25 Best Recovery Tools for Athletes to Optimize Rest & Training Gains

After a challenging practice or a hard-fought game, athletes are often left feeling drained, sore, and ready to hit the couch. But while it may feel good to rest in the moment, it's crucial to get back to work to recover properly. If they don't, they risk long-term soreness and stiffness, which can negatively impact performance and lead to injury. Incorporating flexibility exercises into a recovery routine can help improve mobility, reduce stiffness, and enhance overall athletic performance. Recovery tools help speed up this process so athletes can return to peak performance. In this article, we'll explore the best recovery tools for athletes to help them recover faster, stay injury-free, and maximize training gains so they can perform at their peak every time.
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One of the best recovery tools for athletes to help them reach their recovery goals is Pliability’s mobility app. The app contains routines and protocols to help athletes recover, improve mobility, and keep their muscles pliable.

Why is Rest and Recovery Important for Athletes?

Recovery is part of the work. Whether you’re working out to get stacked, improve your fitness, or compete in your favourite sport, recovery is where the magic happens. During recovery, your body adapts to the training stress, muscles repair and rebuild, and you build the strength to cope with whatever comes next. So it pays to recover as hard as you work out.

Whether you’re playing sports or working out, physical exertion tears your muscles. Through the body repairing these tears, your muscles grow back bigger and stronger. However, this repair process can only occur while you’re at rest. 

The Importance of Rest and Recovery for Physical and Mental Well-Being

Rest and recovery help prevent injuries during physical activity, such as joint damage, muscle injuries, and strains. In addition to its physical benefits, rest can also boost mental health. Psychologically speaking, rest lets you refocus your mind and renew your energy. 

Think about it in practice: 

You’re more likely to feel irritable, moody, and anxious when you push yourself too hard without taking breaks. 

Recognizing the Signs That Your Body Needs Rest

Your body will often let you know when it’s time to take a rest day. Aside from mental fatigue, many athletes report experiencing:

• Physical fatigue
• A decrease in performance
• Lethargy that can last from weeks to months
• Reluctance to start workouts
• Musculoskeletal aches and pains
  

If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, it might be time to cut back and rest up. 

‍Here’s another tip: 

Most athletes should rest for a full day every seven to ten days. However, everyone’s needs are unique, and your needs may even change depending on your health and fitness goals. Ultimately, it’s best to continually adjust your rest and recovery needs depending on your body's demands. 

What Does Recovery Look Like? 

Muscle fatigue can take days to recover, while injuries may take weeks. During that time, your body is hard at work repairing tissues and muscle tears. You can help this process by engaging in passive or active recovery, the two primary ways your body bounces back from fatigue or damage. 

• Active recovery: This involves engaging in light exercise like yoga, swimming, or walking. Many athletes stay active in this way, even on their breaks. 
• Passive recovery: This is a state of true rest that doesn’t require movement. 

During passive recovery, you may aid your body’s recovery by using items like heating pads, ice packs, and elevation. Both passive and active recovery are necessary for healing. However, active recovery increases blood flow and oxygen levels, helping you maintain strength and health as your body repairs damaged tissues.

The good news: 

Eating well and prioritising good sleep is a simple ticket to better recovery. But if you want the extra edge, there’s a range of high-tech recovery gizmos to help boost your bouncebackability.

Related Reading

• Is Yoga Active Recovery
• What to Do on Recovery Days
• Why Are Ice Baths Good for Muscle Recovery
• Calves Sore After Running
• Should You Be Sore After Every Workout
• Why Is It Important to Include Recovery Time in a Workout Program?
• What to Drink for Muscle Recovery
• Which Muscles Recover the Fastest
• What Is Active Recovery
• Why Is Recovery Important for Athletes

8 Major Types of Rest and Recovery Tools for Athletes

1. Meet Your New Best Friend: Percussive Therapy Devices

Massage guns look (and sound) a bit like power tools. They use pulsating heads of various:

• Shapes
• Sizes
• Firmness

To deliver percussive therapy, a DIY myofascial massage. The guns target muscles and soft tissues with rapid and repetitive pressure and vibration therapy at different:

• Speeds
• Depths
• Amplitudes

You aim the head at your muscles, choose your speed, and let it pulsate back and forth to do the work.

2. All About Compression Tech

Compression technology (aka pneumatic compression devices) primarily comes as compression boots. Initially, they treated various conditions related to poor circulation and fluid retention. 

