If your muscles are sore then you had a good workout, right? NO!! There is soreness, fatigue, pain, and even tears but without one of these or all of them, that does not mean you did not work hard enough or get a good workout. You should never be feeling sudden severe pain while you are exercising and if you do, you should stop immediately. If it continues for two or three days or if it interferes with your normal daily activities including interrupting your sleep, you need to reconsider how you are working out! Keep in mind the difference between severe pain and a sudden muscle cramp. A cramp is an involuntary spasm that is forceful and sustained. It usually lasts between a few seconds and several minutes. The pain it causes can usually be relieved by gently stretching the muscle. Yes, another reason to Stretch!! Now, chronic pains, on the other hand, can develop after a major injury and this type of pain and soreness is something to not take lightly! If your pain and soreness lingers and often causes discomfort, outside of the gym, that is a problem! That would be the last thing you want is an injury from the gym to be without throughout the day, no matter what you do! Now the issue is understanding the difference between general soreness and fatigue and true pain and severe injury!
If you find your muscles weakening or becoming fatigued during exercise, you should reduce your intensity or stop exercising completely. Not doing so can easily result in injury. Soon after you finish your workout, remember it is KEY to replenish your fluids, supplements (glutamine, bcaa’s) and eat a recovery meal consisting of carbohydrates and protein.
Soreness beginning immediately following exercise is usually the result of lactic acid build up and generally lasts up to a day or two. It will go away by itself. There is also the muscle soreness that occurs after someone begins a new exercise program or movement or significantly increases the weight one is lifting or intensity of any resistance or cardio program. Now with CHANGE being key, you may find soreness more often than someone who sticks with the same program, day in and day out. These changes in a routine or even intense workouts cause microscopic tears in muscle fibers. While the muscles are recovering and growing, side effects include swelling and pain which often results in delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). DOMS usually reaches its peak 12 – 24 hours after exercise and then subsides over the next few days. It may even take 48 hours to reach its peak.
Here are some effective ways to treat sore muscles:
* Stretching after exercise while muscles are still warm.
* Gently massaging the muscle.
* Getting regular message.
* Using a foam roller or ball to loosen up tightness.
* Icing the affected area for 20 minutes following exercise.
* Drinking enough water throughout the day to keep hydrated.
* Taking over-the-counter medication such as Advil to block the pain and inflammation, but these may adversely affect the growing process of the muscle.
* Taking protein supplements, glutamine, and BCAA’s immediately following exercise.
It is important to allow your muscles plenty of time to recover before training them again. Remember, rest and muscle recovery is just as important as engaging them during exercise.
Many people actually enjoy the feeling of DOMS. They believe that they had a good workout if they are sore for 3 or 4 days. Don’t use this as a measure of your success. Instead track your progress such as how much weight you lifted or how far you walked, and let the data do the talking. Soreness is normal, depending on your exercise intensity and program. But there is a difference between pain and soreness, know the difference. “No pain, no gain” is only a myth so don’t fall into the trap of thinking if you don’t literally stumble out of the gym or out of bed, you are not working out hard enough! Less is more!