What do YOU do when you're sore?

marjen002
marjen002 Posts: 112
in Fitness and Exercise
We got into a debate at work the other day about what to do when you're muscles are sore.

There is the thought that you need to take a break from working those muscles and then there's the thought that you need to work through it, albeit at a lower intensity...which is what I have been doing. I also increase stretching or Yoga and try to drink more water. This has worked fine for me, but I keeep hearing I need to rest the muscles.

What are your thoughts? I am especially curious to hear from personal trainers.

Thanks. :)
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Replies

  • halkowich28
    halkowich28 Posts: 2
    I keep going, depending on how I'm sore. If I've hurt myself, like pulled a muscle or injured my knee then I take a day or two off but if it's just sore from a workout I push through. I'm seeing a physiotherapist at the moment for my quad that I injured years ago, she's having me do exercises every day and she wants me to feel sore because that means I am repairing the muscles. When you work out your are essentially tearing the muscles which is why you are sore, so when they fix themselves that's when you build muscle tone, if you keep working them they will get more toned.
  • missikay1970
    missikay1970 Posts: 588 Member
    when i work-out, i am naturally a bit sore the following day. i choose that day to rest, not from soreness, but to allow my muscles to repair & heal. by the day after, i am not sore anymore, and i work-out again. if i overdo and i'm super sore, i will skip for a couple of days to rest. personally i see no point in "pushing through" pain - it could cause injury, and why would i want to hurt myself?
  • VMarkV
    VMarkV Posts: 522 Member
    Seriously, supplement with plenty of magnesium and soreness won't be an issue. It's one of the best and cheapest supplements for athletes

    I take it with food a few hours before bed. Do not take on an empty stomach and do not over supplement as too much especially on an empty stomach will cause diarrhea. You can also take magnesium transdermal via epsom salt bath or with magnesium "oil" (no effect on the stomach if taken transdermal)
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    light exercise relieves pain, and promotes healing by increasing circulation in the muscles. People that wait until they aren't sore to resume activity every time are just going to get sore every time...
  • giantruss
    giantruss Posts: 100
    i generally workout most days (aim for 6 days a week)
    and i try and alternate muscle Groups on different days to give them a rest .

    but my legs cop it most days sore or not, as i like to run atleast a half hour a day
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
    Stretching and hydration go a long way toward preventing soreness.

    When I have some soreness, I find that a much lighter intensity workout plus some extra water for a day or two makes the soreness go away and stay away. If I take a complete break, the pain lingers longer and next time I do a workout at the same intensity I get the same pain.

    Basically, I drink lots of extra water to flush the lactic acid out of my muscles, and most the muscles as much as I can to keep the water circulating. The workouts I do with the muscles that hurt are very low-resistance and focus on just contracting the muscles and warming them up enough (15 minutes or so) to support a good stretch. Then I expend my energies working other muscles for the remainder of my workout. So if my legs are store, I do a little core work and some lifting once I've done a light leg workout and stretch, for example.
  • ArroganceInStep
    ArroganceInStep Posts: 6,239 Member
    I eat more
  • VMarkV
    VMarkV Posts: 522 Member
    Stretching and hydration go a long way toward preventing soreness.

    When I have some soreness, I find that a much lighter intensity workout plus some extra water for a day or two makes the soreness go away and stay away. If I take a complete break, the pain lingers longer and next time I do a workout at the same intensity I get the same pain.

    Basically, I drink lots of extra water to flush the lactic acid out of my muscles, and most the muscles as much as I can to keep the water circulating. The workouts I do with the muscles that hurt are very low-resistance and focus on just contracting the muscles and warming them up enough (15 minutes or so) to support a good stretch. Then I expend my energies working other muscles for the remainder of my workout. So if my legs are store, I do a little core work and some lifting once I've done a light leg workout and stretch, for example.

    Beta alanine is good for lactic acid buildup
  • strawberrygashes
    strawberrygashes Posts: 210 Member
    I asked the same question yesterday as I was sore from hiking up a mountain the previous day. I took yesterday as a rest day but today my calves were still sore (to the point it shocked me when I stood up out of bed). I still went for my run, if I found it hard, I was just going to walk it out and resume running tomorrow. I actually ended up having my best run so far!!
  • StarvingDiva
    StarvingDiva Posts: 1,107 Member
    I always find that when my body is uber sore I workout the next day and usually within a couple minutes the pain goes away. I also use arnica montana and it helps incredibly.
  • BobOki
    BobOki Posts: 245 Member
    Beta alanine is good for lactic acid buildup

    This. Drink orange juice or citric anything and work your muscles a little, it will solve your issue.
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
    It depends on what kind of sore.

    Burn from yesterday's workout, but not overall fatigue - work through it
    Sore muscles and overall fatigue - I get a rest day in
  • rprussell2004
    rprussell2004 Posts: 870 Member
    If it's not PAIN sore, I enjoy the heck out of it because it means I'm doing a good job.