More recently, they’ve been adopted by sports and fitness types as a recovery tool, with brands like:

• Normatec
• Therabody
• Hyerice 

Leading the way. They’ve moved from legs to arms and upper body too. Compression boots work like blood pressure cuffs, putting chambers around your limbs that intermittently inflate and deflate to promote blood flow back to the heart, enhancing circulation and lymphatic drainage.

3. Vibration Recovery Tech: Why You Should Get On Board

While regular foam rollers and massage balls deliver static myofascial and muscle massage, vibrating recovery tools like pulsing foam rollers, massage balls, and mats add oscillating pulses to the rolling motion to boost the effectiveness of the massage. 

4. The Science of Red Light Therapy

Red Light Therapy (RLT) exposes your muscles to low levels of non-toxic red or near-infrared light. The aim is to help improve your cells' energy production by activating the mitochondria, your energy-producing powerhouses. It also boosts blood flow and reduces inflammation. 

5. Ice Baths: The Old-School Recovery Method That Still Delivers

It’s hard to open Instagram or TikTok without seeing someone dunking themselves in cold water before extolling the physical and mental benefits of the ice bath. So what’s it all about, and why are people keen to take the cold plunge? Ice baths are a form of cryotherapy that allows you to submerge yourself in chilly water, ideally up to your chest, for 10 to 15 minutes. When you sit in cold water, your blood vessels constrict; when you get out, they dilate (or open back up). This process helps flush away metabolic waste post-workout. 

There's no need to freeze to get the full benefit. Anywhere between 10 and 15 degrees Celsius works fine. You could stick yourself in a wheelie bin or buy an old bathtub for next to nothing, but dozens of plunge tubs and ice baths cost anywhere from £200 to £5,000. 

6. Sleep Optimization Tools: The Recovery Tool You Shouldn’t Overlook

In the same way that rest days aid muscle recovery, quality nightly sleep also mends the body. If you aren’t sleeping well, you may experience: 

• Concentration problems 
• Weakened muscles 
• Trouble with fine and gross motor skills 
• Issues with coordination
  

Practice good sleep hygiene to boost your healing and physical performance. Fortunately, working out regularly is one of the best ways to get a decent night of rest. You should also aim to go to bed simultaneously each night and avoid screen time in the hours before sleep. 

7. Wearable Tracking Devices: The Tech That Can Help Improve Your Recovery

Garmin and Fitbit can track your workouts, heart rate, sleep patterns, and other metrics. This data can help you optimize your recovery and training routines. 

8. Yoga and Meditation: The Stress Relievers That Make Recovery Easier

These practices can help reduce stress, improve flexibility, and promote overall well-being, contributing to a holistic recovery approach.

Related Reading

• Active vs Passive Recovery
• Is Swimming Good for Recovery
• Benefits of Active Recovery
• How to Speed Up Muscle Recovery
• Active Recovery vs Rest Day
• Natural Muscle Recovery
• Is Sauna Good for Muscle Recovery
• Recovery Methods for Athletes
• Muscle Recovery Time by Age
• Should You Workout When Sore
• How to Get Rid of Sore Muscles Overnight
• How to Speed Up Muscle Strain Recovery

25 Best Recovery Tools for Athletes to Unlock Peak Performance & Longevity

1. Pliability  

Pliability offers a fresh take on yoga, tailored for performance-oriented individuals and athletes. Our app features a vast library of high-quality videos designed to improve flexibility, aid recovery, reduce pain, and enhance range of motion. 

Pliability provides daily updated custom mobility programs for those interested in optimizing their health and fitness. It also includes a unique body scanning feature to pinpoint mobility issues. If you're feeling limited by pain or your ability to move, Pliability aims to complement your fitness routine and help you move better. 

Sign up today to get 7 days absolutely for free, on:

• iPhone
• iPad
• Android
• On our website

To improve flexibility, aid recovery, reduce pain, and enhance range of motion with our mobility app.

2. HigherDOSE Infrared Mat 

A typical yoga mat requires you to do the work. All you have to do is lie on this one and let its pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) enhance cellular repair and increase circulation while infrared heat initiates a deep-tissue sweat. 

The double whammy of technology helps you relax and recover, decreasing muscle soreness and reducing blood pressure. We won’t tell if you go from savasana to work calls. It’s called balance.

