Best things for soreness?

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kat8194
kat8194 Posts: 5 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So I've just recently started working out again and I'm extremely sore. What are some things I can do to help with the soreness? I'm trying to go mon-Fri working out and taking Saturday and Sunday as my rest days. But this has been my first week, and I woke up today feeling so sore that I don't even want to workout today. And advice?

Replies

  • peleroja
    peleroja Posts: 3,979 Member
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    Keep going, it will get better. Most people get sore when they start or change their routine but if you keep doing it, you will probably find it lessens or disappears.

    Also, get a foam roller. They make a huge difference for a lot of people.
  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,716 Member
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    Yep, foam rollers are good. Those are good to use even if you aren't sore.

    The best thing you can do is just keep moving. Walk and warm up really well before each workout. Stretch afterwards.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    - ease into things...you don't need to go from nothing to working out daily...i would suggest every other day and then adding days. i would recommend a nice long walk on your "non-exercise" days...you'll be doing something and moving is going to help with the soreness...sitting around is only going to make it worse.
    - if you're doing resistance training, you should NOT be working the same muscles or groups of muscles on consecutive days...they need rest to recover.
    - stagger the intensity of your workouts...have higher intensity days and lower intensity days.
    - take hot baths/showers
    - icy hot or similar works wonders
    - pop an ibuprofen
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    Do stretches before and after your workout. This is my top tip.
    Today try cold pad/heat pad alternating depending on what feels best.

    I keep a bean bag in my freezer like this:
    IMG_8079.jpg

    http://www.makeit-loveit.com/2009/08/hotcold-rice-bag.html

    And a full size heating pad like this:
    51w7LM8eTzL.jpg
  • steph2strong
    steph2strong Posts: 426 Member
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    In addition to all the great advice already posted, staggering your workouts a bit more, especially when first starting, can help quite a bit. For example working out every other day, or working out 2 days in a row then a rest day. Rest days do not have to be sedentary days, in fact it's better if they aren't. Walking and yoga on rest days is good to off set the more intense workouts and let your body recover.
  • pondee629
    pondee629 Posts: 2,469 Member
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    The best thing for soreness is a good warm up. :-)
  • klkarlen
    klkarlen Posts: 4,366 Member
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    This is a product made for horses, but I use it all the time for muscle aches and pains, and bruises

    http://arenus.com/products/sore-no-more/sports-salve.php

    It will make your skin very soft and smooth also.
  • tillerstouch
    tillerstouch Posts: 608 Member
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    Drink extra water will help also the stretching is great advice
  • Willbenchforcupcakes
    Willbenchforcupcakes Posts: 4,955 Member
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    Lots of general movement, foam rolling, and I find the hair of the dog helps especially well - the best thing for my doms from deads on Monday was more deads on Wednesday.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    Try taking Vitamin C a couple hours before your workout. My boss, an amateur goalie, swears by it.
  • rhtexasgal
    rhtexasgal Posts: 572 Member
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    Because I have an autoimmune condition which makes me basically retain inflammation and muscle soreness for a longer period of time, I have done the things mentioned above and bought a natural supplement I found at Whole Foods that is for inflammation and muscle soreness. I can't remember the name offhand but it is chockful of anti-imflammatory things like turmeric, bromelain and some other "stuff" and it helps me when I can't seem to get over a particularly grueling workout.
  • ash_law
    ash_law Posts: 70 Member
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    Iron_Miss_Canada wrote: »
    Lots of general movement, foam rolling, and I find the hair of the dog helps especially well - the best thing for my doms from deads on Monday was more deads on Wednesday.

    I agree with this ^. I don't know what your routine is - cardio, crossfit, powerlifting, strongman, whatever - but I've found that the best way to feel better from soreness is to do the same movement that made you sore, with a lot of light reps to get blood moving into those sore muscles. Any time I compete, I am super sore the next day, but I go to the gym anyway and do all three competition lifts with an empty bar for like 5x10. It helps sooooo much!
  • pzarnosky
    pzarnosky Posts: 256 Member
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    I found I'm significantly less sore the next day if I work out in the morning. There's always the good ole ice bath though. Especially if you have inflammation issues caused by an autoimmune disorder. Also, tiger balm. Same idea as ice bath but I like it more than biofreeze or other similar products. A little goes a long ways though...
  • kat8194
    kat8194 Posts: 5 Member
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    pzarnosky wrote: »
    I found I'm significantly less sore the next day if I work out in the morning. There's always the good ole ice bath though. Especially if you have inflammation issues caused by an autoimmune disorder. Also, tiger balm. Same idea as ice bath but I like it more than biofreeze or other similar products. A little goes a long ways though...

    Can't do this because I have raynauds! :/
  • kat8194
    kat8194 Posts: 5 Member
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    rhtexasgal wrote: »
    Because I have an autoimmune condition which makes me basically retain inflammation and muscle soreness for a longer period of time, I have done the things mentioned above and bought a natural supplement I found at Whole Foods that is for inflammation and muscle soreness. I can't remember the name offhand but it is chockful of anti-imflammatory things like turmeric, bromelain and some other "stuff" and it helps me when I can't seem to get over a particularly grueling workout.

    Love this! I have an auto immune disease too and it's called Mixed Connective Tissue Disease.. aka rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and schleroderma. It sucks and makes it hard after workouts. I also have raynauds so I can't do ice baths or anything cold. I'm going to look into this supplement though. Thank you!

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