Dealing with soreness both prior and after workout

illinibowhunter

Quick Question:

I currently try to work out anywhere from 4-6 times per week. I have been extremely diligent in making sure I go to the gym and work out. I thought that after the first couple of weeks my legs would once again be in running shape and I would not have to deal with soreness quite as much. In reality I am usually pretty sore both after the work out and when I wake up in the mornings.

We are always told to stretch after working out and I was curious what techniques some of you use to make sure you are limber both prior to working out as well as post exercise stretches that may help to reduce soreness?

I have heard others say that they do stretching as well as take some type of shake, pills etc that is supposed to help replenish your body.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

mistyb47711

Glutamine helps with soreness........You can get that in powder form at Walmart or GNC...You can put in anything that you drink...Its good to take before and after you workout..

abyt42

I love pigeon pose (for both quads and hamstrings): http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/2493

(To turn it into a hamstring stretch, arms go straight down, turn front leg out and down so your knee is slightly outside your wrist and your foot is on the floor, ether near your opposite wrist or under your opposite hip...keep your hips level and sink down.)

Bridge_CG

Drink a lot of water before and after... Water will flush out all those toxins. I kickbox 6x a week and I drink nothing but water, milk and chocolate milk. It helps for me when I am sore.
Good luck!

hotmooglelove

Warmups are always good. Windmills, high knees, hip and shoulder rotations etc, will all get blood pumping, joints lubricated, and will help prevent injury from stretching and exercising.

Lactic acid buildup and repairing tissue damage, however, just takes time. Like gibsters88 said, water helps a lot.

NoAdditives

Some things that will help:

Whey protein shake immediately after working out (delivers protein to your muscles quickly to help with recovery)
Consume a lot (up to 40g) of sugar immediately after working out (replenishes your glycogen stores)
Stretch before and after working out
Drink plenty of water
Avoid processed foods

tiffsallrunout

I teach a Boot Camp class, and I've been sore for 6 years straight. Obviously, do lighter workouts if you don't want to be sore. Do Yoga a few times a week. Drink plenty of water to flush your system out. Take fish oil, and eat foods that are natural anti inflammatories http://theconsciouslife.com/top-10-anti-inflammatory-foods.htm. When I do long runs I use these pills to help minimize lactic acid build up. http://www.sportlegs.com/about/welcome.asp

Hope it helps.

yyzdnl

Chocolate milk is great after work out and so yummy.

http://www.askmen.com/sports/bodybuilding_200/247_fitness_tip.html

dakoerber

When I was doing P90X is used their recovery formula and I am not one to push product but if I was sore and drank some of it - my soreness was diminished by the next day. And it was good!! I have never tried anything else that worked quite like that.