Ways to relieve pain after exercise. Severe muscle pain after exercise: how to get rid of, how to remove, reduce it with medicines and folk remedies? Why does muscle pain occur after exercise and how long does it last? How to anesthetize a mouse

Muscle pain after exercise is common. For some, it is in torment, but for others it gives pleasure. And although it has been proven that the presence of pain does not in any way affect the training results, the presence of pain in the muscles gives a certain guideline regarding the training performed: if there is no pain, it means that someone did not work out intensively enough.

Causes of muscle pain

There are several theories of the origin of pain - and they all remain just a theory. When talking about muscle pain after exercise, it is most often explained by the action of lactic acid (lactate), which is formed in large quantities with anaerobic types of stress, and leads to acidosis (acidification) of the body. The pain caused by the action of lactate is very short-lived and goes away on its own. Actually, it can be called pain with a stretch, because the burning sensation in the muscles, which occurs in the last repetitions and with multiple approaches, is to some extent even a pleasant sensation. Disease, which occurs after a day or more, is most likely due to the action of other under-oxidized (intermediate) metabolic products on receptors. And here we can draw some analogy with the influence of alcohol on nervous tissue- how ethanol toxic to the bark large hemispheres, as well as under-oxidized metabolic products, poison the places of "attachment" of nerve fibers to muscle fibers.

One scientist at the University of California, Dr. George Brooks, devoted his dissertation to the metabolism of lactic acid and proved that lactate is not the cause of muscle fatigue and pain.

Another assumption explaining the pain after physical activity, is the theory of "microtrauma". Damage to cells (not tissues) during intense and hard training results in delayed pain. It occurs on the second or more days after physical exertion and is caused by the occurrence of inflammation in the muscles.

Despite the fact that everyone knows that post-workout pain is more susceptible to beginners and those who have taken a long break in training, rarely who enter training process gradually. What can you say about this? - despite the fact that muscles are subjected to stress during training, the brain also needs to be used. Be sure to use it!

It is important to distinguish post-workout pain from pathological pain. So, if blood flows from a sore spot, muscle fibers and bone are visible, you need to think about whether to see a doctor.

Effect of exercise technique on pain

The presence of muscle pain greatly depends on the technique of performing the exercises. The pain occurs especially after performing exercises with a full amplitude - deep squats, horizontal press with a touch of the chest bar, raising hands with dumbbells with the maximum lowering of the latter, deadlift on straight legs, raises on toes with maximum lowering of the heels, etc. In addition to stretching the muscles, they also receive a load at those points of the amplitude where it is not typical in our everyday life. Dyspathy affects primarily the place of transition of the muscular abdomen into the tendon. Knowing this, it is possible to reduce post-workout pain by doing partial amplitude exercises. (not to be confused with partial reps), while the tendons of the muscles will be involved to a minimum.

Ways to reduce muscle pain after exercise

Drinking regimen... Drinking a sufficient amount of liquid to ensure the elimination of metabolic products.

Water procedures ... The use of water, both warm and cold, promotes the fastest muscle recovery. Contrary to popular belief about the effect of warm water on blood vessels, cold water is superior to warm water in terms of reducing post-workout pain. But, the best is a combination of warm and cold water... For example: after a workout, you take a short (10 minutes) shower or bath, and then immediately - a cold shower, douche or a pool (read more in the appendix after this article) .

Perfect for reducing muscle pain steam bath- because there is a combination of the impact of high and low temperatures with an abundant drinking regime.

Antioxidants... To "neutralize" the products of catabolism (oxidation and decay) the body uses substances that can bind (attach to yourself) free radicals 1. With intense physical exertion, the body cannot fully provide itself with antioxidants, therefore the training process must be accompanied by their additional intake. Antioxidant function can be performed by ascorbic acid (vitamin C), tocopherol (vitamin E), retinol (vitamins A) and its precursors - carotenes, as well as succinic acid and selenium. But the most pronounced antioxidant activity is possessed by polyphenolic compounds - flavonoids... The latter are found in the peel and seeds of berries, fruits and vegetables; for example, in dark grapes and raisins, cherries, blue cabbage. Flavonoids give fruit colors ranging from yellow and red to blue and purple.

