muscle soreness help

Leslie4834

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

Ainar

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

*deleted... double post*

grillingirl

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

Stretching and a hot bath with Epsom salts. Also, time. :-)

scottaworley

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

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

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

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

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

Learn to LOVE the soreness :drinker: I can't get enough of it

tsimblist

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

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

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

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.

CkepiJinx

Make sure your are hydrated before and after your work out. Start slow to warm up, walking is good for this. Cool down after again a short walk is great, dont just stop cold. Stretch afterwards, a lot of people stretch before but then don't stretch after, I just had this talk with my nephew last night, it is so beneficial to stretch after your muscles have been worked. I like either a protein shake or something high in potassium after I work out, I notice a huge difference in muscle recovery when I do either one. If you don't
Ike protein shakes just eat something with protein. And don't baby them to much an unused muscle can get stiff and more sore if you don't work it out.

Sonj1973

Other than the advil. Take cold showers/baths after you lift.

^^^^ This...

Although a hot bath sounds inviting it's not good for muscle recovery, The athletes (runners) once they've completed a marathon sit in a tub full of Ice to prevent them from aching afterwards...

Lol sounds a little severe, but the colder the better apparently..... in other words a cold shower should do it ;p

Eyesee

And don't baby them to much an unused muscle can get stiff and more sore if you don't work it out.

THIS.

I really appreciate this thread because usually I just suffer for a few days, mope then hate exercise, but I'm glad to see some ideas for helping this because today I'm HURTING. The only thing I can add is a resounding second to this point-- the longer I sit still, the more my leg muscles refuse to flex and send shooting pain through my legs when I try to use them again-- not fun. Keep stretching or moving around though the pain if you're going to need to use the muscles that hurt anytime soon. (You know, for walking, or something.)

Unknown

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shakira9634

Ibuprofen and ice is what I use. 15 min on and 15 min off for about an hour.

fmouco

Learn to LOVE the soreness :drinker: I can't get enough of it

YES! I love when I change my weight lifting program, so I'll be sore again! Means it is working perfectly!

Danimal718

Notice the one common thread amongst the answers....HYDRATE. Most people walk around in some state of dehydration. 64oz minimum. If you're working out even more. I try and drink at least 100oz a day if not more.

marita_mimi

swim, walk, do some cycling, MOVE and STRETCH OUT.
get enough of SLEEP!

tross0924

Don't shower in hot or cold water after lifting, use tepid water

Don't use hot, cold, or tepid water. Take a dust bath. The fine silt covering filters the nitrogen from the air and allows more oxygen to be absorbed through the skin and go directly to the muscle.

43932452

Soak in a hot Epsom bath.