A simple leg recovery routine after walking, running or Pilates comes down to three basics: drink to replace what you sweated out, eat a normal meal with carbohydrate and protein[4], and aim for 7 to 9 hours of sleep[1]. An easy cool-down is optional. Foam rollers and air compression boots are optional extras, not part of the basics.
- The basics are ordinary habits: fluids, food and sleep[4][1].
- With a day or more until your next session, your usual meals can restock your fuel stores. Timing matters more when sessions are close together[4].
- An easy cool-down is optional: a 2018 review found it does little for most measures of recovery[3].
- On hot days, healthdirect advises avoiding physical activity, avoiding being outdoors between 11am and 3pm and drinking water even if you don't feel thirsty[5].
- Foam rolling and air compression boots are optional extras, not part of the basics.
Who this routine is for
In AusPlay, the national survey of 40,000 people aged 15 and over (July 2023 to June 2024), the most popular activities were walking, fitness and gym, bushwalking, running and jogging, and swimming. Pilates, walking and yoga were among the activities more popular with women[2].
So this guide is built for that kind of week: a bushwalk on the weekend, a reformer class mid-week, a run before work or a netball game on Saturday. The routine is the same whatever your gender or fitness level; what changes is how much you need after a bigger session. It's the main guide in the Recovery section of RECVIA Learn.
Your routine at a glance
A 40-minute walk and a three-hour hike on a warm day are different jobs, so the routine scales.
| Step | After a light session (easy walk, mat or reformer class) | After a big session (long run, hike, game day) |
|---|---|---|
| Drink | Water with your next meal, more on hot days | About 1.5 litres for every kilogram lost in sweat, over 2 to 4 hours |
| Eat | Your next usual meal | A meal or snack with carbohydrate and about 15 to 30 g of protein |
| Sleep | 7 to 9 hours (most adults) | 7 to 9 hours (most adults), with no late caffeine or alcohol |
| Ease down | Optional: a few minutes of slow walking or gentle movement | Optional: easy movement, shorter than about 30 minutes |
| Extras | Optional | Optional: anything you enjoy that helps you sit down and wind down |
Step by step: a simple routine after any session
1. Ease down for a few minutes, if you like
Walk the last stretch home, slow right down at the end of a run, or take a gentle final flow at the end of a class. A 2018 review, co-written by a Queensland University of Technology researcher, found that an active cool-down is largely ineffective for most measures of recovery and for performance later the same day or the next day, although some benefits for next-day performance have been reported. Many people believe it helps more than stopping straight away. If you enjoy one, the authors suggest keeping it low to moderate in intensity and impact, shorter than about 30 minutes, and choosing an activity you prefer[3].
2. Rehydrate, especially in an Australian summer
Sports Dietitians Australia suggests weighing yourself before and after a session; for every kilogram lost, drink about 1.5 litres over the next 2 to 4 hours. The weigh-in is only a fluid check. Plain water works well when your meal or snack includes some salty food such as bread or crackers, and milk is another good choice[4].
On hot days, healthdirect advises drinking water even if you don't feel thirsty, carrying a bottle of water when you go outside, avoiding physical activity, and planning your day around the heat so you're not outdoors between 11am and 3pm[5]. If you do head out for a walk or run, the early morning or evening keeps you out of that window.
3. Eat a normal meal with carbohydrate and protein
Sports Dietitians Australia's recovery nutrition fact sheet, written for athletes, frames recovery nutrition around four goals: refuel with carbohydrate, repair with protein, rehydrate, and include a variety of fruit and vegetables. Its general guide is a meal or snack with about 15 to 30 g of protein after exercise, depending on body size. If your next session is more than 24 hours away, your usual meals and snacks can restore your fuel stores; if it's less than 8 hours away, have some quickly digested carbohydrate as soon as practical. Not hungry after a long run? A smoothie or milk-based drink is an easy way in[4].
4. Protect your sleep
Sleep is the easiest part of recovery to cut short. healthdirect says most adults need about 7 to 9 hours a night to feel refreshed and function well the next day. Its tips include regular sleep and wake times, a relaxing routine before bed, a quiet, dark bedroom at the right temperature, no alcohol for at least 4 hours before bed, and no tea, coffee or caffeinated soft drinks for at least 3 to 7 hours before bed[1]. If you train after work, count the caffeinated drink you had before your session.
5. Give big sessions some space
After a long run, a big hike or a full game, you might like to keep the next day light. A short walk, an easy swim or a gentle class keeps you moving without stacking two long efforts back to back.