Anti-inflammatory drugs ... "Molecule of Benefit" promotes healthy image life, therefore, the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to reduce muscle pain after training in amateur sports is not acceptable. Moreover, there is a natural alternative to pharmacological preparations - a decoction of licorice (!), Rose hips, bearberry, chamomile, St. John's wort, linden, cinquefoil, white willow bark, currant leaves. In addition, some foods also have anti-inflammatory properties: viburnum, raspberries, currants, cherries, watermelon, grapes, beets, cabbage, carrots, parsley, cucumbers, garlic, Walnut, apples, lemon, pomegranate, figs, baked potatoes (peeled). Special attention deserve ginger, licorice, white willow bark, and cherry juice.

Warm up and cool down ... Doing a pre-workout warm-up and a post-workout cool down (for at least 10 minutes each) can help prevent muscle soreness. Training requires preparation not only to avoid injury, but also to reduce post-workout fatigue.

Massage... The use of massage accelerates the recovery of the body in general and muscles in particular. There is little to do - to find money and someone who is ready to "crush" you after training. And if it is tight with the first and second, then you can independently massage the "sore" muscles [diluted] essential oils lavender, marjoram, clary sage. The very lazy can buy ointments at the pharmacy - with essential oils, herbs, bile. In the veterinary pharmacy, you can buy joint cream "". The latter, although it is called “for joints,” nevertheless its constituent components have an anti-inflammatory effect on muscle tissue. Applying the cream to the skin in the projection of the tendons (near the joints) at night after training (and not only), you can significantly reduce the pain in the muscles.

Traffic... Despite the presence of pain, the muscles should not be idle. They should contract and relax. Work speeds up recovery and reduces muscle soreness. Antagonist muscle training is especially effective. So, if the biceps hurts, you need to "shake" the triceps, if the back hurts, you need to "shake" the chest (by "swinging your chest" means training your pectoral muscles).

Static stretching also has a beneficial effect on muscles. But it is better to perform it before and after training (during warm-up and cool-down), and not when the pain has already chosen the muscles.

Swimming... Despite the fact that swimming can be attributed to both the item "movement" and the item "water procedures", leisurely swimming in the pool or open water has the property of preventing and relieving muscle pain.

Dream... The body's recovery occurs most effectively during sleep. And here a dose-dependent effect is observed - how more people sleeps, the better he recovers.

To combat post-workout pain more effectively, use several methods of dealing with it at once. Better yet, prevent pain:

  • enter the training process gradually,
  • warm up and cool down,
  • do exercises with partial amplitude,
  • replenish fluid loss right in the workout,
  • do not spend more than 40 minutes in the gym, but rather invest in 30 (to reduce the production of the catabolic hormone cortisol),
  • eat enough biologically complete protein.

Application

A way to deal with muscle soreness after exercise

Marty Calager came to bodybuilding from powerlifting. In search of a remedy for muscle breakdown that comes the next day after training, he tried many ways. Once he was given advice after training
swim in cold water. Repeatedly fulfilling this recommendation, he was always "fresh" the next day and did not feel "any pain in the muscles", regardless of the intensity of the training or which muscle group was subjected to stress. Once he shared this recipe for muscle pain with a friend of his, who, like him once, suffered from post-workout soreness. The result was so shocking that he became a huge fan of swimming.

Contrary to popular belief that only warm water helps to get rid of metabolic products, because improves blood circulation by expanding blood vessels, short (10-20 minutes) swimming in cold water completely eliminates all signs of post-workout muscle fatigue .

Notes (edit)

1 Free radicals - unstable particles of molecules, detached from other molecules in the course of biochemical reactions, having free (unpaired) electrons and "striving" as a result of this to join other molecules.

Used sources

"> Lactic acid does not cause muscle pain" (medinfo.ru)
Muscle pain after exercise (SportsWiki).
John C. Komereski, "Does Bodybuilding Damage Your Muscles?" Muscle & Fitness, USA, January 1988

Video illustration

Muscle recovery

The article was written at the request

With tension, muscle fibers may begin to ache immediately or within 3 consecutive days. To remove the cause of pain, to calm the muscles will help special drugs and folk remedies. If you are worried about muscle pain after exercise - how to get rid of it, read below.

