Im in the process of working my way back into my strength training routine and I am combating extreme soreness. Part of the problem is I am hitting my muscles too hard but besides that, any advice on how to relieve some of the soreness? Ive always just taken it in the past (no Advil or ben-gay or anything like that) but I think in order for me to stay on the workout horse I need to do something because the soreness is really killing my motivation.

6/14/2007 9:15:35 AM

how are you so extremely sore? that only happens to me if i work out something i havent worked out in a really long time. if that's the case, you just need to take it easy the first few times and it'll stop happening soon enough.

6/14/2007 9:20:34 AM

thats the thing, i havent worked out in a while. compared to how i used to work out, i am def. taking it easy. i just think that im getting old and it takes my body a little longer to recover...i want to help it along.

6/14/2007 9:23:05 AM

it doesn't matter how much i stretch (i stretch like crazy before most activity), I always end up in pain the next day. sometimes, for a couple of days. And I eat bananas fairly regularly, and I eat generally very healthy. it's usually my legs, but sometimes my entire body aches from full-body activity. but in the case of my legs, I have inherantly very large, muscular ones. does this factor in at all?

6/14/2007 9:35:33 AM

Make sure you are getting plenty of protein in your diet, and consider a supplement to aid your muscles in the rebuilding/recovery. Advil would work for the pain, but some evidence suggests that taking it can inhibit gains. Also if you are drinking alcohol within 24 hours or so before or after lifting weights, that can inhibit protein synthesis.

Aside from making sure you don't overtrain and have adequate recovery time, restructuring your workout program can make a difference as well. Make sure you are hitting complementary muscle groups on the same days.

My workout program:
Workout 1:Traps, Shoulders, Abs
Workout 2: Back, Biceps
Workout 3: Chest, Triceps
Workout 4: Quads, Hamstrings, Calves

[Edited on June 14, 2007 at 9:40 AM. Reason : .]

6/14/2007 9:36:14 AM

i too have this problem and like DaBird...i am starting to get back in the gym and run and all the things i hate

i get so sore after a work out esp. in the groin, hammy areas....no matter how much i stretch before and after / warm up and cool down...same thing

i am getting old though

6/14/2007 9:40:27 AM

its a major problem because it kills the motivation. i crush the protein, my diet is good and i vary my workout so i am careful not to overtrain. however i dont and never have taken any creatine or drank protein shakes. this really sucks.

6/14/2007 9:45:00 AM

I eat a shit-ton of protein.

I drink about twice a month.

I need to try the supplement route. But I took supplements (basically enhanced protein shakes) back in my SR year of high school, and again my Soph and Jr year of college, and if I'm not mistaken, I was rarely sore after workouts. Only thing is, I add muscle really, really easily, and quickly. I'm 5'8, so blowing up like that makes me look fucking retarded. And, those shakes give me horrific gas.

6/14/2007 9:46:04 AM

same thing here. i dont want any more bulk and i gain strength and muscle pretty easily. i also will fucking napalm all those around me if i get on those shakes.

6/14/2007 9:49:41 AM

hhahahah I used to run myself out of my room when I drank those things

6/14/2007 9:51:12 AM

epsom salt bath.

deep tissue massage to get the lactic acid out of there.

6/14/2007 9:53:55 AM

man, I can't tell you how many times in the past year I've NEEDED a damned massage.

I think I'm gonna get a gf now solely for that purpose.

Well, on second thought, that isn't exactly a sure-fire way to get massages, either. At all.

6/14/2007 9:56:26 AM

Lots of water. I believe lactic acid is removed from the body though urine. You need the water to clear it out of the muscles. Also, if you are using excess protein, your kidneys are having a harder time moving everything though your system.

Soaking in the tub is wonderful.



[Edited on June 14, 2007 at 10:31 AM. Reason : k]

6/14/2007 10:28:01 AM

I drink insane amounts of water.

6/14/2007 10:42:34 AM

when i was training for a marathon one of the things I read and it really helped me was after a long run I would jump into a very cold bath (icey, if possible) for like 5-10 minutes. then I would run a hot bath with some epsom salts and it would definitely relieve the muscle soreness some. I think it helped reduce the lactic acid build up or something.

6/14/2007 10:47:34 AM

Vitamin C can also be a key component in rebuilding muscles after working out as it promotes collagen formation. Try downing some OJ a few hours after the workout.

6/14/2007 11:48:51 AM

you could work on your breathing techniques during exercise too......you get sore when your muscles go from aerobic respiration to anerobic because of lack of enough oxygen. A byproduct of anerobic respiration is lactic acid, which makes your sore.

6/14/2007 11:56:52 AM

The ice bath definately helps, but who other than a serious athlete is going to fill a tub with ice every day?

I don't believe in the whole "massaging out lactic acid" bit. Massage therapy has benefits, but you can't just push lactic acid out of your muscles.

I'd say just to drink a lot of water, make sure you feed your body plenty of protein, and get more sleep. 8-10 hours per day if you're working out hard. Other than that you've just got to let your body do it's thing.

