Muscle soreness, sometimes lasts a day, sometimes lasts five days, sometimes we don’t even feel the soreness begin till 24+ hours from the workout. Everyone’s body is different, everyone’s workout is different. Still, there are a few things we can do (time tested and true) that can help alleviate some of the soreness and get us back to feeling somewhat normal in order to go through our day as best we can without noticing.
DOMS is defined as soreness in a muscle that can start from 24-72 hours after a workout. It is a commonly held theory that the pain comes from microscopic tears in the muscles and the swelling associated with those tears. Sometimes you can actually see or feel the swelling (Also referred to as “The Pump”, due to the feeling of fresh blood being drawn to the area to begin the healing process). I stress this very much to my female clients afraid of getting a “bulky” look. This isn’t immediate muscle growth, it will build muscle in time, but not overnight, nor as quickly as most of us wish. Learn to love this feeling, as it will be your best friend for a long time in the future, as well as reminder that you did a damn good job in the gym during your last workout.
This list is in no particular order, although the first strategy is my personal favorite and works best for me, I recommend it first and foremost to any client of mine, still never to receive a bad report on the suggestion.
Get fresh blood into the area!!! There is lots of ways to do so. Let me explain how I personally deal with my soreness after my leg days, which are the hardest on my body. The day after my leg workout I make it my business no matter what to try to not be sitting down as much as possible. By keeping moving and “staying warm”, I’ve found that I can cut my leg soreness down from almost a week to 4-5 days or so as well as make my first few days post workout much more bearable. Granted, not everyone is able to stay moving all day long due to their jobs or daily way of life, on days when I’m unable to keep moving the day after a leg workout then your best friend would be the elliptical or stationary bike. On days such as these, if it is not an off-day from the gym, i’ll do a nice 10-15 min brisk walk on the treadmill. Not quite intense enough to be considered cardio, but enough that you get a nice fresh blood pump to the area. After a few minutes you should feel the muscles loosen up and pain will slightly subside. I’ve seen many trainers recommend stretching after this to help loosen up. I’m not opposed to this, as long as it doesn’t become an intense stretching session. Some light stretching is good, never attempting to reach the limits you reach without muscle soreness though.
Feel free to apply the technique I described above to other parts of the body. Find a movement you find best helps you for the rest of the body. Try to choose movements on cable style machines. Here’s a short list of my personal favorite movements to help get the blood goin for sore muscles, all done light and slow for high repetitions.
Chest - Incline bench with just the barbell
Back- Lat pulldowns, on the cable machine, wide grip
Biceps - Very light cable curls
Triceps - Close grip pressdowns
Shoulders - I rarely ever have to deal with shoulders so sore that they need a pump but specifically my side delts sometimes need a pump, I’ll just do some light side delt raises. (due to my training split I do not use a specific day just for shoulders. I train front delts with chest, rear delts with back, and I hit side delts and some upright rows with my triceps n calves day).
Ok 2nd strategy……
STAY HYDRATED!!!!! Increased fluid intake is one another great way to increase blood flow. Just like when you were a kid and mom told you to keep drinking fluids, well I’m telling you for the same reason. Increased blood flow means more nutrients being delivered to various parts of the body.
Next Option……Many people find relief in massages, I personally do not but its worth giving a shot for some people. Keep in mind the massage itself might be a little uncomfortable, and the time after the massage may be worse than if you just left the soreness alone. Still, some people swear by massages, something to keep in mind.
What NOT to do…..
Ibuprofen (a common Non-steroidal Anti-Flammatory Drug or NSAID) is known to be very effective at combating swelling. However, in this case, swelling of the muscle (non seriously injured of course), is a good thing. Its bringing necessary fluids to the area that carry nutrients for healing. With this being said, I personally do not use nor recommend NSAID’s for muscle soreness. If the pain is unbearable, which should never be the case for DOMS, then you need to speak to a medical professional such as a Doctor.
DO NOT WORK OUT THE SORE MUSCLES AS IF THEY WERE NOT SORE!!!! Light Light Light movements only. It is not beneficial for damaged muscles to be put a strenuous workout.
Last but not least PROPER NUTRITION IS ABSOLUTELY PARAMOUNT!
There’s no way I can sit here and make specific statements about how everyone should be eating due to each of us having different workouts as well as daily lives. If you find you aren not healing in time for the next workout of the same muscle group the first thing I would look at would be what you are putting into your body. Feel free to contact me if need be to discuss your personal nutrition situation and come up with a plan that best serves you.