Why muscles hurt after exercise

Any pain during exercise is due to lactic acid in the muscle structures. The substance accumulates during the exercise in the form of a product of physiological processes. When the muscle fibers contract more and more, then the substance increases the burning sensation and pain syndrome, since its concentration increases. When you stop training, lactic acid is removed from the muscles with blood, the pain disappears, and the activity of enzymes increases.

Muscle pain after exercise is called delayed pain syndrome. It affects people who have experienced an unusual load. Painful sensations arise due to small ruptures of muscle structures. The human body reacts to such microtrauma with pain. Healing after ruptures allows the muscle to grow further: protein synthesis and hormones serve building material for muscles that are gaining weight, volume.

How to reduce muscle pain after exercise

An integral indicator of the applied effort during exercise is called unpleasant pain sensations, which can be avoided by proper nutrition, thorough gymnastics, warm-up before training and a hitch with static muscle stretching, relaxation, and good sleep. The following steps can help reduce muscle pain after exercise:

  1. Elimination, or breakdown of metabolic products through drinking plenty of fluids.
  2. Contrast shower at the end of the workout for 10 minutes.
  3. Taking antioxidants, vitamin complex, anti-inflammatory drugs.
  4. Massage the diseased, damaged area of ​​muscle fibers.
  5. Providing muscle movement for their early recovery.
  6. Swimming (any slow water procedures).

Ointment for muscle pain after exercise

For athletes, external agents help to alleviate the condition. Not just any post-workout muscle ointment will work. Based on the intensity, duration of pain, you can choose one of the types of creams: cooling, warming, with a strong analgesic effect. It is important to determine the nature of the pain syndrome. It is impossible to warm up the muscles in case of acute injuries; in case of puffiness, the condition of the means with a cooling effect is facilitated.

How to relieve muscle pain after exercise in the abdomen and other areas? List of effective ointments that affect pain receptors:

  • Fastum;
  • Capsicum;
  • Troxevasin;
  • Venoruton;
  • Voltaren;
  • Dolobene;
  • Finalgon.

The effectiveness of ointments is proved by their effect on muscles in the form of:

  • increasing elasticity, relaxing tissues;
  • treating discomfort;
  • improving blood circulation;
  • getting rid of metabolic products;
  • restoration of the metabolic process.

Muscle pain pills

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs relieve severe discomfort, edema and inflammation. It is not worth taking such pills for muscle pain after exercise regularly: they harm organs (liver and stomach of a person), and can also weaken and slow down recovery processes. NSAID drugs work for a while. These include:

  • Aspirin;
  • Ibuprofen;
  • Nurofen.

Hot bath after workout

Some people believe that bathing helps to cope with muscle stress. hot tub after workout. It has been scientifically proven that it will not produce a regenerating effect on the muscles. Inflammation in the muscular structure occurs during exertion, so it is not recommended to warm up the body even more. How to quickly restore muscles after training? A warm bath with the addition of sea salt is recommended. A contrast shower will help provide pain relief. The alternation of cold water and hot water invigorates, gives energy and strength.

Massage

Post-workout massage can help regenerate muscle cells, supply oxygen and improve performance. A quick solution to how to relieve the joints and soften the muscles is ice massage. Cooling down will provide relief from pain that may appear after a couple of days. How to relieve muscle pain after exercise? This requires applying ice to the site of pain localization for three minutes. Then you can swim or do light exercise.

Sports massage is done 12 hours before the next class. General rules performing the procedure:

  1. Movements should be light and not intermittent.
  2. Pressures are performed in the areas of the lymph nodes.
  3. After stroking, lifting the muscles, rubbing is done.
  4. Initial discomfort is common; pain will subside by the end of the procedure.
  5. Direction of massage: start from the proximal end of the body part, and end from the bottom to the top (towards the proximal from the distal end).

