What are your tips to combat muscle soreness?

abryn1011
abryn1011 Posts: 11 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I worked some new muscle groups today and I am already feeling the soreness. Is there anything you do to help with muscle soreness?

Replies

  • ahviendha
    ahviendha Posts: 1,291 Member
    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
    tndejong Posts: 463
    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
    pondmermaid Posts: 43 Member
    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
    murphy612 Posts: 734 Member
    Drink some exta water, advil, fish oil and MORE EXERCISE :)
  • Pixi_Rex
    Pixi_Rex Posts: 1,676 Member
    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
    SleepySin Posts: 168 Member
    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
    maab_connor Posts: 3,927 Member
    stretch and drink your water. but when i REALLY find a brand new muscle, i'll grab the heating pad too.
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
    I just keep going.
  • Shal1217
    Shal1217 Posts: 37
    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
    TexasDragon45 Posts: 275
    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
    mapnerd2005 Posts: 363
    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
    schicksa Posts: 123 Member
    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
    ijavagypsy Posts: 109 Member
    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
    Ephena Posts: 610 Member
    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
    Juggernoobs Posts: 37
    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
    Bikini27 Posts: 1,290 Member
    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
    Samantha44145 Posts: 66 Member
    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
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    stretch
    lots of water
    up you potasium intake
    take your rest days
    keep at it
  • ChelseaM18
    ChelseaM18 Posts: 303
    Stretch and massage, I can never decide whether I love or hate DOMs
  • Nekhet
    Nekhet Posts: 380
    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
    moustache_flavored_lube Posts: 849 Member
    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
    ModoVincere Posts: 530 Member
    Keep moving as much as possible, drink plenty of fluid, and take an acetamenophine or aspirin if needed.
    that's all I got.
  • Tw1zzler
    Tw1zzler Posts: 583
    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
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    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
    stumblinthrulife Posts: 2,558 Member
    (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
    Chief_Rocka Posts: 4,710 Member
    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
    username_misso Posts: 50 Member
    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
    FullOfWin Posts: 1,414 Member
    keep working out and give it a couple weeks

Categories