[Edited on June 14, 2007 at 12:45 PM. Reason : s]

6/14/2007 12:43:35 PM

Quote :

"I don't believe in the whole "massaging out lactic acid" bit. Massage therapy has benefits, but you can't just push lactic acid out of your muscles. "

massages get the blood flowing in your muscles. better blood flow means you body will rid itself of the acid faster. you're not "massaging it out" per se, but it helps.

6/14/2007 1:05:41 PM

Anyway, try taking caffeine pills after the workout. You should be fine.

6/14/2007 1:20:42 PM

I need to know this too... After boxing aerobics for an hour last night and then the elliptical for an hour and a half after I got back home...

The backs of my legs at the top are killing me when I sit down or walk stairs.

My body hates me.

I gotta get back on the elliptical again tonight tho. Grrr.

6/14/2007 1:33:24 PM

the most important thing is to remember to stretch.. and no not a quick 15 second stretch. im talking a nice long stretch that you can feel. and it may even raise your heart rate a bit.

6/14/2007 1:34:42 PM

I read a study recently saying that if you're NOT a coffee drinker, drinking coffee can help with soreness.... dont remember if it was before or after the workout tho.

6/14/2007 2:12:47 PM

jogging for a while after a work out will help with soreness too. helps get rid of the acids.

6/14/2007 3:48:02 PM

if i can i hit up a steam room or a sauna afterwards... drink plenty of water, get protein, do something light (cardio but low intensity) the next day but make sure you do something.

massage after a sauna / steam room is ideal as that helps the most

6/14/2007 3:53:39 PM

Quote :

"massages get the blood flowing in your muscles. better blood flow means you body will rid itself of the acid faster. you're not "massaging it out" per se, but it helps."

Quote :

" As for the idea that lactic acid causes muscle soreness, Dr. Gladden said, that never made sense. "Lactic acid will be gone from your muscles within an hour of exercise," he said. "You get sore one to three days later. The time frame is not consistent, and the mechanisms have not been found.""

http://tinyurl.com/o5s3a

I just think the whole idea that lactic acid causes post-workout soreness is a myth. I believe the pain you're feeling is nothing more than torn/inflamed muscle fibers and you just need to let them heal. Blood flow certainly helps and anything you can do to increase blood flow is probably good for the repair process. That alone may be a good reason for massage therapy, but it's not to push lactic acid out of your muscles or to help your body transport lactic acid away from the muscles.

There is a good interview with Andy Roddick (tennis star) in this months Men's Fitness. He discusses the ice bath and claims it's one of the key's to his success in outlasting opponents through multi-day tournaments. That's pretty hardcore to play for hours straight every day and not show fatigue on the last day.

[Edited on June 14, 2007 at 4:12 PM. Reason : s]

6/14/2007 4:08:03 PM

Head, shoulders knees and toes, knees and toes...

6/14/2007 4:22:34 PM

^^That's one guy's opinion, compared to every doctor, trainer, biologist i've ever heard speak on the subject, not to mention, it's never taken 3 days after a workout for me to get sore. and:

Quote :

"There is a good interview with Andy Roddick (tennis star) in this months Men's Fitness. He discusses the ice bath and claims it's one of the key's to his success in outlasting opponents through multi-day tournaments. That's pretty hardcore to play for hours straight every day and not show fatigue on the last day"

he rarely even makes it to the final day. If losing isn't showing fatigue, he's on point.

[Edited on June 14, 2007 at 4:26 PM. Reason : .]

6/14/2007 4:24:02 PM

There is no substitute...this stuff is miracle elixir when it comes to preventing muscle soreness after a workout.

6/14/2007 4:36:55 PM

I like having the soreness. Lets me know if the workout was effective.

Plus if its sore the wrong way i know i did something wrong

6/14/2007 4:38:37 PM

^ That "one guy" is a doctor, not just some random fitness turd. How often are you talking to doctors and biologists about lactic acid and how do you explain his assertion that it is gone from your muscles within an hour?

6/14/2007 4:38:41 PM

i've just had several biology and fitness classes from HS thru college and that's been the status quo, and from talking to my various doctors over the years about exercise/weight lifting.

I'm just saying that is the first time that I've ever heard of anyone even skeptical about lactic acid being the main culprit for soreness, i mean its been tested over the years and most (I thought all) doctors, trainers ect.... saw it as fact.

6/14/2007 4:48:36 PM

Quote :

"I like having the soreness. Lets me know if the workout was effective. Plus if its sore the wrong way i know i did something wrong "

a little soreness is fine and i used to enjoy that feeling. now its getting ridiculous.



does that stuff really work?

6/14/2007 4:48:41 PM

soreness DOES NOT indicate that a workout was effective

6/14/2007 5:11:16 PM

percocet

6/14/2007 11:49:41 PM

Quote :

"Aside from making sure you don't overtrain and have adequate recovery time, restructuring your workout program can make a difference as well. Make sure you are hitting complementary muscle groups on the same days. My workout program: Workout 1:Traps, Shoulders, Abs Workout 2: Back, Biceps Workout 3: Chest, Triceps Workout 4: Quads, Hamstrings, Calves "

Holy Lord, do not listen to this, and to the poster DO NOT GIVE WORKOUT ADVISE, AGAIN.

Looking for workout advise on tww is pretty funny with in itself.

6/15/2007 12:01:09 AM