3. ROLL Recovery R8 Plus  

Instead of dragging yourself over a foam roller, pull this spring-loaded massager open and clamp it over your:

• IT bands
• Quads
• Hamstrings
• Calves

It improves circulation, reduces inflammation, and breaks up muscle adhesions. An adjustment dial hidden in the frame allows you to reduce or increase the force until you find the perfect hurts-so-good pressure.

4. Lyric Massager  

Less industrial-looking and quieter (no jackhammering) than most, this massager eases aches, soothes stress, and increases energy by applying specific frequencies to aggravated muscles. Connect to Wi-Fi and use the built-in touchscreen to choose your preprogrammed therapy, then follow the guidance to get it right.

5. HyperIce X  

During contrast therapy, cold constricts blood vessels and heat dilates them to circulate nutrient-rich blood and aid recovery. This required jumping in and out of tubs. 

Now, you can stay dry and spot-treat achy knees with a Bluetooth-enabled sleeve that dances between a numbing 35 degrees and a soothing 113 degrees. Straps ensure a snug fit, but you can still move freely. No more fussing with ice packs or heating pads.

6. Therabody RecoveryAir System  

You can’t splurge on a massage after every workout, but you can get the same benefits from compression boots. TheraBody employs full inflation and deflation to wring metabolic waste from muscles like a sponge and a sequential pressure gradient that starts at the feet to encourage blood flow to the heart, boosting circulation for a quicker comeback. 

‍Bonus: You can also adjust the pressure intensity.

7. Sky Ting TV  

Krissy Jones and Chloe Kernahgan co-founded Sky Ting Yoga in 2015 in Chinatown. Following the success of their first studio, they launched more airy, cheerful locations in Brooklyn and Manhattan. If you don't live in the area, you can reap the benefits of their classes with the newly launched Sky Ting TV. They have options for many skill levels, time restraints, and preferences. 

• Choose from restorative flows.
• Mobility sessions to open up your hips and shoulders
• Quick, energizing mini classes
• And hour-long detoxes

This yoga sans pretension is perfect for cross-training days, for guys who want to get better at yoga, and for anyone looking to boost flexibility and mobility. Trust us when we say you'll feel like a new human by the end:

• Light
• Relaxed
• Gloriously loose.

8. Nike React Infinity Run  

Nike's positioned the React Infinity Run as an injury-prevention shoe (yes, a lofty statement). The prototype logged roughly 16,000 miles, making it Nike’s most tested running shoe. In an independent study, researchers had 226 runners complete a 12-week training program wearing either the React Infinity Run or the Structure 22. 

They logged a total of 60,000 miles. The results showed that the React Infinity Run reduced injuries (knee, foot, shin, and calf) by 52 percent compared to the Structure 22. Reserve these for your recovery days (light shakeout runs) and short-mileage training sessions. 

9. Theragun Liv  

Soft-tissue treatment devices like the Theragun use percussive therapy to speed up recovery by releasing muscle tension, breaking up scar tissue, and increasing blood flow and man, it hurts so good. 

It used to be that you could only find these in a gym or PT office, but the latest versions are priced for the average gym-goer. This is the lightest, most compact version yet, small enough to fit in your gym bag and still powerful enough to get the job done.

10. Hyperice Hypersphere Mini

Massage balls target and release tight spots and trigger points (or knots) in your muscles on a deeper level than your average foam roller. This one-pound, travel-friendly version of the existing Hypersphere vibrates at three speeds for different penetration levels and is just three inches in diameter. So you can zero in on harder-to-reach problem areas and relieve common workout issues like plantar fasciitis, tight hips, and upper or lower back soreness.

11. TriggerPoint Charge  

This tiny, two-pound roller’s got some severe curves. Shaped like two conjoined massage balls with a dip in the middle, it can work like a flat foam roller for areas like your upper back and dig into slimmer areas like your biceps and calves. The vast and narrow ridges on the surface stretch and squeeze your muscles, pushing blood and oxygen to stressed-out tissues.

12. Momentous ArcFire Grass Fed Whey  

The search for “clean” protein powder is often fraught with misleading marketing jargon, and as for the protein powder itself, unnecessary added sugar and fillers. We like Momentous because its whey protein comprises grass-fed whey protein isolate that’s been cold-pressed not to diminish the levels of branched-chain amino acids (which help build muscle and relieve muscle soreness). 