Folk remedies

When practicing in gym there is an ache in the body, which can be cured without medication. Try a mixture of 1 egg, 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, or 1 teaspoon of turpentine. All ingredients must be mixed until thick sour cream. It is necessary to rub it in before going to bed, wrap it with a woolen blanket. Other folk remedies for muscle pain are also suitable:

  • badger fat;
  • lotions from honey, grated horseradish;
  • compresses from willow branches;
  • cabbage leaf;
  • pepper tincture (to lubricate damaged areas);
  • infusion of sweet clover.

Video: how to get rid of muscle pain after exercise

Pain is an integral part of the recovery process, which begins as soon as you finish your bodybuilding workout. For some people, muscle soreness is a reward after a hard workout. Either way, we've all likely experienced muscle aches at one point or another. In this article, we'll look at the main types of muscle pain after exercise and learn how to treat it. There are several types of pain to be aware of:

Typical moderate muscle pain after exercise

The type of muscle pain experienced the day after a good and intense workout. Although scientists still cannot determine true reason its occurrence, as a rule, is considered to be caused by microtrauma in muscle fibers and an excess of lactic acid. In any case, it is important that this is good post-workout muscle soreness, as it is mild in nature and muscle function is not impaired.

As a rule, it lasts one day for experienced athletes and up to 3 days for beginners. This muscle soreness is a great indicator that you had a good workout the day before and created the damage needed to adapt (such as muscle growth). If the muscles no longer hurt in this way, then your body has successfully adapted to the training program (does not lead to results if you do not change the program).

Delayed muscle pain (ZMP)

The second type of muscle pain, which is severe, usually experienced two days after exercise (not the next day). Prevents full muscle contraction. This type of more severe muscle pain occurs when you perform your program for the first time or exercise in a more intense manner than usual. It can last from a few days for an advanced athlete to a week for a beginner.

If it's time for another workout, and you are still under the influence of this kind of pain, I believe that the best idea will not miss a lesson, but will carry out an active recovery program. This means that you are performing your usual program, but you are reducing all your loads by 50%, and you are not performing the sets until you are completely exhausted.

For example, if you are doing an exercise with 10 repetitions, divide the weight that you usually use in this exercise by two and this will be the load for your present day. Also, if you are aiming for 10 reps, then you should do just that. Even if you still have strength, you should not overstep the target and perform the exercise in the "until complete failure" mode.

The idea behind such training is to restore and grow muscles, remove lactic acid and other waste from them, forcing a high concentration of blood into the damaged area in order to deliver nutrients. This method of dealing with muscle pain after training is much more beneficial than refusing from another training session in the name of recovery and waiting for the pain to stop.

Muscle pain caused by injury

The third type is completely different from the above, it is chilling and very sharp. Depending on the nature of the injury, it can only manifest when the muscles move in a certain way. Sometimes these injuries become apparent as soon as they occur. In other cases, the next day.

After consulting a doctor, some injuries sustained may allow training to continue but target only that injury (in other words, find exercises that target injured muscles without involving the range of motion that causes pain).

Other, more serious injuries, like tearing muscles, can lead to long days without training and, depending on the severity, may even require surgery. Therefore, when strength training, please leave your EGO somewhere else. The best way to reduce muscle soreness after this type of workout is:

  • periodization (cycling) of training parameters
  • constant practice of good form of exercise (find out more about how)

How to get rid of muscle soreness after exercise

There are some methods you can use to deal with the first two types of muscle pain after hard training:

Provide proper nutrition

While this is the most obvious rule, many people neglect proper nutrition... If you do not absorb enough carbohydrates (2-4 grams per kg of body weight, depending on metabolic rate), about 2 grams of protein per kg of body weight and 15-20% of the total calories in the form of good fats, your body will not contain all the nutrients it needs to recover and grow (despite all the supplements you take).

Drink water

Our body is more than 80% water, so it is imperative that you drink enough water. Every day, for the normal functioning of the body, a person needs weight * 0.04 = liters of water per day... So if you weigh 70 kg, then you need 2.8 liters of water per day (2800 ml of water). If you don't drink enough water, you will impair your ability to eliminate toxins and negatively affect the recovery process and will not be able to reduce muscle pain.

Balanced nutrition and exercise allow a person to make the body fit and athletic. However, after a lesson, you do not always feel a surge of strength and lightness. Every athlete knows this unpleasant phenomenon like muscle pain after exercise. How to get rid of this discomfort? What are its reasons?

