How to Avoid Muscle Pain From Workouts
Don'tbelieve the cliches. "No pain no gain" is old school and is used at gyms and workout facilities throughout the nation. It is true that you need to work hard to get results but you don't have to do it at the expense of lingering muscle soreness that can last for days. Here's how to keep delayed onset muscle soreness to a minimum.
Instructions
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Do a cardio warmup. Workout for 5 to 10 minutes on a teradmill, bike or elliptical. This will warm up the body and get it ready for action.
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Do a dynamic warmup. Dynamic means in motion and static means controlled. Far too often people do static stretching before a workout. When you are working out you are in motion, so when you stretch you want to emulate what you are about to do. That's why dynamic stretching beforehand is optimal.
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Do a 5 to 10 minute cool down. This is to be performed immediately after your workout and it can be the same thing as the cardio warmup. Your body will flush out the lactic acid, which is the key ingredient for muscle soreness. This works especially well if you just did a hard leg workout.
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Now do static stretching. As I mentioned above, static is holding a fixed position. Now is the time to bring out this type of stretching. Stretch each of the major muscle groups, especially those that you worked hard. Hold stretches for 20 to 45 seconds.
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Step on to a vibration plate. If your gym comes equipped with one of these it is highly recommended. This is a great apparatus for recovery and avoiding muscle soreness. Follow the directions and seek the counsel from one of the gym staff for proper usage.
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Drink lots of water. Dehydration often causes muscle soreness. Drinking plenty of water helps facilitate the flushing of impurities from the body. One of those happens to be lactic acid. You should drink 8 to 10 eight-ounce glasses of water per day.
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Leave high-acid foods off your plate. Nutrition plays a huge role in your screaming-for-mercy glutes every time you get up from your office chair. If you have a diet that is loaded with refined carbs, high fat, coffee and other similar foods, you are asking for trouble. Try to get as many raw fruits and vegetables in your daily eating routine as possible. The best kinds are those that are alkaline which decrease acid build-up in the system. Some examples are leafy greens, celery, cucumbers, avocados, lemons, limes, sprouts, kale and collard greens.
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