They also have an enzyme blend called ProHydrolase that, combined in a 10:1 ratio with protein, results in fewer GI issues (like bloating and indigestion) and better protein absorption. Their ArcFire Grass Fed Whey also has a 4:3 protein to carb ratio that refuels your body with just enough carbs for recovery nothing more, nothing less.

13. Recoup ColdSleeve w/ BOA  

Are you struggling with shin splints, tennis elbow, or runner’s knee? This cold sleeve fits over either arm or leg, providing cold and compression for up to an hour. Just toss it in the freezer for up to two hours to activate it. 

It’s fitted with a Boa Fit System that lets you micro-adjust how snug the sleeve is, so you won't struggle to keep it on your shin, knee, hamstring, or quad. Make it extra snug to get the benefits of compression to help heal an injury, or keep it more lax for regular post-workout recovery. It'll alleviate inflammation, soreness, and pain.

14. Thr33 CBD Infused Muscle Relief Cream  

Thr33 is a community of hustling athletes who hope to eke out as much of their potential as the clients they train. Their first launch is a pain-relieving cream.

‍Lab-tested CBD and ingredients like lanolin and menthol work to tamp down inflammation and cool on contact. Massage into tight areas post-workout or before bed to help soothe aggravation and get you back on your feet, or use it before a session if you're particularly sore.

15. Whoop 4.0 Strap  

Whoop’s minimal fitness band gives you instant info about things like how long you slept the night before (including how well you actually slept) and gives you data-backed tips for how hard to push yourself the rest of the day, whether you’re working out or planning for a packed day of presentations. In other words, it helps you adjust throughout the day based on your strain level and how much your body has recovered. You simply wear it on your wrist and download Whoop’s app to get tracking. 

You can specify in the app whether you’re starting a particular activity, like hiking, HIIT, or even things like:

• Tennis
• Commuting
• Dancing
• Meditating

It won’t get in the way of workouts; you can even wear it during water exercises or in the shower. A watch-like rechargeable battery pack slides right over the Whoop strap, too, so you never need to remove it. It’s one of our favorite fitness accessories that takes a broader look at your health and helps you set your workout goals. We think it’s a must-have recovery tool for anyone who loves tracking their fitness. You’ll get the newest Whoop 4.0 when you sign up for a Whoop membership, starting for free.

16. Hammer Nutrition Recoverite  

Endurance athletes require a different kind of fuel post-workout than those who train in the gym, something with more carbs. Recoverite’s formula has a 3:1 ratio of complex carbs to protein (either whey protein isolate or organic pea protein if you opt for the vegan protein), as well as 3 g of L-glutamine to repair muscle tissue and support immune health and a full spectrum of electrolytes.

17. YogaToes  

If you're a big runner, your feet take a beating. YogaToes helps give your toes the space they need to return to their optimal alignment. The soft medical gel is nice and malleable, but you've gotta work to get them on your feet. 

Start with 10-15 minutes at first since it can be intense. They ease pain related to plantar fasciitis, flat feet, and hammertoes.

18. PowerDot 2.0  

It used to be that you had to go to physical therapy to reap the benefits of stim. Now you can prime your body for a workout, hasten recovery, and help heal injuries with a portable device at home or in the gym. The PowerDot 2.0 uses small electrical currents to cause muscle fibers to contract, boosting blood flow and relieving tension. 

The device magnetically connects to the electrode pads, making attaching hard-to-reach spots much more straightforward. The app is user-friendly, illustrating proper electrode placement and offering various programs. Choose from muscle recovery, training and performance, pain relief, and injury prevention.

19. The Toe Spacer  

Whether relaxing or working out, our feet are our primary contact points with the ground beneath us. Tight feet and ankles from wearing narrow, stiff, or sport-specific shoes can impact how our knees, hips, and other joints feel and function. 

The Toe Spacer is a great way to help loosen up the small muscles in your feet and ankles, and you can wear them while you’re hanging out at home or even while you work out. These have made an enormous difference in how your feet feel daily and have helped your feet get more assertive. After years of wearing basketball shoes, your feet no longer feel tired and achy, and you can walk, run, and train better.

20. Champion Sports LBSET Colored Lacrosse Balls  

Frequent runners don’t always need expensive, high-tech products to relieve tension before or after workouts. Foxie recommends trying simple lacrosse balls. They’re an inexpensive choice you can pack in any bag or even your pockets. 

We like this Champion Sports option because you can order it in packs of two, six, or a dozen and it also comes in multiple colors. While these are official lacrosse balls used in games, they’re great for rolling under the balls of your feet, lower back, or glutes for an effective portable recovery tool.

