So after thinking a lot finally you have decided to start your fitness journey. Now for that, you have to follow a proper diet & workout. For the workout, you joined the gym. In overexcitation, you tried all the exercises that you know in the gym. The next day, your whole body is so sore that you are barely able to move your body. And bcoz of the soreness, you missed your gym & also didn't follow your diet. Thinking that you will follow everything properly once you resume your workout.
Does this scenario happen to you before?
This happens with almost every new gym goer. Not only with newcomers but also with experienced ones if they resume their workouts after a long break. But the intensity of soreness is more in beginners.
Why does soreness happen after a workout?
So, when you work out after a long time you usually get soreness the next morning. This Soreness is called DOMS Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness.
This happens bcoz of the eccentric contraction of our muscles. During Eccentric contraction, our muscle's contraction(shortening) & relaxation (lengthening) happens at the same time.
For e.g while doing dumbbell biceps curls. As we lower the dumbbell our muscles relax or lengthen & simultaneously also contract or shorten as we hold the weight of the dumbbell.
As a result of which there are nano tears in the muscles & calcium builds up in the form of inflammation resulting in soreness. Usually, it happens 6hrs after a workout & may last up to 24 to 48 hrs.
You might be thinking that stretching before or after the workout will reduce muscle soreness. But researchers say that there is hardly any relaxation from muscle soreness if stretches are done before or after the workout.[1]
Let's know about some effective ways which are proven by researchers to reduce muscle soreness:
-Progress Slowly: You have read the idiom in school days that " Slow & steady wins the race". The same applies to your workouts too. You don't need to exert your maximum strength on the first day of your gym. Start initially with a lightweight & then gradually try to increase over the period.
-Sleep: This is the most neglected thing by many of us but it is another important factor for the growth & recovery of muscles. During sleep, our body releases growth hormone which helps in the recovery of our muscles. [2]
-Myofascial release: Another effective way of reducing muscle soreness is myofascial release using a foam roller. Studies show that foam rolling effectively reduces DOMS. [3] You can do this for 3-5 mins mostly in those areas where you have more soreness. It should be done slowly thereby focusing on the tight spots. This enhances your blood circulation thereby decreasing muscle pain & increasing mobility. This can be done after the workout.
-Active Recovery: In studies, it is seen that when active recovery is done after the workout then muscle soreness decreases faster in comparison to where active recovery is not done. Active recovery might be cool-down exercises or a light-intensity workout just as walking on the treadmill or doing any workout with the lightest weight. If you have soreness in your lower body then you should not go for barbell squats or lunges this may lead to unnecessary injury. Rather than slow cycling or going on a casual walk will be a good idea.
-Good nutrition: If you are in very low calories then your body won't get enough nutrients to recover & repair. In that case, the muscle soreness will be more & it will take more time to recover than usual. That is why it is necessary to have a good amount of calories along with an optimum amount of protein for recovery.
-Supplements:
Omega 3 is evident in many studies that it significantly reduces muscle soreness. You can get that from fish oil which is rich in EPA & DHA. You can also include fish & flax seeds in your daily diet to complete the requirement. [4][5]
Caffeine is also helpful to reduce muscle soreness. Studies say that two cups of brewed coffee can reduce DOMS up to a large extent.[6]
Supplementation of Taurine is also found helpful in reducing soreness up to a large extent. [7]
-Massage: As per research Massage reduces DOMS by 30%. But it is not needed to always visit a massage therapist for massage. This can also be done at home with the help of a massager or by self-massage.
Massage helps to increase blood circulation which recovers the soreness faster. [8]
References:
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