How to Decrease Muscle Soreness After Exercise

As a general rule, we get sore after a workout because we’re making progress. Regular muscle soreness comes about because we’ve been pushing hard and have set the stage to grow new muscle tissue. To keep this discomfort to a minimum, post-workout behaviors and supplements can help. (Image source: Envato)

Hydrate

Turning carbs into energy is a chemical reaction within your body that produces a lot of compounds that need to be flushed away. Your muscles are not the only things in your body working hard when you’re working out. Experts recommend that you drink up to twenty-four ounces of water for each hour you work out.

Consume Something High in Protein

Eating something within the two-hour window after a workout can also reduce your soreness. Foods high in protein, as well as healthy carbohydrates, can give your body the power it needs to fill in those tiny muscle tears that are the source of your soreness. A protein smoothie, particularly one made with BCAA products containing whey protein, is a great choice.

Stretch

Stretching your whole body after a workout is crucial to beating muscle soreness before it starts. Even on shoulder and back day, you need to stretch your legs. On leg day, make sure you stretch your back. If you can, get in the water to intensify your stretches. Getting buoyant takes the pressure off of your joints and allows you to deeper into the stretch to open up your joints.

Watch Your Form

If every shoulder workout means that it’s hard to wash your hair the next day, you may have problems with your form. Back off the weights until you can lift with excellent form and slowly increase. If you’ve never worked with a personal trainer, make an appointment and get a handle on your stance and lifting posture. Time with a personal trainer is cheaper than surgery.

Massage

If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that we need to touch. It helps us relax and makes it easier for us to fall into quality rest. Getting a massage is also a great way to compress muscles that are either contracted or loaded with lactic acid from a hard workout. Magnesium oil and arnica rub can be included in your massage for an even better effect.

Use a Foam Roller

A foam roller post-workout is a terrific way to put pressure on muscles that are loaded with lactic acid. Moving these muscles via compression rather than contraction means that you shake things up inside the muscle and get the lactic acid out. Again, once your workout routine is over, make sure your water intake goes up so your kidneys, liver, and gut are fully supported as they carry away toxins.

Know When to Stop

If every workout leads to severe and limiting soreness, you’re pushing too hard. Developing an exercise routine is a long road, not a short hill. If your energy level is high, add reps instead of weight to boost your calorie burn and load your muscles up. Set a schedule with a personal trainer to help you determine when to move up in weight and monitor your soreness. The distance between an extremely sore muscle and a serious tissue tear that will kill your workout routine is actually pretty short.

Finding the time and space to work out hasn’t been easy as of late. When you can get back to it, take care to make sure that your exercise routine doesn’t leave you in long term pain. Get the water and protein you need to flush toxins and build new muscle. Stretch after every workout and use a foam roller to target the muscles that have worked the hardest. Finally, treat yourself to a massage!