21. Braceability Exercise Knee Brace  

Recovery is just as much about prevention as finding solutions to your post-workout problems. This athletic knee wrap from Braceability was made to provide comfort and support during your workout (and the open-patella design keeps pressure off an already-sore kneecap, if you have one), so you won’t have to spend as much time stretching and committing to pain management afterward. 

This sleek compression sleeve stabilizes your knee, especially if you need extra support while traversing uneven terrain, like hiking or trail running. It’s also a lightweight, sweat-wicking material, which is key if you work outside or in hotter climates.

22. Therabody TheraCup

If traditional recovery gear isn’t cutting it, you might want to consider cupping therapy, which is popular with pro athletes as a form of alternative medicine. By applying suction and heat to localized skin parts, Mayo Clinic states that “cupping is said to increase blood supply to a specific area”. 

Going hard at the gym can help heal sore, tired muscles. But that doesn’t mean you need to book an appointment with an acupuncturist or licensed sports doctor to get this form of therapy. Therabody’s TheraCup provides professional pain relief right in your own home. 

‍How does it work? 

Using “ThermaVibration” technology, the TheraCup combines targeted suction with heat and vibration. Each setting has three levels, depending on how deep your muscle pain is, but multiple safeguards are in place (like an automatic shutoff feature).

23. Hooga Red Light Therapy Panel for Face & Body

Recently, some athletes (including Peña) and trainers have started using red light therapy to repair muscle tissue, reduce inflammation, and increase blood flow, among other possible benefits (as a bonus, red light therapy may also reduce wrinkles and signs of aging). We recommend this large, highly-rated red light panel from Hooga, which lets you treat your whole body. 

Straightforward and practical, it makes rejuvenating your skin cells a breeze with 60 LED lights, user-friendly digital controls, and a built-in timer. Built-in cooling fans ensure that the panel is never too hot to the touch, while Hooga says its 60-degree beam angle perfectly directs the red light to your face and body.

24. Plunge All-In  

It’s no surprise that rock stars and professional athletes alike have turned to ice baths and cold plunge pools after strenuous concerts, events, or workouts. Dripping in a chilled tub of water can improve circulation and boost muscle recovery. 

The best plunge pool to try this year is Plunge’s new All-In, down to a powerful 37°F of cooling and whose all-in-one plug-and-plunge setup gives you a spa-like recovery session in a few minutes. Built indoors and outdoors, it boasts a UV sanitation system. It can be quickly filled using a garden hose and has a sleeker design, with the chiller entirely housed inside the tub. 

‍The bottom line: 

Recovery doesn’t get any (literally) more incredible than the Plunge All-In.

25. Sun Home Sauna Infrared Sauna Blanket

We have plenty of our favorite at-home saunas, but if you don’t have a single inch of space to spare, your next recovery sweat session deserves an infrared sauna blanket like this one from Sun Home Sauna. 

It mimics the feel of a spa-worthy sauna, using built-in infrared heating tech to help ease your sore muscles and even reduce stress. That’s why we named it the best infrared sauna blanket you can use at home.

Related Reading

• Workout Recovery Tools
• Hot or Cold Bath for Muscle Recovery
• Best Foods for Muscle Recovery
• Foam Roller Benefits
• Chocolate Milk for Muscle Recovery
• Active Recovery Workout
• Benefits of Massage Gun
• How to Speed Up Muscle Strain Recovery in Back
• Active Recovery Stretches
• Causes of Poor Muscle Recovery
• Best Recovery Tools for Runners
• Which Magnesium Is Best for Muscle Recovery
• Best Vitamins for Muscle Recovery

Improve Your Flexibility with Our Mobility App Today | Get 7 Days for Free on Any Platform

Pliability offers a fresh take on yoga, tailored for performance-oriented individuals and athletes. Our app features a vast library of high-quality videos designed to improve flexibility, aid recovery, reduce pain, and enhance range of motion. 

Pliability provides daily updated custom mobility programs for those interested in optimizing their health and fitness. It also includes a unique body scanning feature to pinpoint mobility issues. If you're feeling limited by pain or your ability to move, Pliability aims to complement your fitness routine and help you move better. 

‍Sign up today to get 7 days absolutely for free, on:

• iPhone
• iPad
• Android
• On our website

To improve flexibility, aid recovery, reduce pain, and enhance range of motion with our mobility app.

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