How to heal your aching muscles

FIT_Beanie
FIT_Beanie Posts: 15
edited November 12 in Fitness and Exercise
I did my first strength training workout on Friday (opposed to lots of cardio and the odd weights machine)
And as expected I'm aching but all over.

I wanted to go back to the gym tomorrow (Sunday) but I'm soooo stiff, so I'm not sure now.

Is there anything i can do or take to elevate the aches so when i go back to the gym i can still do the sets and reps i want to do and not make some feeble attempt because I'm aching.

I'm wanting to do these strength exercises at least twice per week and another day do mainly cardio based stuff.
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Replies

  • militarydreams
    militarydreams Posts: 198 Member
    Rest. As your muscles get accustomed to the new workouts you'll find your need to rest will decrease.

    Try whey protein before and after the workout and be sure to stretch properly
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    Advil, stretch, hot shower, heating pad, tiger balm. Go tomorrow anyway. Your first week or two you will feel this way every time you work a different muscle group. Push through it!!
  • moran1917
    moran1917 Posts: 1,133 Member
    I had intense muscle pain after my first day of the 30 day shred. i did the usual bath in epsom salts and it helped a bit. but what actually helped was walking my dogs the next day. i didn't go hard and fast, just a casual walk. i found that it loosened up my muscles and made them feel better. so that would be my suggestion, some light cardio to loosen you up so that you can lift again.
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    Rest. As your muscles get accustomed to the new workouts you'll find your need to rest will decrease.

    Try whey protein before and after the workout and be sure to stretch properly

    Haha, I love that my opinion was 100% opposite of this one! Not that I disagree with rest, but if you want to be able to lift 2 or more times per week you can't take 4 or 5 days off every time you get sore!
  • kirkemorgan
    kirkemorgan Posts: 88 Member
    Time is about the only thing that works. Advil will buffere a little.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    It's torture but........ice bath. It sounds like you're suffering from DOMS which is perfectly normal, especially when you're just starting a new program and may have enthusiastically overdone things. Take an advil too....
  • FireTigerSoul
    FireTigerSoul Posts: 268 Member
    Warm bath with epsom salts! Someone suggested it to me when I was suffering from DOMS...it worked GREAT! I felt much better by the next day. :)
  • militarydreams
    militarydreams Posts: 198 Member
    Haha, I love that my opinion was 100% opposite of this one! Not that I disagree with rest, but if you want to be able to lift 2 or more times per week you can't take 4 or 5 days off every time you get sore!

    Many strength trainers reccomend 5 days rest between each muscle group. To train more you need to cycle through muscle groups using carefully planned exercises.
  • FIT_Beanie
    FIT_Beanie Posts: 15
    Great replies thanks, what is DOMS?
  • bridgie101
    bridgie101 Posts: 817 Member
    Just keep doing it again. Rest - in between, not instead. I think that's what the person above me meant. Decent rest between exercise experiences but keep going back for more. You warm up to it as you do it again, the pain goes away.
  • jgondor
    jgondor Posts: 145 Member
    stretch well tonight and use a heating pad if you're really sore. see how you're feeling tomorrow. if you still feel really stiff/sore i would rest tomorrow and try again the following day.
  • Jlwebb07
    Jlwebb07 Posts: 38 Member
    bump
  • Grabber116
    Grabber116 Posts: 7 Member
    I swear by the supplement Amino Burst 3000 from GNC. I used to ache for days after racquetball and after taking one tablet after the workout I experienced almost no stiffness or pain at all.
  • kbmnurse
    kbmnurse Posts: 2,484 Member
    Motrin and heating pad. Forge ahead.
  • Grabber116
    Grabber116 Posts: 7 Member
    also don't use heat immediately afterwards.. always better to ice down. Its nowhere near as comfortable as a whirlpool, heating pads or a hot bath, but think about the first thing you do when you get injured. You ice to keep the swelling down by restricting blood flow. Heat before workouts, ice down after.
  • jonski1968
    jonski1968 Posts: 4,490 Member
    Rest. As your muscles get accustomed to the new workouts you'll find your need to rest will decrease.

    Try whey protein before and after the workout and be sure to stretch properly

    And you could also supplementing with Scivation Extend before, during and after your workout...Great stuff for dulling aches..
  • sar04tamu
    sar04tamu Posts: 27
    Try a long (slow) walk today, or something like zumba if you're up for it. Getting the blood moving again works best for me.
  • mmk137
    mmk137 Posts: 833 Member
    Great replies thanks, what is DOMS?

    doms = delayed onset muscle soreness.

    and i'm going to say the opposite, but try a cold shower. that can help too.
  • Cueball55
    Cueball55 Posts: 152 Member
    purely lay person observation:

    i notice most newcomers to the weight lifting arena lift way too hard way too quickly. starting off a little lighter or at least more compound bodyweight exercises to start with so your muscles, joints, ligaments, tendons have time to adjust and strengthen might help the situation before it happens.