The main sources of the problem

The following reasons are known for causing severe muscle pain after exercise:

  1. Accumulation of lactic acid. This is the most common reason. During exercise, lactic acid gradually builds up in the muscles. It causes a rather unpleasant burning sensation. However, during physical activity, lactic acid with the blood flow is distributed throughout the body. But after exercise, it accumulates in muscle tissue and provokes unpleasant discomfort.
  2. Microtrauma of muscle fibers. This pain does not disappear after 2-3 hours. On the contrary, it is getting stronger. The pain can be especially pronounced the next day after training. Microtraumas are based on strong physical activity, which led to the slightest rupture. After a while, they will heal, and the discomfort will subside. Beginning athletes experience just such pain in the muscles after the first training session.
  3. Serious injury. It is about sprains, In such cases, the pain occurs extremely sharply. She is strong enough and appears at the time of injury.
  4. Muscle pathologies accompanied by myalgia. This is the strongest tension and pain in the muscle tissues. Such ailments are myopathy, myositis. Salient feature such manifestations are the occurrence of pain under any load. Sometimes unpleasant sensations can appear even in a state of calm.

Eliminate discomfort

Every athlete should know (since anyone can experience muscle pain after training) how to get rid of the unpleasant condition.

  1. If the pain is provoked by the accumulation of lactic acid, then effective treatment is a little exercise. Such a load will be an excellent muscle stimulator and will significantly improve blood circulation. As a result, the lactic acid will be washed out of the tissues faster. For example, if it hurts after a workout, then regular walking or cycling is perfect.
  2. In the event of a serious injury, it is extremely dangerous to self-medicate. With such pathologies, the athlete needs immediate medical attention.
  3. Water procedures. A relaxing hot bath will greatly ease the suffering. It will provide vasodilation. As a result, blood flow will improve. A contrast shower is also helpful.
  4. Drink plenty of fluids. This measure improves kidney function. As a result, decay products, which include lactic acid, are removed from the body much faster.
  5. Proper nutrition. increase discomfort. How to reduce muscle pain after exercise? It is recommended to provide the body with antioxidants that fight against radicals. To do this, you should enrich the diet with herbs, citrus fruits, fruits, vegetables.
  6. Massage. The procedure will increase blood flow in the muscle tissues and thereby help to get rid of the discomfort that has arisen. Rub the troublesome areas, pat them. You can use a special massager.
  7. Sauna, bath. The heat will greatly improve blood flow and help you relax.

Folk remedies

Faced with unpleasant discomfort, does every athlete necessarily think about how to remove muscle pain after training? Folk remedies can help.

  1. Badger fat. It is necessary to lubricate the disturbing areas with such a component.
  2. Cabbage leaf. Initially, it is recommended to wrinkle it a little. Then the sheet is applied to the painful area.
  3. Pepper tincture. This component is for local use. It is recommended to lubricate painful areas with it.

Use of NSAIDs

Any athlete can experience muscle pain after training. How to get rid of it? Especially if the discomfort is strong enough?

You can use a drug that is part of the NSAID group. It will reduce pain, reduce inflammation in the damaged area.

The most commonly used medications are:

  • Nurofen;
  • Ibuprofen;
  • "Aspirin".

However, it is often not worth using these tools. After all, they are capable of quite negatively affecting the stomach and liver. In addition, such medications will only temporarily reduce sensations, but will not provide healing. You should be aware that frequent use of NSAIDs can slow down the body's recovery processes.

Vitamin preparations

A variety of medications effectively help to restore human body... They are often used in sports practice. They allow you to replenish the expended energy, support the body during strong physical exertion.

A special place among drugs allotted vitamin complexes... After all, the lack of necessary substances leads not only to a loss of working capacity, but also to an increase in pain. Therefore, it is recommended not only to properly balance the diet, but also to resort to multivitamins. So how do you reduce muscle soreness after exercise?

  • Aerovit;
  • "Dekamevit";
  • Vitamin E;
  • "Undevit";
  • Vitamin C;
  • Glutamevit;
  • "Tetravit";
  • Vitamin B.

