Should You Exercise Sore Muscles?
If you are someone who exercises regularly, you know that feeling the day after an intense workout where your muscles ache so bad you can barely get out of bed. So it is easy to ask the question, should you exercise when you are sore?
Well if you are new to working out, that feeling of being sore is known as DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness), and it is basically your muscles repairing itself after being torn down from a workout. Making your body even stronger for the next workout.
As easy as it may be to let soreness stop you from making it to your workout the following day, rarely is it ever a good excuse to skip the gym. Understanding how to get through your workouts despite the soreness you feel is something I will try to help guide you through.
Assess Pain
Going through the normal soreness after a workout is one thing, but if you are suffering from a pain that doesn’t seem to get any better, then you might want to pay attention to what you body is telling you.
Especially if you are person who is just started working out, it can be difficult to recognize what is soreness and what is actual pain that can lead to injury.
So make sure to listen to your body and be aware of any long lasting pain.
Body In Repair Mode
It is important to understand that soreness is caused by muscles microtearing which helps rebuild your muscle fibers to make them stronger.
This is the natural process of the body reforming itself to help make a stronger YOU. So don’t be afraid to embrace the pain of soreness and take it as a sign of you getting better and stronger for your next workout.
Take It Easy
If you feel your body is really sore, then don’t be afraid to take it easy on your next workout. Bring down the intensity and lower the amount of reps you do whether it is body weight or free weights.
Also, If it is your upper body that is sore, then do a workout that involves the lower body. Sometimes working out can help speed up the time of your muscle recovery.
Have Some Protein
Make sure to have 10-20 grams of protein before and after an intense workout as it helps lessen the time it takes for your muscles to heal. Amino Acids are the building blocks when it comes to gaining muscle and they are found it protein.
So if you want to build muscle, then making sure you are fueling your body with protein is a great way to do it. You would be amazed at how protein can aid in decreasing muscle soreness.
Make Sure To Stretch
Try stretching as much as you can after a workout. Muscles can sometimes get tight after a strenuous workout so making sure they are nice and loose after a workout can help speed up recovery time. Also be careful when it comes to stretching out cold muscles as you can risk injuring it further.
Try using some active stretching techniques as opposed to static stretching when the body is cold. Making sure to stretch before going to bed and right after waking up can help with blood circulation which can speed up recovery time.
Cool Down
If you are really sore, and are a daring person, try an ice bath. There’s a reason why you see athletes jumping into a tub full of ice after a game.
As we know, ice is applied when there is inflammation in the body. By applying ice to your body after a workout, your blood vessels will contract helping restrict inflammation.
As the body warms back up, circulation of the blood helps repair the muscles faster. So if you think you can handle hopping in a tube full of ice, then go for it. I’m sure you body will thank you later.
It Will Get Better With Time
Know that the reason your body is sore is because you are putting it through something it is not yet used to. As you continue on with you exercise on a week to week basis, you will find that you do not get as sore as you used to.
Some people like to measure their workouts by how sore they are. Being sore after every workout is not something you want as it can inhibit your workout. Measure your fitness goals by how many miles you are able to run or by the amount of weight you are now able to lift.
If your endurance is increasing or you notice you are getting stronger, these are signs that you are making strides to better health. So stay consistent and keep finding motivation with every goal that you set for yourself and the results will follow.
So please share below how you prepare for a workout when you are feeling sore.
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