    if you leave the gym feeling good and with a bit more in the tank, maybe that's a good time to leave. rather than put it all out there right away.

    my two cents.
  • ifassnacht
    ifassnacht Posts: 24 Member
    Advil, stretch, hot shower, heating pad, tiger balm. Go tomorrow anyway. Your first week or two you will feel this way every time you work a different muscle group. Push through it!!

    advil is ok, but pain is there for a reason, stretching is good, hot shower is good, heating pad is good, no clue what tiger balm is.

    but i would not go lift more weights if your experiencing DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness). This is your body telling you that you need to rest, not work more.

    also, it depends on how sore you are. are you so sore that it hurts to do normal activities? or just a little achey? If it's not too bad then yes, do another workout.

    simply pushing through the pain is a recipe for hurting yourself. and if you hurt yourself, where is that going to leave your fitness activity while you recover? in the trash.

    i do like the idea of some cardio. cardio is known to help the soreness as it warms the muscles up and stretches them out (same idea as the ideas mentioned above).

    anyways good luck
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    I did my first strength training workout on Friday (opposed to lots of cardio and the odd weights machine)
    And as expected I'm aching but all over.

    I wanted to go back to the gym tomorrow (Sunday) but I'm soooo stiff, so I'm not sure now.

    Is there anything i can do or take to elevate the aches so when i go back to the gym i can still do the sets and reps i want to do and not make some feeble attempt because I'm aching.

    I'm wanting to do these strength exercises at least twice per week and another day do mainly cardio based stuff.

    Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness is kind of like a hangover. Fastest way to get rid of a hangover is more booze, and believe it or not, the fastest way to cure DOMS is to get back to lifting. So relax today, and lift tomorrow. Even if you're still sore.
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
    Light exercise is great for DOMS. Take a long walk or go for a swim.
  • Ripken818836701
    Ripken818836701 Posts: 607 Member
    I take vitamin C pills everyday and I very rarely have any pain in my muscles these days.. Lifting causes small tears in the muscle fiber which is why your muscles ache, vitamin C increases the healing process and decreases the amount of pain/aches etc.
    I also drink a sports drink like gatoraide mixed with BCAA's just prior to and during my workouts and a whey protein shake within 30 minutes of finishing every workout.
  • FIT_Beanie
    FIT_Beanie Posts: 15
    I think I'm going to go tomoroow but do cardio and if I'm feeling brave maybe one set of each of my exercises.
  • FIT_Beanie
    FIT_Beanie Posts: 15
    I also drink a sports drink like gatoraide mixed with BCAA's just prior to and during my workouts and a whey protein shake within within 30 minutes of finishing every workout.

    I have the odd whey protein shake, well i have it before my workout, should i have it after instead??
  • Ripken818836701
    Ripken818836701 Posts: 607 Member
    Yes you should drink a protein shake within 30-45 minutes of completing every workout. Also try vitamin C pills for your aches, they are very inexpensive.
  • KarenBoster
    KarenBoster Posts: 67 Member
    Everybody has given really great advise. The Two things I haven't seen is increase your water and don't be afraid to move. When I am super sore I make sure I drink a cup of water for about every hour I am up to rehydrate slowly and do some stretches throughout the day or and or go for a leisurely walk. It may not burn a ton of calories but the gentle motion helps work out the soreness and any knots in the muscles. When all else fails go swimming. You get the gentle movement and the cool water helps with inflammation too.
  • myogibbs
    myogibbs Posts: 182
    We talked about muscle soreness in my nutrition class & there have been some studies that show that dark berries (especially red ones) have an ingredient (which I can't remember right now) that can help with muscle soreness. I try to drink a smoothie with berries, banana & protein after my workout...not sure it has helped, but it is still a good after workout treat. Sounds like you just got too enthusiastic with your workout. I think most of the advice on here is pretty sound. Rest tonight & if you can bear it, try to stretch a little. Moving around will help get some of that lactic acid out, which is what causes the soreness in your muscles. I would probably do some cardio tomorrow and maybe try again the next day to do some lifting. Start slow...slow & steady wins the race :) You will still get benefits from lifting at a lower weight until you can build up to more weight...and best of all...you will be able to move the next day! Good luck to you! Keep up the great work!
  • FIT_Beanie
    FIT_Beanie Posts: 15
    I am finding if i sit down at my pc for even only 10 mins I cease up, so when i get up I'm like grandpa simpson LOL
  • Ripken818836701
    Ripken818836701 Posts: 607 Member
    Everybody has given really great advise. The Two things I haven't seen is increase your water and don't be afraid to move. When I am super sore I make sure I drink a cup of water for about every hour I am up to rehydrate slowly and do some stretches throughout the day or and or go for a leisurely walk. It may not burn a ton of calories but the gentle motion helps work out the soreness and any knots in the muscles. When all else fails go swimming. You get the gentle movement and the cool water helps with inflammation too.
    Swimming is a great idea but I dont recommend it if losing weight is your primary goal.
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