Consuming a protein shake after any exercise is good, and having protein after strenuous exercise is almost a must. When you exercise you are stretching and putting a lot of stress on your muscles. The amino acids in protein stimulate the muscle fibers, causing them to elongate and contract, this encourages growth. You don’t need a protein shake to accomplish this however; you just need protein. The shake is a quick and easy way to get that protein into your system, but sitting down and eating a meal rich in protein will accomplish the same job, although you’ll also inevitably consume some carbohydrates or even fat, which if you’re working out you probably want to avoid after a work out. Carbohydrates are good to eat before a workout as they provide energy, after a workout the carbohydrates will be stored as fat unless you work them off.
Water is also important while you are working out. Your muscles are controlled by nerves which use electrolytes to manipulate your muscles. These electrolytes exist in the water in your muscles (muscles by the way have a very high concentration of water), if you neglect to drink enough water then your muscles will be weakened and your brains control over them will diminish.
