I’ll start with a confession: despite the fact that I’ve written about how important weight training is, I’ve seriously skipped out on the weight room over the past year. I figured training for a half marathon and hitting the cardio equipment regularly would keep me lean and fit enough—that’s what those little calorie counters on the machines are telling us, right?
Enter my reality check. After taking my gym up on a free body-fat analysis, I learned that my cardio workouts were definitely not doing the trick. Despite my hours on those machines, my body fat was in an unhealthy range. Scary.
In hopes of jumping back on the weight-training bandwagon, I bought a few sessions with a personal trainer. The problem was, a week into this new “lifestyle,” I was sore. I’m talking a lot of pain—I was having trouble walking down flights of stairs. It was sort of embarrassing.
While I appreciate that hurts-so-good mentality of getting back in shape, I can’t help but wonder—is there anything I can do to make my recovery time a little less painful so I can get back to the gym sooner? And sit on the toilet without crying out in pain? (Yep, I just went there.)
What’s Really Going On?
First of all, why do we experience that intense achiness following a tough workout?
It’s called delayed-onset muscle soreness, known in the workout community as DOMS, and it’s caused by microscopic tears in our thighs, back, butt, and arms. Scientists believe this damage, coupled with the inflammation that accompanies the tears, is at the root of our pain; furthermore, these tears can take a day or two to repair themselves. The amount of tearing—which determines the intensity of the soreness—depends on how hard and how long we exercise. Painful post-workout soreness is especially likely to strike when we start a new workout or intensify what we’re already doing, because our muscles are suddenly working a lot harder than they’re used to.
“I look at it as my body’s way of telling me to slow down before hitting the weights again,” says Jenny Swain, a professional bodybuilder and personal trainer, “to avoid any real muscle damage.”
How Can I Eliminate the Pain Faster?
Home treatments can usually help relieve muscle pain, according to the Mayo Clinic. No exercise physiologist or professional trainer has found a cure for DOMS yet, but stretching, icing, massage, and rest are definitely helpful in the muscles’ recovery process.
Stretching and ice are probably the fastest forms of relief. After you warm up, slow stretching can help further increase blood flow to sore areas, which in turn speeds up the healing and minimizes stiffness (more on stretching later). Icing super-tender muscles will numb the pain temporarily.
Massages can have similar rejuvenating effects, encouraging blood flow and relaxation. A good massage can reduce soreness and, of course, help us forget about all the pain that we’re in—workout-related or not.
Still hurting? Give it a rest. Sometimes you’ve just gotta take it easy while your body repairs itself—because you know it can accomplish this feat a lot better than any treatment you take it upon yourself to try.
Should I Still Hit the Gym When I’m Sore?
Absolutely, if you feel up for it, but just be mindful of the specific activities you’re doing. The muscles that formed the tears need at least twenty-four to forty-eight hours to recover, but this doesn’t mean you have to bypass a cardio session or a workout for other muscle groups.
Even though it might seem counterintuitive, revisiting the scene of the crime can help reduce soreness—just don’t do the same activity that caused the soreness in the first place. Was it a tough weight-lifting session? Try hitting the elliptical machine. Feeling that long run in your legs? Spend some time swimming or on the stationary bike. This variety improves your overall circulation and keeps your muscles mobile and pliable. To avoid injuries, limit your use of your sore muscles to an intensity level at least 50 percent lower than the level the day before, says the Mayo Clinic.
