer, a guy who hits the pavement for a morning run, or a girl who enjoys a weekly pilates class— you must give your body what it needs to fully recover after every single session. 

Optimal recovery is non-negotiable. Science tells us that insufficient recovery will not only hinder progress but it can lead to:

• Decreased strength and endurance

• Compromised immune function

• Increased risk of injury

• Hormonal imbalances (that can possibly cause fat gain)

• Persistent fatigue

• Plateaued progress

• Mood disorders

• Disrupted sleep patterns

• Increased stress levels

• Decreased motivation

• Poor exercise performance

For many, if they've not prioritized recovery for a while, it's not only one or two of these issues that will inevitably pop up; it's several (if not all). When this happens, you've likely developed something called overtraining syndrome, a common condition (especially among athletes) that can set you back months and even lead to health issues.

Anyone can fall into the overtraining-under-recovery trap. However, we tend to see it happen most when people hit a plateau or are trying to force results to happen too soon. In these cases, it's common to think doing more is the answer.

That is rarely the case. It's unlikely that you need to amp up performance or do more. Chances are you just need a more optimal recovery strategy.

What Does Being Fully Recovered Mean? 

Before we tell you how to ensure you are fully recovered, it's important to understand that recovery isn't just about muscle soreness.

Yes, minimizing soreness and getting rid of it as soon as possible is an important part of recovery to maintain consistency and perform at your best during each session— but recovery is much more than that.

Being fully recovered means your body has successfully:

• Replenished glycogen stores (your body's primary energy source during exercise)

• Restored proper hydration levels and electrolyte balance

• Repaired damaged muscle tissue

• Reduced exercise-induced inflammation to healthy levels

• Rebalanced hormone levels, including cortisol and testosterone

• Restored normal nervous system function

• Reset mental fatigue and restored focus

When you're fully recovered, you should not only be less sore, you should feel energized, mentally sharp, and eager and ready to tackle your next workout.  But you can't rely on feelings alone. 

Sometimes, people only think they have recovered. This is common for athletes or those with a-type personalities. Extreme mental toughness is admirable and often necessary for athletic progress, but it can sometimes cloud judgment about our body's true state of recovery.

That "push through anything" mindset, while valuable for breaking through plateaus, can mask signals your body is sending about its need for recovery. That's why it's vital to cover all recovery bases consistently, even if you "feel fine."

Achieving full recovery is not difficult, but it does require more than most people think. 

How To Ensure Optimal Recovery 

You might have noticed that we keep using the words fully and optimal. That's because there's a big difference between doing the bare basics and optimizing your recovery efforts – one lets you get by, while the other lets you truly thrive and progress.

Will you see results by throwing in a rest day and drinking a protein shake as soon as you leave the gym? Maybe for a little while, or possibly even a long while. But eventually, it could backfire; especially if you train with intensity.

Here are the five key elements of recovery to focus on to ensure faster, more effective recovery. You should be consistently covering all five of these recovery bases for optimal recovery.

1: Balance Activity With Enough Rest 

The "no days off" mentality might seem like the best way to reach your goals and look good on social media, but it's a fast track to burnout and plateaus.

There's no magic number for rest days – some might need one, others three – the key is to take at least one or two days away from intense training and cardio each week and listen to your body's signals.

While everyone deserves (and should have) lazy days, rest days don't have to mean complete inactivity. You can incorporate active rest days. In fact, getting in some light activity might speed up recovery faster than complete rest days, as light movement helps increase blood flow to muscles, promoting faster healing and reducing muscle soreness while still allowing for rest.

Active rest activities are any type of activity that is much less intense than your regular workouts. Walking, an easy hike, a bike ride with your kids, stretching, yoga, or even housework are all examples of active rest.

The key is keeping activity at a much lower intensity than your regular workouts. You want to promote recovery without adding more stress to your system.

2: Eat For Your Goals

Your body can't recover without the right fuel. This includes both macronutrients (protein, carbs, and fat) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals).

If you're trying to build muscle, you need adequate calories and protein to support repair and growth. Even in a fat-loss phase, severely restricting calories can backfire by slowing recovery, decreasing performance, and potentially leading to metabolic damage or muscle loss.