    If it gets to be truly uncomfortable, I like "Sombra Warm" gel. It's an icy-hot sort of thing with menthol and capsaicin and has never failed to make my muscles feel better.
  • george29223
    george29223 Posts: 556 Member
    i usually walk around all day telling everyone how sore i am , lol
  • marjen002
    marjen002 Posts: 112
    Wow, awesome feedback. Thanks all!
  • marjen002
    marjen002 Posts: 112
    Seriously, supplement with plenty of magnesium and soreness won't be an issue. It's one of the best and cheapest supplements for athletes

    I take it with food a few hours before bed. Do not take on an empty stomach and do not over supplement as too much especially on an empty stomach will cause diarrhea. You can also take magnesium transdermal via epsom salt bath or with magnesium "oil" (no effect on the stomach if taken transdermal)

    Will definitely have to try this. Thanks!
  • marjen002
    marjen002 Posts: 112
    Beta alanine is good for lactic acid buildup

    This. Drink orange juice or citric anything and work your muscles a little, it will solve your issue.

    I've been doing a mix of grapefruit juice & OJ every morning. My hubby recommended and I had no idea why. Glad I listened for a change. Thanks for your input. ;)
  • marjen002
    marjen002 Posts: 112
    i usually walk around all day telling everyone how sore i am , lol

    Ha, too funny!

    And, yes, I do that too. :0)
  • MLgarcia3
    MLgarcia3 Posts: 503
    i usually walk around all day telling everyone how sore i am , lol

    Hehe that's what I do ;-)
  • Dark_Roast
    Dark_Roast Posts: 17,689 Member
    Hottub! It works wonders, If I get in at night before bed, the next morning I feel much better.
  • TaylorsGranddad
    TaylorsGranddad Posts: 453 Member
    i usually walk around all day telling everyone how sore i am , lol

    Ha, too funny!

    And, yes, I do that too. :0)

    Made me LOL...

    I was sore and my legs ached before I dieted, now they do cos I diet.... I feel better with the second one though :wink:
  • SemiChaud
    SemiChaud Posts: 20 Member
    http://www.lush.ca/Wiccy-Magic-Muscles/00253,en_CA,pd.html?start=1&q=wiccy magic muscles

    I use that. My secret weapon against sore muscles.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    then there's the thought that you need to work through it, albeit at a lower intensity...which is what I have been doing. I also increase stretching.

    This is what I do. I might do a different exercise than what made the muscle(s) sore, but I will still work them.
  • katmont
    katmont Posts: 32 Member
    I use muscle milk after i workout with weights and i dont have any soreness at all
  • athensguy
    athensguy Posts: 550
    If it's delayed onset muscle soreness, there doesn't appear to be any reason to alter your workouts unless you are unable to keep your form. No need to take any supplements or what not. It does not appear to be caused by lactic acid, but rather by eccentric contractions. You also become resistant to DOMS resulting from a particular motion, so you will not get as sore in the future.

    Immediate Onset Soreness should dissipate relatively quickly and not affect your next workout.

    If you feel like you have pulled a muscle or connective tissue, you should seek medical advice.
  • rhenneberry
    rhenneberry Posts: 20
    I use a foam roller to help recover quicker from those types of workouts. Also try mixing in yoga, it has helped me stay flexible when I am doing weigh training.
  • ilovedeadlifts
    ilovedeadlifts Posts: 2,923 Member
    foam roll
    contrast showers
    and reduced intensity blood work. If i have an intense workout on monday and my tris are feeling sore, I'll do light pushdowns the next day.
    After squats or deadlifts, I'll drag a sled the next day.


    Workout to recover.
  • VMarkV
    VMarkV Posts: 522 Member
    I also do something similar to foam rolling but use a hard medicine ball instead to roll out knots in my back and legs. You just roll over the sore area on a medicine ball in a circular motion, clockwise and counterclockwise, up and down, whatever motion
  • savlyon
    savlyon Posts: 474 Member
    Rest is really important, but I tend to plan my workouts so I have two heavy days in the middle of a few medium intensity days. Since I am currently training for a triathlon, I plan swims at the beginning and end of my training week. I find that after running a long run, the next day I am not sore, but my muscles might be tight, so I swim. I tend to have DOMS (delayed onset muscle syndrome) which means I would get sore two days after. If I swim the day after a hard work out then I am never sore. By the last day of the week (day 5 or 6), I can't expect a great workout because my muscles are tired, but the swim helps repair the muscles. Then I take a day off, and the first day back my swim is awesome.

    All that to say...take at least ONE day off a week, if not two, but plan light to medium intensity workouts the day after a hard work out.
  • bigbef
    bigbef Posts: 8
    I tend to work through it gently. If it's causing pain rather than just general soreness, it can sometimes be a good idea to stop and examine how badly it hurts.
    If I find I'm really sore, I have a hot bath and stretch whilst in there, and then another stretch before bed. I try not to give in to the soreness, unless it's causing me to lose form and risk injury. Sometimes this does mean taking my workout at a slightly lower intensity, to allow the soreness to dissipate before cranking it back up later on in the workout.

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