Do you ever have that deep muscle soreness after an intense workout? The pain is called delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS).
The soreness can kick in after a workout, and, depending on the severity, can last many days. It can even feel like your body is breaking down.
However, this feeling is actually a good sign. Sore muscles mean you are having effective workouts and are making progress.
Though painful, you don’t have to let aches throw you off your routine. There is muscle pain relief.
Keep reading to discover 5 workout recovery tips to get back on top of your game.
1) Hydration
You’ve probably heard this before, but it can’t be stressed enough. Hydration is critical before, during, and after a workout.
Imagine how much fluid is lost from your body during exercise. This loss leads to dehydration which is devastating to your body. There is a clear connection between lack of fluid and muscle aches. Do your body a favor and stay hydrated.
Another leading cause of sore muscle is a lack of electrolytes. Try drinking beverages designed to restore these important minerals.
Your body will thank you.
2) Massage
A muscle massage is scientifically proven to ease the pain and aches in your body. Moreover, if you get into a routine of post-workout massages, your body is better equipped to fend off DOMS.
The data suggests properly massaged muscles have more blood vessels. Massaging the body speeds up recovery time by increasing blood flow and reducing swelling.
Unfortunately, most people don’t have the means to schedule a professional massage after every workout. In this case, try a massage gun or simply hand knead your sore areas.
3) Restorative Workouts
A restorative workout after your intense session can stave off achy muscles.
Additional exercise sounds counterintuitive, but a gentle cool down makes a dramatic difference. Try a 20-minute stint cycling or a restoring walk to ease your body down.
In the days following, beat the soreness by continuing these restorative workouts. You may feel stiff at first, but light exercise will stretch the muscles out.
In no time, you feel limber again.
4) Sleep
Your body needs time to recover after intense exercise. Nothing leads to a healthy lifestyle like ample rest. For post workout recovery, your body needs quality sleep.
Ideally, you should aim for at least 7 hours of sleep every night. During deep rest, your muscles have time to recover, you restore chemicals, and the healing process begins.
5) Balms
If the aches are debilitating, you can try a CBD muscle balm to reduce muscle soreness.
Relief ointments like Icy Hot and Tiger Balm work wonders on painful areas. Some athletes have even had success with CBD balms for pain. Check out www.cbdwarehouseusa.com to see what is available.
Try These Workout Recovery Options
Intense workouts are often going to lead to sore muscles. However, you shouldn’t let the aches put you out of commission. Try out some of these workout recovery options next time you are hurting.
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