What are your tips to combat muscle soreness?

abryn1011

I worked some new muscle groups today and I am already feeling the soreness. Is there anything you do to help with muscle soreness?

ahviendha

eat a banana, go for walks. it also depends if you're the kind of person to push through it, or if you'd rather take a painkiller like tylenol or advil.

i like to push through it, which means stretching and walking through the soreness.

Stretch, stretch, stretch! After all workouts! You will notice a big difference in muscle soreness on days you don't stretch versus days you do.

tndejong

i am so new at this and the only thing ive been able to do is stretch and move to relieve the pain or else ibuprofin! im only 2 weeks into this and feeling muscles i did not know i had! lol

pondmermaid

A friend advised taking a tylenol before bed to prevent soreness the next day and I thought that was great advice. I like to do weights and learned the hard way to start slow and work up to heavy weights.

murphy612

Drink some exta water, advil, fish oil and MORE EXERCISE

Pixi_Rex

Keep moving. If it hurts to move keep doing it because sitting and not moving those muscles just means they are going to hurt a whole lot more when you go to use them.

SleepySin

I take arnica extract post-workout (sometimes pre & post) to help with muscle soreness but since I visit the gym regularly, I've been lazy and taking ibuprofen occasionally the morning after (it's free at work..lol). I've been looking into alternative methods of speedier recovery as well though. Looking forward to seeing what everyone else has to say

Forgot to add, after every workout, I do deep stretches too. It's a must!

For the NSAID folks.. may want to reconsider becoming dependent on them as a source of relief, it may be disrupting if not negating your efforts.. I was just reading up a few minutes ago about it - lots of info here: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=27864&page=1

maab_connor

stretch and drink your water. but when i REALLY find a brand new muscle, i'll grab the heating pad too.

trogalicious

I just keep going.

Shal1217

A trainer suggested I look into l-glutamine for post workout soreness. I haven't tried it but apparently it works. I sometimes take a protein shake after a workout and I find it helps a bit.

TexasDragon45

Keep working out, its new tears in your muscle fiber, so all you can do is recover and keep working out, work exercises in that muscle group over the next 3-4 days and by day 3 the soreness will start to fade. Regular incorporation of that muscle group in your routine will crush that soreness.

mapnerd2005

lighter versions of the same movements. Also, chocolate milk has been shown to encourage muscle recovery. I buy the 8oz Organic horizons lowfat chocolate milk, take it to the gym and have it and a banana after an intense workout.

It takes time, but as your body gets stronger, the recovery time gets shorter. At one point I could bench 150 lbs and while I was tired, I never really got sore...I'm trying to get there again.

schicksa

Lots of water, epsom salt baths, and ibuprofen if you're really sore. The first two help to flush out lactic acid (which causes sore muscles), the latter brings down swelling.

ijavagypsy

A physical therapist once told me that muscle fibers are constructed like zippers, and that after you stress the muscles during a workout, you should do very prolonged, slow stretches to match the ribs in the "zipper" back up. The stretching does seem to work for me. Good luck!

Ephena

Water, milk actually seems to help me a lot too as it has a little protein which is great for muscle recovery, stretching stretching stretching, I'll do yoga on my "rest" days to keep me from tightening up, foam rollers and heating pads, massages.

Juggernoobs

Work a different type of muscle tomorrow. I think I have something aching at least 3-4 days out of a week the other are recovery days and can ache also, just keep going. I eat protein it helps.

Bikini27

Glutacor from Nutrishop, it's a muscle recovery formula. Only reason I can get out of bed the morning after an Insanity workout.

http://www.dietspotlight.com/glutacor-review/

^^ More info on the stuff, with advantages and disadvantages. It's a little pricey, but totally worth the results.

Samantha44145

If it hurts it's working!!! I love being sore after a good workout! The soreness will work itself out when warm up the muscles by working out some more.

Legs sore? Rolling pin massage.

cwolfman13

stretch
lots of water
up you potasium intake
take your rest days
keep at it

ChelseaM18

Stretch and massage, I can never decide whether I love or hate DOMs

Nekhet

Protein drinks like Whey Protein powder (Muscle Milk, Optimum Nutrition...etc) after a workout cut down on soreness big time the next day!!!

moustache_flavored_lube

Suck it up. Its part of being fit.

* Rest the muscle group 48 hrs
* warm up the muscle group well (10-15 minutes)
* dynamic stretching
* train hard
* rinse & repeat

ModoVincere

Keep moving as much as possible, drink plenty of fluid, and take an acetamenophine or aspirin if needed.
that's all I got.

Tw1zzler

There is not much you can do about DOMS. I like to use my foam roller, stretch and do some kind of light cardio. I also think taking a bath in epsom salts helps but maybe it's just nice taking time out for a bath...

MinnieInMaine

If you're not stretching directly after working out, please make sure you're doing dynamic stretches, not static. If you want to do static stretches, make sure you warm up your body first by going for a short walk (at least 10 minutes). Massage and heat work wonders too. And eat bananas.

stumblinthrulife

(slightly rambling post, but there is a point at the end, I promise...)

When I was heavy into martial arts I used to always 'push through' and 'grin and bear it' - 'no pain, no gain', 'pain is weakness leaving the body' blah, blah, blah. I trained every day, sometimes twice a day. I had a very unscientific approach, I just trained as long as I could, and often as I could and as hard as I could.

The result? I was sore all the damn time.

I've been pretty inactive for six years, after the birth of my daughter. Now I'm getting back into shape, and I'm being a little smarter about it. I'm starting out slow, not trying to do the maximum that I can at all times. I'm listening to my body. If I'm just a little achy, I'll reduce my weights or slow down my run depending on the day. Just do enough to get the blood and oxygen pumping to the muscles and (hopefully) encourage rather than retard healing. If a muscle is tender to the touch, however, I give it a complete break. Life is short, but not so short that resting sore pecs for an extra day is going to be a disaster.

Results so far - I'm getting stronger, dropping body fat, and if I do ache it's for a short period of time. That's confirmation enough for me that I'm doing the right thing by my body.

Chief_Rocka

Protein drinks like Whey Protein powder (Muscle Milk, Optimum Nutrition...etc) after a workout cut down on soreness big time the next day!!!

No

username_misso

For the NSAID folks.. may want to reconsider becoming dependent on them as a source of relief, it may be disrupting if not negating your efforts.. I was just reading up a few minutes ago about it - lots of info here: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=27864&page=1

this.

There is not much you can do about DOMS. I like to use my foam roller, stretch and do some kind of light cardio. I also think taking a bath in epsom salts helps but maybe it's just nice taking time out for a bath...

and this.

Your body will eventually adapt and the DOMS will be less intense/frequent. I usually only get it now after i have had a week or two off, or at the end of a training cycle when weights are getting really heavy.

stretching and massage (either professional or foam rollering/PVC pipe/'the stick') should be part of of your program, whether you do it after you finish lifting, or on rest days as active recovery.

FullOfWin

keep working out and give it a couple weeks