What’s the single most important thing to build lean muscle mass, increase athletic performance, or get stronger? A little R&R. Yes, you read that right, but it’s not about relaxation. It’s about giving your muscles proper rest and recovery! 

The reasoning is simple. Rigorous exercise breaks down muscle fibers, and these fibers require rest to repair themselves. Once repaired, the muscles grow back stronger and bigger. Rest feeds the recovery, and recovery feeds the growth. 

But don’t think of your Muscle R&R as unproductive downtime. Muscular recovery is essential to any fitness routine because it does actually help produce more muscle. You need to give your body enough time to recover a specific muscle group before breaking it down again with another workout. Training different muscle groups on alternating days will be a foundational piece of your success. Set up your training calendar accordingly. 

In addition to rest itself, there are supplements such as Essential Amino Acids (called EAAs) that play a critical role in what’s called muscle recovery during rest and between workouts, too. 

Let’s break down EAAs and why they’re essential to muscle building, rest, and recovery.  

  

Understanding Essential Amino Acids  

Of the 20 amino acids important to human health, only 9 of them are known as essential amino acids, and for good reason. These 9 essential amino acids include histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine. 

Ironically, of the scores of amino acids the human body produces naturally, it can’t produce these certain 9 amino acids on its own. Yet, they’re some of life's most important building blocks, combining in numerous ways to create the proteins the body needs. These essential amino acids play a crucial role in helping your body digest protein, break down food, repair and grow muscles, and assist in various other bodily functions. 

So you see, it’s essential that you provide those 9 in the foods you eat and in supplementation. Luckily, EAAs are conveniently available as the popular GAT Sport FLEXX EAAs. It couldn’t be easier to keep your muscles cruisin’ in R&R mode and get more out of every training session. More about that is below. 

  

Start with eating right 

Wholesome nutrition is an ideal and delicious way to get essential amino acids. 

Complete protein sources like lean meats, fish, certain dairy products, poultry, and eggs can provide various quantities of all 9 essential amino acids.  

And, if you’re following a vegan or vegetarian diet, you can easily get complete protein sources in your diet simply by combining a legume protein source with a grain. 

  

Add EAAs supplementation 

Once you’ve defined your well-rounded EAAs-rich diet and have all the EAAs-rich foods in your market basket, you might find that with today’s hectic, busy lifestyle it’s not always possible or practical to prep every meal, every day. 

Again, an Essential Amino Acids supplement comes to your rescue! GAT FLEXX EAAs can help you cover any unexpected EAAs shortfall, and help you always have enough EAAs in your system to continually fuel your muscle performance. Mixed up smoothly in your shaker and sipped throughout the day, you can keep the muscular R&R going, helping your body recover after every intense workout.  

  

Allow time for your EAAs-fueled muscle recovery  

As mentioned above, adequate muscle R&R consists of rest and recovery, and each takes some time. Even following an intense training session, you’ll notice muscle soreness tapering off a bit faster. Expect to feel an improved difference in your overall recovery when supplementing with EAAs. 

  

Even more benefits  

Essential Amino Acids go well beyond just helping with muscular recovery. On the sports field or in the weight room, supplementing with EAAs can help improve overall performance. Expect improved muscle growth and tone, reduced overall body fatigue, improved endurance, and for many, even help to lose some weight through burning body fat.   

It’s Essential 

There’s no denying the benefits that EAAs and R&R — rest and recovery — have on helping muscles repair and grow. Clearly, EAAs aren’t just for hardcore bodybuilders or powerlifters. Everyone should be looking to take in enough EAAs throughout the day.  

So, get your diet rich in EAAs, and add FLEXX EAAs throughout the day. Then get in there, tear down the gym and give those muscles some well-deserved R&R.