RECUPERACION

Are You Sick of Being Sore?

The 7 Best Ways to Relieve Muscle Soreness

By Sean Barker Author of The Dad Fitness System

I remember it like it was yesterday... Squatting down to pick up my books out of my high school gym locker and screaming in agony because my legs were so damn sore from my very FIRST squat workout! But pain soon turned to laughs as I also heard my best friend and training partner at the time scream out profanities as he tried to bend down at his locker just down the hall.

We have all experienced this one time or another, the painful muscle soreness that follows an intense workout or what the exercise geeks (me included) refer to as DOMS. For the best way to relieve, or better yet, even prevent muscle soreness, read on.

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness...This can occur whether you have been working out for years or are just starting to exercise. Despite what most people think the day after is not the worst, as muscle soreness usually peaks around 48 hours after exercise.

Your body needs time to recover, that includes not only your aching muscles but also your central nervous system as well. Your CNS is your body's communication path way that allows your brain to tell your muscles what to do during those intense workouts and after 8-10 weeks of heavy and intense training your body will let you know it's slipping into overtraining mode as you begin to lose your motivation to train and your strength gains come to a screeching halt.

Basically DOMS, is the microscopic tearing of your muscle fibers that causes the inflammation and swelling of the muscles putting additional pressure around the surrounding joints.But I bet what you really what to know is how to avoid it or even relieve muscle soreness when you do get it. The first thing you can do is leave your ego at the gym door!

1. Try not to do much too soon and ease into any exercise program whether its lifting weights, running or your favorite recreational sport. Whatever workout routine you are starting, just do half of the exercise volume to introduce your muscles to the exercises and increase your intensity over time.

2. Warm up properly BEFORE you workout and stretch AFTER you workout to remove the lactic acid from your muscles and start the recovery process.

3. To help relieve it when you do over do it from doing too much or doing something new, get some "active rest" by going for a walk with your family or playing with your kids at the playground (lying on the couch watching 24 is not considered active rest!).

4. Also take rest days from your workouts which means don't work those sore muscles with heavy weight training until the soreness subsides.

5. Make sure you are eating high quality protein throughout the day to provide your body with the nutrients and amino acids it needs for muscle repair and stay hydrated by drinking lots of water. Supplements like L-Glutamine and Vitamin C has been shown to aid in muscle recovery as well as hot saunas and deep tissue massage.

6. Getting lots of omega 3 fats in your diet through fish or fish oils, mixed nuts and avocados will also help to scavenge free radicals and reduce inflammation in your muscles and throughout your entire body

These recovery tips all help but...

7. The best way to relieve muscle soreness is to MOVE. Despite the initial discomfort of moving your sore muscles, getting around and increasing your blood flow will help to nourish the damaged muscles with nutrient rich blood to aid in muscle repair.

Light recreational exercise such as power walking, swimming and even body weight exercises are a great way to loosen up those sore muscles and get you moving again. So before you start piling on the plates, remember you can't rush progress. Be smart with your workouts and give your body the time it needs and it will reward you with the results you're looking for....or you can limp around for days like a muscled up mummie...the choice is yours.