muscle soreness help

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Hey guys
I just started to work out at the gym. I bought a gym membership. I have been doing cardio and weight but my muscles are sore.What can I do to help with the muscle soreness ? Im really lost here.That's again for all your help.
Leslie
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Replies

  • Ainar
    Ainar Posts: 858 Member
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    Ate a lot of protein, general rule is 1g per pound of body weight/lean body weight when buildin muscle.
    Stretch before and after workouts - do some dynamic stretching before workouts and static efter. Do this before your runs and lifting. Also stretch at days you do not workout those muscles, helps with healing too.
    Drink a lot of water and give it a time. With time your body will get used to it so it will nt hurt, or at least not that badly and long.
    Also warm bath or massaging sore muscles may help a little to get that blood in there for recovery.
  • andiebaco
    andiebaco Posts: 211 Member
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    An advil helps me with the soreness... and a friend who used to be on a college football team told me to have one aspirine before going to bed (if I had a very tough workout) and that would help me in the morning.
  • mssierra2u
    mssierra2u Posts: 86 Member
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    Icy Hot. Ibuprofen, in moderation. Stretching afterwards periodically. Doing a different light activity to keep those muscles warm. Hydrate. Hot bath. Frozen bag of lima beans/peas for 5 minute intervals.
  • MG_Fit
    MG_Fit Posts: 1,143 Member
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    Other than the advil. Take cold showers/baths after you lift.

    Stretching will help a little. Protein and hot bath won't help at all.
  • waipepe
    waipepe Posts: 110 Member
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    I mean, it depends on how sore you are. If you are only slightly sore and you can function normally, well, just keep going to the gym and keep working out, take a day off here and there.

    If the soreness impacts your normal daily activities eg. you can't lift your arms to take something down form the cabinet, take a day off, stretch, see how you feel, if you are back to normal day functioning then head back to the gym.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    Move more. Nothing helps with sore muscles like using the sore muscles. My legs are almost always sore following leg day. The best thing I can do is go run the next day.

    Using the muscles increases blood flow which speeds up repair/recovery of the muscle.
  • TTHdred
    TTHdred Posts: 380 Member
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    You will have some soreness, especially if you are new to it, and that is ok. It’s usually from muscles that maybe have not been worked before, or worked to that intensity. To minimize injury and to make sure the soreness does not affect your ability to work out again, do lots and lots of stretching before and especially after your workouts. Try observing some of the instructors or trainers at your gym (if possible) and see the different stretches they do. Often, we stretch the same way each time, even though different muscles are the ones sore. I also recommend lots of fluids after to keep your body hydrated. If you can, it may be good to invest in a foam roller. Doing this before bed has worked for me. And lastly, just because I promote yoga whenever I can, try a very basic yoga flow. You can google one online and do it when you get home from the gym just before you jump in the shower.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    *deleted... double post*
  • grillingirl
    grillingirl Posts: 81 Member
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    Other than the advil. Take cold showers/baths after you lift.

    Stretching will help a little. Protein and hot bath won't help at all.


    Hot bath WILL help...a lot.
  • PRMinx
    PRMinx Posts: 4,585 Member
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    Stretching and a hot bath with Epsom salts. Also, time. :-)
  • scottaworley
    scottaworley Posts: 871 Member
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    Other than the advil. Take cold showers/baths after you lift.

    Stretching will help a little. Protein and hot bath won't help at all.


    Hot bath WILL help...a lot.

    Hot bath will increase inflammation and soreness.

    ETA: Creatine will reduce lactic acid and therefore make you less sore long term.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    I take Aleve and soak in a Epsom salts bath.



    ETA: Soreness generally gets better over time. (and until you switch up your routine)
  • Morninglory81
    Morninglory81 Posts: 1,190 Member
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    Other than the advil. Take cold showers/baths after you lift.

    Stretching will help a little. Protein and hot bath won't help at all.


    Hot bath WILL help...a lot.

    Hot bath will increase inflammation and soreness.

    ETA: Creatine will reduce lactic acid and therefore make you less sore long term.
    Creatine pushes additional water into the muscle which helps recovery. You may see a scale increase but remember it is just additional water retention.
  • GlitterrMagpie
    GlitterrMagpie Posts: 302 Member
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    Move more. Nothing helps with sore muscles like using the sore muscles. My legs are almost always sore following leg day. The best thing I can do is go run the next day.

    Using the muscles increases blood flow which speeds up repair/recovery of the muscle.

    Agreed. Hair of the dog
  • balletgymnasticgirl
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    Well, maybe it would do your muscles some good if you stretched real good before you use the weights and stuff. You need to relax them beforehand cause you don't want to overuse them. If you continuously stretch every single day, your muscles will get used to the work and the soreness will eventually disappear. Im a gymnast and whenever i slack off on stretching.... the next day my muscles are horribly sore. So yeah, just try and stretch them really well.
  • HollieDollieeeex
    HollieDollieeeex Posts: 116 Member
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    Learn to LOVE the soreness :drinker: I can't get enough of it
  • tsimblist
    tsimblist Posts: 206 Member
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    Here is an excellent article on the subject:

    http://saveyourself.ca/articles/delayed-onset-muscle-soreness.php

    Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)
    The mysteries of muscle fever, nature’s little tax on exercise
  • melmckay99
    melmckay99 Posts: 358
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    haha I like it...learn to ENJOY the soreness. It's a sign that you put in a good workout!

    But in the mean time, ibuprofen (advil) should help. Also if you do a lot of lifting (hypertrophy style), try ending your session with about 10 min of easy cardio like the elliptical just to get all your limbs moving freely again and promote circulation. Then when you get home take a cold shower. Doesnt have to be all over body cold shower...i.e. if you do arms then just run your arms under the cold water for a couple min.

    Goodluck with everything!
  • scottaworley
    scottaworley Posts: 871 Member
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    Other than the advil. Take cold showers/baths after you lift.

    Stretching will help a little. Protein and hot bath won't help at all.


    Hot bath WILL help...a lot.

    Hot bath will increase inflammation and soreness.

    ETA: Creatine will reduce lactic acid and therefore make you less sore long term.
    Creatine pushes additional water into the muscle which helps recovery. You may see a scale increase but remember it is just additional water retention.

    And that little scale drop when you stop taking creatine is fun, too!
  • romach79
    romach79 Posts: 277 Member
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    Muscle soreness can be the result of 2 things: Over work or injury. If you just over worked, the soreness is a result of lactic acid build up - the waste product muscle produce from activity. If you are really sore and have trouble moving, try toning down the routine a little until your muscles can adapt to the routine. If its just a little sore, I have found that working them with a little light intensity work helps to ease the pain. If the soreness is due to injury take a serious look at what you are doing. Get some help from a knowledgeable trainer. Continuing to work injured muscles will prolong the healing and can result in permanent damage.