Everyone's calorie needs are different. If you aren't sure if you are eating enough to support your goals, it might be a good idea to work with a nutritionist. 

Just remember: under-eating is a surefire way to halt recovery and is just as detrimental to your progress as overtraining.

3: Get Enough Quality Sleep

Sleep is your body's prime time for recovery and muscle repair. During deep sleep, your body releases growth hormones, regulates cortisol levels, and carries out cellular repair processes that can't happen while you are awake.

Poor sleep doesn't just impact recovery; it affects everything from your workout performance to your mood and even food choices the next day. Without enough sleep, your body can't function at its best and it will catch up with you. Everyone's sleep needs are different, but most suggest you should aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep.

If you struggle with falling or staying asleep, try taking RAW Sleep at night. This natural sleep support supplement includes powerful ingredients like Lemon Balm extract, Hawthorn leaf and flower extract, NooGandha®, and melatonin—carefully chosen to support relaxation and better sleep.

4: Nervous System & Inflammation Management

Recovery isn't just about resting—it's about how well your body resets and repairs itself. Nervous system and inflammation management refer to the processes that regulate stress, control swelling, and restore balance after intense training.

Your nervous system controls everything from muscle relaxation to hormone release, while inflammation is your body's natural response to stress and strain. When these systems are out of balance, recovery slows, leading to soreness, fatigue, and even injury.

Managing them properly means using mobility work and stretching to keep joints and muscles healthy, breathwork and stress reduction techniques like deep breathing, cold therapy, or meditation to calm the nervous system, and inflammation control methods such as contrast therapy (hot/cold exposure), massage, and compression therapy to improve circulation and reduce soreness. 

5: Consider Recovery Supplements 

Rest days, sleep, proper nutrition, and nervous system management are your recovery foundation, but if you train hard, these things probably aren't enough for optimal recovery. This is where strategic supplementation comes in.

Some people might tell you that you don't "need" supplements. We won't argue that. Supplements are meant to do just that; supplement what your body needs beyond what you can realistically get from food alone.

However, when it comes to recovery, some supplements can target specific aspects of recovery that are harder to address through diet alone.

Can you fully recover without supplements? With adequate rest days, spot-on nutrition, a flawless sleep schedule, low-stress levels, and plenty of mobility and nervous system management— you probably can.

But if you're like most people and go a little too hard sometimes, don't always have a perfect diet or sleep schedule, skip stretching and foam rolling, and experience periods of high stress, then certain natural supplements can help bridge those gaps and ensure you're recovering as efficiently as possible.

Three Essential Supplements For Recovery 

Our top three supplement suggestions might surprise you because you won't see the KING of recovery— protein! The only reason it didn't make our essential three is because we feel like most people already know protein is important.

If you don't know its significance in recovery or you need a reminder, it's pretty simple; your muscles cannot recover without protein. 

When you exercise, you create micro-tears in your muscle fibers. Protein provides the essential amino acids your body needs to repair these tears and build back stronger. Without adequate protein, this repair process slows down significantly, leading to longer recovery times and potentially less muscle growth.

You should ensure you're hitting your daily protein goals primarily through whole foods. Then, use a quality whey protein powder to fill any gaps, for convenience, to prevent food boredom, or even curb your sweet tooth (this viral recipe is one of our favorites ) You should also consider a fast-acting isolate protein after you train to kickstart the repair process.

With that out of the way, here are our picks for the three essential supplements you should add to your stack for optimal recovery. For maximum benefits, we recommend using all three of these supplements, as each targets different aspects of the recovery process.

1: Creatine Monohydrate

Creatine, specifically creatine monohydrate, is one of, if not the most researched supplement. It is well known for being the best supplement for strength and muscle gains, but it's also one of the best supplements you can take for faster recovery.

Creatine monohydrate has consistently proven its worth not just for performance but for enhancing your body's natural recovery processes.