Never miss a post from Spike! Follow him at www.SpikesFitnessSchool.com or email
[email protected] [email protected]
DOMS is defined as soreness in a muscle that can start from 24-72 hours after a workout. It is a commonly held theory that the pain comes from microscopic tears in the muscles and the swelling associated with those tears. Sometimes you can actually see or feel the swelling (Also referred to as “The Pump”, due to the feeling of fresh blood being drawn to the area to begin the healing process). I stress this very much to my female clients afraid of getting a “bulky” look. This isn’t immediate muscle growth, it will build muscle in time, but not overnight, nor as quickly as most of us wish. Learn to love this feeling, as it will be your best friend for a long time in the future, as well as reminder that you did a damn good job in the gym during your last workout.
This list is in no particular order, although the first strategy is my personal favorite and works best for me, I recommend it first and foremost to any client of mine, still never to receive a bad report on the suggestion.
Get fresh blood into the area!!! There is lots of ways to do so. Let me explain how I personally deal with my soreness after my leg days, which are the hardest on my body. The day after my leg workout I make it my business no matter what to try to not be sitting down as much as possible. By keeping moving and “staying warm”, I’ve found that I can cut my leg soreness down from almost a week to 4-5 days or so as well as make my first few days post workout much more bearable. Granted, not everyone is able to stay moving all day long due to their jobs or daily way of life, on days when I’m unable to keep moving the day after a leg workout then your best friend would be the elliptical or stationary bike. On days such as these, if it is not an off-day from the gym, i’ll do a nice 10-15 min brisk walk on the treadmill. Not quite intense enough to be considered cardio, but enough that you get a nice fresh blood pump to the area. After a few minutes you should feel the muscles loosen up and pain will slightly subside. I’ve seen many trainers recommend stretching after this to help loosen up. I’m not opposed to this, as long as it doesn’t become an intense stretching session. Some light stretching is good, never attempting to reach the limits you reach without muscle soreness though.
Feel free to apply the technique I described above to other parts of the body. Find a movement you find best helps you for the rest of the body. Try to choose movements on cable style machines. Here’s a short list of my personal favorite movements to help get the blood goin for sore muscles, all done light and slow for high repetitions.
Chest - Incline bench with just the barbell
Back- Lat pulldowns, on the cable machine, wide grip
Biceps - Very light cable curls
Triceps - Close grip pressdowns
Shoulders - I rarely ever have to deal with shoulders so sore that they need a pump but specifically my side delts sometimes need a pump, I’ll just do some light side delt raises. (due to my training split I do not use a specific day just for shoulders. I train front delts with chest, rear delts with back, and I hit side delts and some upright rows with my triceps n calves day).
Ok 2nd strategy……
STAY HYDRATED!!!!! Increased fluid intake is one another great way to increase blood flow. Just like when you were a kid and mom told you to keep drinking fluids, well I’m telling you for the same reason. Increased blood flow means more nutrients being delivered to various parts of the body.
Next Option……Many people find relief in massages, I personally do not but its worth giving a shot for some people. Keep in mind the massage itself might be a little uncomfortable, and the time after the massage may be worse than if you just left the soreness alone. Still, some people swear by massages, something to keep in mind.
What NOT to do…..
Ibuprofen (a common Non-steroidal Anti-Flammatory Drug or NSAID) is known to be very effective at combating swelling. However, in this case, swelling of the muscle (non seriously injured of course), is a good thing. Its bringing necessary fluids to the area that carry nutrients for healing. With this being said, I personally do not use nor recommend NSAID’s for muscle soreness. If the pain is unbearable, which should never be the case for DOMS, then you need to speak to a medical professional such as a Doctor.
DO NOT WORK OUT THE SORE MUSCLES AS IF THEY WERE NOT SORE!!!! Light Light Light movements only. It is not beneficial for damaged muscles to be put a strenuous workout.
Last but not least PROPER NUTRITION IS ABSOLUTELY PARAMOUNT!
There’s no way I can sit here and make specific statements about how everyone should be eating due to each of us having different workouts as well as daily lives. If you find you aren not healing in time for the next workout of the same muscle group the first thing I would look at would be what you are putting into your body. Feel free to contact me if need be to discuss your personal nutrition situation and come up with a plan that best serves you.
Never miss a post from Spike! Follow him at www.SpikesFitnessSchool.com or email
[email protected] [email protected]