Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Sore Today Strong Tomorrow

Hello everyone! :) I thought today I would find some information on how to ease post-workout muscle soreness. I sometimes feel really sore the next day or even sometimes 2 days after an awesome workout and I am pretty sure I am not alone. Working out might be hard on your muscles, but sometimes for many of us results are all that really matter! I found 5 tips that will help to ease our post-workout muscle soreness, but first, I’m going to explain what that post-workout muscle soreness is. Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) describes a muscle soreness or muscle stiffness that occurs in the day or two after exercise. This muscle soreness is most frequently felt when you begin a new exercise program, change your exercise routine, or dramatically increase the duration or intensity of your exercise routine. DOMS sucks, I know, but it is a normal response to an awesome workout and is part of an adaptation process that will lead to your muscles gaining strength and stamina. This process of muscle recovery builds hypertrophy. Hypertrophy put simply is the noticeable change in muscle size as the muscle cells begin to grow larger and stronger. Thankful for us there is a bright side to all our discomfort! So don’t give up. And to help you and myself assure that we don’t give up here are 5 tips brought to you from LRlifestyle to ease the delayed onset of muscle soreness. 1. Don’t skip stretching! As you get older, your muscles tend to be less elastic, and, as a result, you risk being less flexible. It’s essential to stretch after your workout because stretching generates blood flow and keeps the muscles loose and flexible. Remember, the tighter your muscles are, the more soreness you will feel. Not stretching can also lead to worse things than soreness – painful hyper-extension of joints and tendons! 2. Eat properly after every workout. The more your muscle protein is damaged during a hard workout, the more sore you’ll feel. In the first 30 minutes post exercise, you should consume protein to rebuild the muscle tissue that was broken down and to stimulate new muscle growth. Eat a snack that contains protein and carbohydrates – carbs produce insulin, which reduce soreness. Spices such as turmeric or warming herbs such as cayenne, ginger, and peppermint have an anti-inflammatory effect and help muscle soreness. To help with your muscle recovery, you need foods rich in antioxidants: kiwi, oranges, apricots, cabbage, kale, sweet potatoes and almonds are only a few. Here’s a tip that works – drink sugar free tart cherry juice, it’s full of antioxidants and has wonderful anti-inflammatory effects. 3. Heat is the best for sore muscles. Take a hot bath or step into a steam room. If you don’t have access to a steam room, make a spa at home by getting into your bath tub. Put some Epsom salt, lavender or chamomile oil (both oils are great for tense muscles) into the water and relax for 30 minutes. This decreases inflammation and muscle discomfort and improves circulation. Suggestion: Try Aromatherapies Sleep-Well Bath Soak Lavender & Chamomile™. 4. Stay active and keep working out! You need to mobilize your muscles to speed up recovery from soreness. Even if you feel a little sore, don’t become inactive – this will make it hard to get back into working out! Do light aerobics activity such as walking, stair climbing, or dancing for 15-20 minutes. It’s all about keeping your muscles moving. Go easy on all resistance training and don’t forget to always warm up before exercising. 5. Get a massage or massage the sore area with a cooling balm. Massage brings blood flow to sore muscle tissues and encourages quick muscle recovery. After your hot bath, rub in a natural balm made of anti-inflammatory ingredients such as tea tree oil or cooling menthol. All right guys have an awesome day and stay active! Melissa

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