Creatine can help:

• Accelerate muscle repair by increasing cellular hydration

• Reduce post-exercise inflammation and muscle damage

• Replenish ATP stores faster, helping your muscles recover energy

• Support protein synthesis for better muscle repair

The suggested dose of creatine for most people is 5g daily (even on rest days.) No loading phase is necessary. Consistent daily use will achieve great results. 

As for when to take creatine, timing isn't as important as consistency. Take it when you will remember. However, some experts believe post-workout is the ideal time to take creatine because that's when your muscles are most receptive. Others prefer taking it before training to maximize energy availability during your workout.

2: Essential Amino Acids (EAAs)

Essential Amino Acids (EAAs) are the building blocks of protein. Out of the 20 amino acids needed for muscle growth and overall function, nine are classified as essential—meaning your body needs them but doesn't make them; they must come from food or supplements.

These include histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine. Getting EAAs in supplement form can assist in recovery by:

• Providing immediate amino acid availability for muscle repair, bypassing the longer digestion process of whole food protein
  

• Reducing muscle breakdown during intense training by maintaining a positive protein balance
  

• Supporting sustained energy levels during workouts through amino acid oxidation
  

• Enhancing protein synthesis between meals when amino acid levels naturally drop
  

• Helping prevent muscle soreness and fatigue by reducing exercise-induced muscle damage

Even if you're hitting your protein goals, you might not be getting a quick enough hit of EAAs to accelerate the recovery process. Adding in at least one serving each day is a great idea, especially if you train hard or are in a caloric deficit.

Some people like to take EAAs first thing in the morning to break the overnight fasting period. You can certainly do that; it's a great way to preserve muscle mass and kickstart your body's protein synthesis. However, for recovery, we suggest sipping on them during training to help delay fatigue and post-workout to rapidly initiate the muscle repair process.

EAAs (which aren’t the same as a BCAA supplement) are also great to take between meals to help prevent muscle protein breakdown. This is especially important for those in a dieting phase, as longer periods between meals combined with fewer calories can increase the risk of muscle loss.

3: An Advanced Hydration/Electrolyte Formula 

Most people don't drink enough water. Considering that your body is roughly 60% water and every single cellular process depends on proper hydration, this is a serious problem. 

Studies show that even a 2% drop in hydration levels can decrease performance. But even if you carry around a jug everywhere you go to ensure you drink a gallon a day, if the water you drink is always plain, you're missing crucial minerals needed for optimal hydration and cellular function.

Every time you sweat, you're not just losing water – you're losing vital electrolytes that need to be replaced. Proper hydration isn't just about drinking enough water – it's about maintaining the right mineral balance for optimal cellular function.

In addition to drinking plenty of water, you should also be taking a supplement with natural electrolytes like coconut water powder, sodium, potassium, and other key recovery vitamins and minerals like magnesium, zinc, vitamin C, and vitamins b6 and b12. 

Doing so can help accelerate recovery by:

• Restoring essential minerals lost through sweat, which can amount to several grams during intense training
  

• Enhancing nutrient delivery to muscles through improved blood flow and cellular absorption
  

• Supporting proper nerve function and muscle contractions, which depend on specific mineral ratios
  

• Helping prevent cramping and fatigue by maintaining proper electrolyte balance
  

• Optimizing cellular hydration for better recovery and reduced inflammation

Even mild dehydration and electrolyte imbalance can significantly impact your recovery and performance. For optimal recovery, add an advanced electrolyte formula like BUM Hydrate to the water you drink before and after each training session.

First thing in the morning is another excellent time to replenish electrolytes. After a night of sleep, your body is naturally dehydrated and needs both fluids and minerals to jump-start cellular functions and prepare for the day ahead.

BONUS Recovery Supplement To Consider

We didn't include a sleep supplement in our top three because some people are lucky and have no issues falling and staying asleep. But if you are like most people and struggle with sleep or know your sleep quality could be better, it's worth considering adding in a sleep supplement that has science-backed natural ingredients known to lower cortisol levels and support deeper sleep.

Sleep is when your body releases peak levels of growth hormone and testosterone, crucial hormones that drive muscle recovery and repair. During deep sleep stages, your body also accelerates protein synthesis, replenishes energy stores, and carries out intensive cellular repair processes that can't happen efficiently during waking hours.

