Best way of dealing with post workout soreness?

[Anonymous]

Aside from taking ibuprofen or other similar products, what is the best way (in your opinion) of dealing with post workout soreness? The kind you feel the day after when it's a b*tch to move.

[candlewax]

Time is the only way to cope with it, aside from ibuprofin.You can do other various things like a hot bath and as odd as it sounds, use rubbing alcohol. Just put it on a cotton ball and rub it over the sore area. Sounds bizarre, but it works.

Keep in mind that the muscles are sore due to micro tears in the muscle fibers. Because of these micro tears, the white blood cells are coming in to clean everything up. This increases the size of the area (swelling) and it presses on the nerves in the area. This is what causes DOMS.

That said, it's why you just need time. Do yourself a favor and try to keep moving around (sitting and doing nothing doesn't help a ton). Other than that, all you can do is help ease discomfort is painkillers. Also try popping some vitamin C to help with the healing process in those muscles.

[Anonymous]

Have to agree with most people and say that a hot bath can do you wonders. Try and add some epsom salts in there too, they really do help in my opinion! And try a bit of stretching, like some light yoga or something like that.

Also, there's certain types of oils (and sometimes lotions) that you can buy to really help joint or muscle pains. There's one I use after my runs and it does wonders, I can't remember the name of it though, sorry! But maybe check into that sort of thing next time your at your community health store or fitness centre to see if they have one. :)

[stubbsy]

The best way to deal with this is to stretch. I know it hurts, but once you have stretched that muscle and held it for 10 seconds, it no longer hurts, or no where as near as it did, and even to the extent where you can go to the gym without looking like you have wet yourself or something lol, so seriously, I train most days so have little aches anymore, but when I did, all I did was grit and bare it while I stretched, andd when I relaxed I felt so much better, try it on your legs, go slowly down into a full squat, when held for 10 seconds, stand up without using your hands, and feel the difference, the reason they hurt is because you have rested and the muscle elasticity has hardened, due to the intensity of your exercise, get some blood into those muscles and stretch and the pain is reduced 80 percent, good luck,x

[Anonymous]

"Pain is just weakness leaving the body. Have some juice and suck it up."

Pain in the muscles is good, I love that feeling after a workout. The only downside to it is that you have to wait / recover before you can workout the same muscles with the same intensity.

The key to reducing muscle ache is to do a warm up and stretch before you work out, and then conclude with a stretch and "cool down" exercise".

I find that the APK warm up and especially the APK warm up #2 are the most pleasant ways to slowly elevate your temperature and get the blood flowing before the actual workout.

The warm ups are also great stand-ins for exercise on days of recovery.

[Vegabond]

I have a protein shake after I've been to the gym, this helps muscles recover as if you don't eat enough protein your muscles will start eating each other for food, so by getting a quick boost of protein you are providing them with food basically and you should hopefully not ache as much! :) ps. When planning on using a shake don't half ass your workout seriously push yourself to see results when using weights etc

[martyfellow]

Steam baths, massage, swimming, Tai Chi, all these help.

Stay away from chemicals, they do more harm than good. Some food items like papayas work for some people.

Make sure you're getting enough vitamins in your diet, or take vitamin tablets. THOSE chemicals are ok!

[WoIIie]

Try foam rolling, or use what this guy uses.

https://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=wG8k3NB_K20

[kheserthorpe]

You get less soreness as you maintain the routine.

I found doing a very slow rep with low weight at the end helped avoid as much soreness later.

[WeaponZero]

Define "low weight"

[kheserthorpe]

If you were doing heavy sets, maybe 20-30% of what you were doing. I haven't done this in a while, but seemed to help when I tried it. It was sort of like it 'flushed' out the muscle without causing more microtearing.

Aren't ice baths after supposed to help reduce swelling?

[WeaponZero]

I find that doing things such as stretches and bodyweight squats/sumo squats while taking a hot shower the morning after your workout helps a lot.

[ironhead64]

Suck it up. eventually you'll get to where it doesn't bother you, until then, stretch until it hurts.

[calichick]

i usually stretch and or take a warm shower. oh! and a heating pad helps! A LOT!

[decentusername]

i just do more exercise or stretch.

[Ezmotts]

Suck it up and deal with it.

[Anonymous]

A long hot bath used with bath salts for soreness