4 Tips For Relieving Muscle Soreness!

Sore Mucles?

Who doesn’t love a great workout??  Probably quite a few people ;) 

Anyway, we workout to improve our health and every so often we do a workout that leaves us super sore the next day.  Your first instinct might be to take the day off and rest, but that’s actually not such a great idea.  I’m sure many of you have found that the second day is when you feel even more sore!  

Here are some tips to deal with the pain:

1.  Eat!

You have to provide your body with the right nutrients at the right time to help it recover from the workout you just did.  Your body needs high quality nutrients in order to repair itself and the sooner you get it in the better.  I always have a recovery shake that’s high in protein right after my hard workouts.  Then within the next 2 hours I make sure I have a healthy whole food meal that includes a healthy carb, protein and fat. 

2.  Epsom salt bath.

 

If you can, soak in an Epsom salt bath after your workout.  The Epsom salts actually help to neutralize the acid that’s built up in the muscle which is what’s causing the soreness.  

3.  Alternate hot and cold.

I do this every day for my legs.  Alternate about 30 seconds of cold water and 30 seconds of hot water for 2-3 cycles.  If you’ve never done this before start off with cool water and slowly work your way to cold.  You actually do get used to it and it feels really refreshing.  The idea here is that the cold constricts the capillaries and the hot opens them up helping to flush out the metabolic waste that’s built up in your muscles.

4.  Active recovery.

If you’re super sore the next day you may want to take a day off, but I promise that this will make it even worse for you the next day.  Best thing to do if you’re really sore is have an active recovery day.  For instance go for an easy walk, or go to a restorative Yoga class, or go for an easy swim or bike ride.  JUST DO SOMETHING!  If the thought of doing any kind of workout brings tears to your eyes, go for a massage!

Don’t stop!  You’re doing great!

The worst thing you could do when you get really sore is give up on your workouts.  Soreness will eventually go away.  We get sore when we do a workout we’re not used to or we push ourselves a bit harder than we’re used to.  It’s a good thing to be sore once in a while!  As long as you keep working out regularly you won’t experience soreness as much and your body and mind are going to be SO much healthier and feel so much better.  Keep at it – the payoff is worth a day of soreness here and there ;)