Adjust the routine to your activity
Legs after hiking or a long walk
Bushwalks add hours on your feet, hills and often heat. On hot days, healthdirect suggests carrying a bottle of water whenever you go outside[5]. Back home, have a drink and a proper meal before you settle on the couch.
A post-run wind-down
For recovery after running, walk the last few minutes if you like, then sort out fluids and your next meal, using the 1.5 litres per kilogram guide over the next 2 to 4 hours if you weighed yourself[4]. If it's hot, keep your run out of the 11am to 3pm window and carry water[5].
Legs after reformer Pilates or a class
Mat and reformer classes are usually shorter than a long run and held indoors, so a drink and your next normal meal generally fit the guidance above. If your legs and glutes have worked hard, a few minutes of easy walking afterwards is a gentle way to finish.
After netball or a game day
Carnivals can mean several matches close together, which is when timing matters most. For sessions less than 8 hours apart, Sports Dietitians Australia's guidance is quickly digested carbohydrate as soon as practical after each one, plus fluids. Pack nutritious snacks and drinks for the whole day[4].
Optional extras: foam rollers and air compression boots
Both are optional, and neither is part of the basics above.
Foam rolling
A 2019 meta-analysis of 21 studies, funded by Germany's Federal Institute of Sport Science, found the effects of foam rolling on performance and recovery were "rather minor and partly negligible", though they "can be relevant in some cases". Its authors concluded the evidence better supports rolling as a warm-up than as a recovery tool[6]. If you like how it feels, keep it gentle and brief.
Air compression boots
Air compression boots are leg sleeves that fill with air and release it in cycles, which feels like a rhythmic squeeze-and-release. RECVIA sells the RecLegs Recovery Boots: 4 compression zones per leg, 5 modes, 7 pressure levels from 30 to 240 mmHg, a 15, 30 or 45-minute timer and rechargeable cordless use.
If you use them, think of a session as a reason to sit down, put your feet up and take some time for yourself: choose a mode, a pressure level and the 15, 30 or 45-minute timer. Read the user manual first, start low and increase gradually, and see how to use compression boots before your first session.
For the research on each tool side by side, see recovery tools compared.
Quick answers
Do I need a cool-down after exercise?
It's optional. A 2018 review found that an active cool-down is largely ineffective for most measures of recovery and for performance later the same day or the next day, although some benefits for next-day performance have been reported. If you enjoy one, the authors suggest keeping it low to moderate in intensity and impact, and shorter than about 30 minutes[3].
How much should I drink after a long run or hike?
Sports Dietitians Australia suggests weighing yourself before and after exercise; for every kilogram lost, drink about 1.5 litres over the next 2 to 4 hours. Water works well with a meal or snack that includes salty food such as bread or crackers[4]. On hot days, healthdirect advises drinking water even if you don't feel thirsty[5].
Can compression boots be part of the routine?
Yes, if you enjoy it: a session can be a reason to sit down and wind down at home. It isn't one of the basics, which are fluids, food and sleep. Read the user manual before your first session, start low and increase gradually, and choose the 15, 30 or 45-minute timer.
Sources
How we choose and weigh sources is set out in our editorial policy. All links were checked on 5 October 2026.
7 sources
- healthdirect Australia. Sleep. Last reviewed November 2023.
- Cruickshank V, Peralta LR. Australians love sport, but which ones do they actually play? National survey results paint a surprising picture. The Conversation, 1 November 2024. Summary of AusPlay results, July 2023 to June 2024.
- Van Hooren B, Peake JM. Do we need a cool-down after exercise? A narrative review of the psychophysiological effects and the effects on performance, injuries and the long-term adaptive response. Sports Medicine. 2018;48(7):1575–1595. No external funding (open-access fee paid by Maastricht University); no conflicts of interest declared.
- Sports Dietitians Australia. Recovery nutrition. Fact sheet for athletes, available as a PDF from this page. Page dated 26 March 2026.
- healthdirect Australia. Hot weather risks and staying cool. Last reviewed December 2024.
- Wiewelhove T, Döweling A, Schneider C, et al. A meta-analysis of the effects of foam rolling on performance and recovery. Frontiers in Physiology. 2019;10:376. Funded by Germany's Federal Institute of Sport Science (BISp); no conflicts of interest declared.
- healthdirect Australia. Leg pain. Last reviewed November 2023.