Help Soothing Muscles After Kickboxing Class

So it's two days after my first kickboxing class, and my legs are still feeling like hell. Like, walking, sitting, and doing anything faster then a snail's leisurely jog sets my thighs on fire. I took a shower and that helped some, and I've been popping pain pills like a weathered druggie and they do nothing! I have another class tonight and I honestly don't know if I can do it with how my legs feel.

Replies

  • JeepHair77
    JeepHair77 Posts: 1,291 Member
    You'll hate me for this - but the best way to ease muscle soreness is to keep moving! A little cardio, getting my blood pumping through those tight muscles, works better than any pain reliever I've tried.

    Stick with it - kickboxing is awesome. It's my favorite thing.
  • scr183
    scr183 Posts: 49 Member
    DOMS can be a killer, but honestly the best thing for it is to keep moving in my experience. Were I in your shoes, I'd go to class tonight, but warm up thoroughly and maybe dial back the intensity, just doing what you can manage -- and then get in a good stretch followed by a hot bath with epsom salt if you can swing it. The good thing about this kind of soreness is that as your body adapts to doing the new activity, it's less and less of a problem. If class just doesn't feel like it's possible at all for you, I'd still recommend a long, gentle walk followed by some stretching and a hot bath.
  • teetertatertango
    teetertatertango Posts: 229 Member
    Dial back on the intensity until your muscles catch up with your enthusiasm (but still go and get the blood flowing!).

    For me, the second day after is usually the worst so hopefully you will see a light at the end of the tunnel tomorrow. If you have access to a foam roller, give that a try. Foam rolling is kind of amazing in the right circumstances.

  • BeeerRunner
    BeeerRunner Posts: 728 Member
    YOGA! I swear by it. If you do even a 20 to 30 minute yoga session tonight, you'll feel so much better in the morning. If you don't have any yoga DVDs, you can find yoga videos on YouTube. I should have done some yoga myself last night and I'm paying for it today. I'm definitely getting my yoga on tonight, and I'll be good to go by morning. :smiley:
  • ChubRub93
    ChubRub93 Posts: 12 Member
    JeepHair77 wrote: »
    You'll hate me for this - but the best way to ease muscle soreness is to keep moving! A little cardio, getting my blood pumping through those tight muscles, works better than any pain reliever I've tried.

    Stick with it - kickboxing is awesome. It's my favorite thing.

    Went to class tonight and you were completely right! Five minutes in and I had no pain! I got a bit too into it to take it easy like some others suggested and I'll probably kick myself for that tomorrow, but yolo! So far I love kickboxing, I don't see myself stopping anytime soon!
  • Just stretch afterwards. Stretch a bit before bed as well. When our season starts, my athletes have been known to throw themselves out of bed in the morning, fall into seats, and go down steps on their rear ends. First day is brutal with anything if/when the body isn't used to it.

    If you are the adventurous type, ice bath.
  • htimpaired
    htimpaired Posts: 1,404 Member
    Sometimes a soak in the tub with some epsom salts will help out with the muscle soreness.
  • Alishia6606
    Alishia6606 Posts: 140 Member
    I started insanity yesterday. I am currently sitting with a heating pad between my thighs and an ice pack on my lower back. It seems to help a little bit other than that, stretch through it and it should help.
  • nikki8412
    nikki8412 Posts: 108 Member
    edited September 2016
    I think I've posted this so many times but it's just because it's helped me so much. L-glutamine! It's amino acids and helps relieves soreness very very well. I use GNC's L-glutamine 1500 unflavored powder. I take a dose right after working out and another dose an hour later. The next morning I am always glad I did. And note: it doesn't have to be GNC brand. Good luck!