Plastic preparations

Such a group of medicines has a rather favorable effect on the athlete's body. Sometimes a very obvious question arises: "If muscle pains appear after training, what to do with them?" The doctor may recommend special drugs that can significantly improve a person's condition.

Medicines with plastic action provide the following effects:

  • speed up protein synthesis;
  • stimulate the course of biochemical processes;
  • restore the structure of cells.

Due to these properties, the drugs help to maintain high performance, prevent physical overstrain. In other words, such medications are often prescribed to athletes who are interested in the question: "If muscle pain occurs after training, how to get rid of it?"

List of plastic drugs:

  • Potassium Orotate;
  • Riboxin;
  • "Cocarboxylase";
  • "Cobamamide";
  • "Carnitine";
  • Lipocerebrin;
  • "Lecithin-Cerebro".

Energy preparations

Medicines belonging to this group accelerate the recovery of expended resources. They provide the body's resistance to conditions such as hypoxia. Medicines support the functioning of the myocardium, brain, liver.

These drugs include:

  • Panangin;
  • "Asparkam";
  • "Calcium glycerophosphate";
  • "Glutamic acid";
  • "Calcium gluconate";
  • "Methionine".

Adaptogen group

How to relieve muscle pain after exercise? Adaptogens provide a tonic effect on the body, increase resistance during intense physical exertion. They are especially effective in harsh environments. climate change, with hypoxia. However, such funds have contraindications, so you should definitely consult your doctor about their use. In addition, these medications can be addictive.

Effective adaptogens are drugs:

  • "Ginseng";
  • "Eleutherococcus extract";
  • Chinese Schisandra;
  • "Pantokrin";
  • "Aralia of Manchuria";
  • "Platan-leaved sterculia";
  • Radiola pink;
  • "Zamaniha high";
  • "Leuzea sofloroidnaya".

Sports creams, ointments, gels

Topical medications are very often used to restore the body after physical exertion.

Post-Workout Muscle Pain Ointment provides:

  • improvement of lymph and blood circulation;
  • relaxation of tissues and increasing their elasticity;
  • restoration of the metabolic process;
  • excretion of metabolic products;
  • getting rid of discomfort in ligaments, muscles, joints.

However, these drugs affect the body in different ways. Some cause heating of tissues, others provide a cooling effect. For example, in acute injuries, warming medications are completely unsuitable. To eliminate swelling and inflammation, it is recommended to use a cooling ointment for muscle soreness after exercise. Best suited drugs "Troxevasin", "Venoruton".

Before using such medicines, be sure to check with your doctor. It is important to remember that these funds affect each person in different ways.

Explaining how to remove muscle pain after exercise, the doctor most often prescribes the following topical medications:

  • Apizatron;
  • Virapip;
  • Troxevasin;
  • Viprosal;
  • "Vipratox";
  • "Gevkamen";
  • Balm "Sanitas";
  • Tiger ointment;
  • Richtofit-sport;
  • "Gymnastogal";
  • Heparin ointment;
  • "Heparoid";
  • "Efkamon";
  • Nikoflex;
  • "Gevkamen";
  • Finalgon;
  • Venoruton;
  • Turpentine ointment;
  • "Menovazin".

Application of compresses

Post-workout pain can be eliminated in a simple way... Compresses are quite effective and easy to use.

However, initially you should familiarize yourself with the basic rules:

  1. Compresses can only be used in consultation with a doctor.
  2. After injuries, in case of acute pain, such treatment is not used for 2 days.
  3. Apply compresses as follows. Take a gauze pad. It should completely cover the painful area. Moisten it as directed. Apply ointment to the affected area. Cover with a dampened napkin on top. Apply a layer of cotton wool as well. It is categorically contraindicated to use plastic wrap. Secure with a bandage (preferably not elastic). The dressing should not cause swelling or squeezing the tissue.

The following compresses are considered the most effective:

  1. A dressing with vaseline oil. Lightly moisten a napkin and apply to the damaged area.
  2. Compress with semi-alcohol vaseline oil. The area is lubricated with oil, covered with a napkin dipped in vodka (always wrung out).
  3. Compress with Vishnevsky ointment and alcohol. This is done by analogy with the above method.

