Which best describes the goal of active recovery?

Active recovery is primarily aimed at minimizing muscle soreness and promoting recovery after intense workouts. This approach typically involves low-intensity exercise that keeps the body moving without putting excessive strain on the muscles. Engaging in activities like light jogging, cycling, or swimming can facilitate blood flow to the muscles, which helps in the removal of metabolic waste products that can contribute to soreness. Additionally, active recovery aids in reducing stiffness by keeping joints mobile and may enhance overall recovery by providing a psychological boost and maintaining a sense of routine.

The other options do not align with the primary focus of active recovery. For instance, maximizing workout intensity is contrary to the concept of recovery, which emphasizes lower intensity to allow the body to heal. Focusing on endurance training involves a specific type of conditioning that is not necessarily aligned with recovery, and ignoring prior workout efforts completely neglects the importance of recovery strategies, which is not the goal of active recovery.