Do you love working out but hate the muscle soreness that comes after it? There are certain things that may be done to keep muscle pain and swelling to a minimum, saving you from having to skip jogging, swimming, pumping iron or any other form of workout that you like the following day. Here are some of the smartest things that you may do to keep at bay muscle soreness after your dose of exercise:
Keep on Moving
While it’s true that sore muscles should be rested for a speedy healing, it doesn’t mean that you should quit moving altogether. It is definitely a good idea for you to stick to slow and gentle movements just to keep your blood flowing to the affected muscles, supplying them with much-needed nutrients and oxygen while removing waste products.
Stretch Your Muscles
From time to time, remember to stretch those aching muscles of yours. This will save them from becoming stiff, which will only cause you more agony and even slow down the healing process. Especially before spending hours in dreamland, stretch your muscles. Do the same upon arising the following day.
Drink Lots of Water
By-products come into being when you work out and break down your muscles. It’s not unlikely for those waste products to collect in your muscles, making them sore. A simple way to accelerate the removal of those by-products is by drinking lots of water. But whether or not you have muscle soreness, staying hydrated is a must.
Grab a Bottle of Sports Drinks
You can tell that you went for a really intense routine if you ended up with sore muscles afterwards. If this is a recurring matter, you can benefit from guzzling down a bottle of sports drink during and after your exercise. Doing so helps replace electrolytes lost through profuse sweating, thus restoring proper amounts of electrolytes in the muscles.
Enjoy a Warm Bath
Nothing can soothe those tired and throbbing muscles of yours more than immersing your body in a tub filled with warm water. This is best done just before you hit the sack to reduce the discomfort, thus allowing you to get a good night’s sleep. Some health buffs swear by the effectiveness of alternating hot and cold shower.
Get a Massage
If the sore muscles are accessible to you such as the calf muscles or triceps, give them a massage from time to time. This helps boost blood circulation to the sore areas, speeding up the recovery process. Your whole body feels sore? If you have the money to spare, go hire a professional to give you a full-body massage.
Use a Foam Roller
These days, more and more fitness buffs are discovering the many wonders that using foam rollers bring. These products are very good at massaging the muscles before and after a workout. Especially when used after having your dose of exercise, time spent on putting up with sore muscles can be kept short.
Load Up on Protein
Especially after an intense workout, your muscles are craving for lots of protein. Make sure that you opt for a diet that’s high in protein to accelerate healing, saving you from being stuck in bed for a couple of days. See to it that you go for foods that supply high quality protein, such as eggs, chicken or turkey breast, fish, nuts and seeds.
Have a Cup of Coffee
Before working out, you may consider drinking a cup of coffee. Green or black tea is an alternative. That’s because caffeine can help temporarily increase your muscle strength and endurance, thus allowing you to exercise more efficiently. Because of this, muscle soreness afterwards can be kept to a minimum.