In fact, research shows that consistently getting less than 7 hours of quality sleep can reduce muscle protein synthesis by up to 18% and increase muscle breakdown, effectively working against all your hard work in the gym.

Additionally, not getting enough shut-eye is well-known to increase cortisol (your stress hormone) levels and decrease insulin sensitivity, which can impair muscle recovery, increase fat storage, and even trigger food cravings that derail your nutrition goals.

Quality sleep isn't just about feeling refreshed – it's a crucial pillar of recovery that can make or break your goals and impact your overall health.

What About Natural Remedies For Recovery?

A lot of people wonder if they can skip recovery supplements and get the same effects from food and other recovery techniques. Anything you can do to naturally accelerate recovery is worth considering, but that doesn’t mean they are better or should replace supplements formulated for recovery. 

For example, if you are hoping to only consume whole food and never take supplements, there are some foods that are said to be best for recovery. We'll provide a list below. 

However, keep in mind it is rare for diet alone to provide optimal levels of certain compounds crucial for maximum recovery. 

Take creatine as an example. Getting the recommended 5g of creatine a day solely from food is nearly impossible. The amount of creatine naturally found in even the highest creatine-containing food is often too low in a practical serving size.

Top recovery foods include:

• Red Meat, Poultry, and Fatty Fish: Eating animal protein will help you reach your protein goals, and some have trace amounts of creatine. Fatty fish is particularly beneficial due to its omega-3 content, which helps reduce inflammation and support muscle repair.
  

• Eggs: Just don't forget the yolks! Whole eggs are a complete protein source rich in leucine, which triggers muscle protein synthesis.

• Watermelon: This fruit not only has a high water content that will help with hydration, but it is also high in L-citrulline, which might help reduce muscle soreness and improve blood flow.

• Beets: Whether you eat them whole or as juice, beets contain nitrates that are believed to improve blood flow and oxygen delivery to muscles.

• Tart Cherry Juice: There are a lot of interesting studies on tart cherry that show it might help reduce inflammation and muscle soreness as well as support better sleep.

• Pomegranate: Whether you sprinkle some on your food or opt for juice, this __ is rich in antioxidants that are known to help combat exercise-induced oxidative stress.

• Spinach: Most leafy greens are a good choice, but spinach, in particular, is packed with magnesium and iron, crucial minerals for energy production and muscle function.

• Starchy Vegetables/Complex Carbs: Whether it's white potatoes, sweet potatoes, or squash, make sure to add starchy veggies to your plate. They have a high nutrition content and can help replenish glycogen stores depleted during training. Complex carbs like brown rice and quinoa are also excellent for replenishing glycogen.

• Coffee: Most people like to drink coffee for the caffeine, but coffee also contains antioxidants that some studies say can potentially help reduce post-workout muscle pain.

When it comes to things like cold plunges, saunas, foam rolling, stretching, and massage– these are all excellent natural recovery techniques. But they aren't a replacement for proper nutrition or recovery supplements like creatine, EAAs, and an electrolyte formula.

The best recovery approach is one that combines a nutrient-rich diet, strategic supplements, and recovery techniques like proper stretching before and after training, massage, or an occasional sauna session and cold plunge if you have access to them.

This will help ensure you're supporting recovery from all angles for optimal recovery.

Final Thoughts

Exercise, especially resistance training, is good for you. Countless studies show exercise is the single most effective way to improve both physical and mental health, but it can also be hard on your body, especially if you train hard.

If you don't prioritize rest and recovery to ensure your body is fully recovered after every single training session, not only will you not get the most out of your training sessions, you could actually be working against your goals.

Start with the basics: adequate rest days, proper nutrition (with plenty of protein), and quality sleep. Then consider how supplements like creatine, EAAs, and advanced electrolytes can help fill the gaps, giving your body everything it needs to adapt, grow stronger, and perform better in your next session. 

You can find many of these as stand-alone supplements, or several of them in some pre-workout formulas. At RAW, we know how important recovery is. That’s why we have a full line of supplements formulated specifically for optimal recovery. 

Remember: Your workout is only as good as your recovery. Make it count.