How to Reduce Soreness

Being sore for a day or two after a good workout is normal. Nothing wrong with a little bit of DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) after a heavy leg day but as you probably already know, it can get in the way of daily life. Soreness can be quite the pain (excuse the pun) and the severity of them can range from mild to holy crap I can’t get out of bed (calf soreness). If you’re like me, you want the soreness to be over and done with so that you can get right back in the gym and get started lifting those weights. Here’s how:

Massage

Massaging the sore muscle can promote more blood flow to the area. This blood flow helps to push more nutrients into the muscle and also helps to speed up the recovery process, not to mention, massages also help to loosen up tight muscles which can be a cause of soreness.

Light workout

This might sound strange but just as with massages, working out the sore muscles also sends blood rushing to the muscle, speeding up recovery. Whatever you do, do not lift heavy when trying to get rid of soreness. Use light weights for higher reps to avoid further damaging the muscle and to ensure maximum blood flow.

Take a cold shower

There arereally good reasons that athletes take ice baths and I’m pretty sure it’s not due to some sick painful pleasure fantasy, I know of very few people who actually enjoy taking a cold shower, especially in winter. That doesn’t change the fact that taking a cold shower or an ice bath after a workout can greatly reduce recovery time and relieve DOMS symptoms. If you really can’t go through a cold shower, try alternating between warm and cold water. It’s much more manageable and still provides the recovery boosting benefits.

Foam roll

Foam rolling is a great way to help loosen up tight muscles and relieve soreness. Try foam rolling for 30-60 minutes a day and you will notice a great difference between your recovery times. To further reduce the onset of soreness, do a couple minutes of foam rolling after your strength training session.

Remember, a little soreness for a day or two is normal. If it really becomes painful or goes on for a long period of time, chances are that you have probably injured yourself or torn a muscle. It’s best to seek medical help if it becomes really painful.