Remember that regular sessions carefully planned by your trainer will help you to avoid intense painful sensations.

Mild muscle soreness after a good workout is fine, but when it gets in the way of your progress, it's time to take action!

If, after finishing your workout session, you still feel like a truck hit you at full speed, it's time to learn about ways to help prevent or at least reduce muscle soreness after exercise.

Many people, especially aspiring athletes, see muscle pain as something of a rite of passage into the world of serious strength training. The problem is, if the pain makes you unable to raise your arms or get out of bed, you don't have the opportunity to exercise properly. In such a situation, it is time to take measures that will help reduce this pain.

Of course, some degree of pain is in the order of things - it shows that in the gym you have loaded the muscles and gave them new training stimuli. But if the pain is so strong that it is difficult for you to move, there is no need to talk about any progress.

With these five adjustments, you can make your post-workout pain bearable.

1. Don't avoid exercising, just make it lighter

Many people think not better way get rid of pain quickly than rest as long as possible between workouts. A great excuse for those who are so constrained by pain that they cannot even move, only a complete rejection of physical activity is the last thing you need.

Getting out of bed and physical activity help increase blood circulation in the painful area, which can reduce inflammation and speed up the healing process.

Whatever exercise you choose, do it at a low intensity. At this point, you don't need an epic workout. Instead, try something active, such as a brisk walk, a leisurely walk, or yoga for beginners. These types of physical activities are great for exercising despite muscle pain.

2. Stretch out before leaving the gym!

What do you do after completing the last set? Are you trying to get to the dressing room as quickly as possible? Next time find quiet place in the gym, where you can do stretching, and stay there for 10-15 minutes.

Stretching after exercise helps release muscle tension and reduce the build-up of lactic acid that leads to muscle soreness. Stretching may not completely eliminate the pain, but it will help reduce the intensity, making your next workout less painful and more productive.

Plus, regular stretching is great way increase the range of motion, which will definitely come in handy during strength training. When you are able to do an exercise in full range, you can get all the benefits it has to offer you.

A good stretch is enough for 10-15 minutes at the end of the workout. Once you see how much you feel better, you will never give up stretching!

3. Take the Right Supplements Post-Workout

After stretching, it's time to throw in some nutrients. You've probably heard that a post-workout protein shake boosts recovery, but did you know that it can also help relieve muscle pain?


In the magazine international society sports nutrition ”published the results of an interesting study. A group of scientists divided the participants in the experiment into two groups. For 14 days, they gave one group whey protein isolate while the other group received the c.

Analysis of blood biochemistry after strength training showed that in the group that received, the level of the enzyme lactate dehydrogenase in plasma was lower than in the carbohydrate group. Decreased lactate levels indicate less muscle damage in those taking whey protein, and it also reduces muscle pain.

4. Take Pre-Workout - Caffeinated

If you need extra momentum to overcome a training session, a good one comes to the rescue. These products are specially formulated to heighten perception, improve alertness, strengthen, increase energy levels and stimulate metabolism. They can even increase your body's fat-burning potential.

Plus, if present in pre-workout, it can also reduce muscle soreness. A study published in the Journal of Strength and Functional Training compared two groups of athletes. The former received pre-workout caffeine, the latter a placebo. The caffeine group showed a significant reduction in pain intensity on the days after the experiment compared with the placebo group.

Just remember that too high a dose of caffeine can lead to insomnia, and full and long enough is an important part of the recovery process. Try to find the optimal dose and the ideal time to consume caffeine so you can exercise at maximum intensity without compromising sleep.

5. Try cherry juice!

Finally, drink a serving of cherry juice before your next workout session. In a study published in The Scandinavian Journal of Sports Medicine and Science, researchers examined the effects of cherry juice on marathon runners.


Half of the group of 20 runners drank cherry juice the day before the marathon and 48 hours after. The other half drank a placebo. The cherry juice group experienced faster recovery in isometric strength than the placebo group.

This suggests that tart cherry juice has antioxidant properties that promote muscle function and repair, as well as reduce muscle pain.



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