Did yesterday's workout make your muscles scream for help today? Don't worry, this is a positive sign that you're on your way to becoming a stronger, healthier version of yourself (even if it doesn't feel like it yet!).
In most cases, muscle pain and stiffness occur after a heavy and intense workout. Muscle soreness occurs when the micro-strain of your muscles causes your body to initiate the repair process that will make your muscles bigger and stronger than before. The pain you feel is known as DOMS; Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness.
While muscle soreness is an inevitable part of the journey to getting stronger, that doesn't mean it's pleasant. However, there are some proven steps you can follow to aid your recovery and reduce pain.
In most cases, muscle pain and stiffness occur after a heavy and intense workout. Muscle soreness occurs when the micro-strain of your muscles causes your body to initiate the repair process that will make your muscles bigger and stronger than before. The pain you feel is known as DOMS; Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness.
While muscle soreness is an inevitable part of the journey to getting stronger, that doesn't mean it's pleasant. However, there are some proven steps you can follow to aid your recovery and reduce pain.
Ice
Muscle soreness is a sign that your muscles are rebuilding. However, inflammation and/or swelling may be an indication that you have overdone it. It's always tempting to push your limits with every workout (pain is weakness leaving the body etc) but it's important not to push your limits every time as this will almost certainly lead to long-term injury .
If you have major bloating or pinpoint pain that goes beyond the usual dull ache, an easy way to treat it is to apply ice to the affected area. Although icing isn't the most pleasant experience, it is one of the quickest and easiest treatments available. Wrap your ice pack in an exercise towel to ensure the contact is not too intense. A cold bath can also be helpful, but we won't blame you if you can't bring yourself to do it!
warmth
On the other side of the coin, heat is ideal if you want to support your muscles in their normal recovery phase. Whether you use a heating pad or take a hot bath, the heat causes the blood vessels in the area to dilate. This helps improve blood flow, which therefore helps bring nutrients and oxygen to the affected area. We recommend adding Exalt Epsom Salts to your bath to really speed up recovery. The salts are enriched with a number of minerals such as: B. Magnesium, which has been proven to promote muscle recovery and relaxation. Besides, who doesn't love a good bath?
Water
Hopefully you are already familiar with this life hack! Drinking water helps regulate your body temperature and transports nutrients to create energy. In addition, hydration during and after exercise ensures that toxins such as lactic acid that have built up in the muscles are flushed out more quickly. This is important because these toxins make muscle soreness significantly worse. Water is crucial for your body to keep up with all of its normal functions and without water you will feel pretty nauseous and delay the recovery process. Enough said!
Invest in the Flow PRO or Flow MINI
Our flow percussion devices are essential for muscle recovery. The devices provide powerful sports massage to promote best performance, reduce fatigue and relieve muscle swelling and tension.
Our massage guns deliver accelerated bursts of pressure into the body's tissues, increasing blood circulation, promoting the production of nutrients and fluids, and supporting faster muscle recovery. Our Flow PRO can deliver 3200 beats per minute, which increases lymphatic flow and reduces lactic acid. Lactic acid can make you feel exhausted, nauseous, and have cramps in your muscles. With the help of our flow percussion devices, lactic acid and other toxins that surround the muscles can be flushed out.
The devices are lightweight and portable, meaning you can use your Flow anywhere, 24/7. It's important that your muscles receive immediate attention after your workout for the best results. This is where the percussive devices have an advantage over a traditional sports massage, where you may have to wait hours or days after a workout for treatment. You can get all the benefits of percussion therapy within minutes, no matter when you exercise.
Slight stretching/activation
Stretching can be a great way to relieve tension in your muscles and increase your range of motion, which can prevent feeling sore. However, it's important not to overstretch, as this can make your muscles feel even more tense and painful than before. You should also avoid stretching if you already suffer from DOMS, as you risk further tearing your muscle fibers and delaying recovery.
Light activity after exercise can also reduce muscle soreness. We recommend that you do a less strenuous workout the day after a strenuous workout, as this will ensure your body increases blood flow and essential nutrients continue to circulate.
Use a foam roller
If you have major bloating or pinpoint pain that goes beyond the usual dull ache, an easy way to treat it is to apply ice to the affected area. Although icing isn't the most pleasant experience, it is one of the quickest and easiest treatments available. Wrap your ice pack in an exercise towel to ensure the contact is not too intense. A cold bath can also be helpful, but we won't blame you if you can't bring yourself to do it!
warmth
On the other side of the coin, heat is ideal if you want to support your muscles in their normal recovery phase. Whether you use a heating pad or take a hot bath, the heat causes the blood vessels in the area to dilate. This helps improve blood flow, which therefore helps bring nutrients and oxygen to the affected area. We recommend adding Exalt Epsom Salts to your bath to really speed up recovery. The salts are enriched with a number of minerals such as: B. Magnesium, which has been proven to promote muscle recovery and relaxation. Besides, who doesn't love a good bath?
Water
Hopefully you are already familiar with this life hack! Drinking water helps regulate your body temperature and transports nutrients to create energy. In addition, hydration during and after exercise ensures that toxins such as lactic acid that have built up in the muscles are flushed out more quickly. This is important because these toxins make muscle soreness significantly worse. Water is crucial for your body to keep up with all of its normal functions and without water you will feel pretty nauseous and delay the recovery process. Enough said!
Invest in the Flow PRO or Flow MINI
Our flow percussion devices are essential for muscle recovery. The devices provide powerful sports massage to promote best performance, reduce fatigue and relieve muscle swelling and tension.
Our massage guns deliver accelerated bursts of pressure into the body's tissues, increasing blood circulation, promoting the production of nutrients and fluids, and supporting faster muscle recovery. Our Flow PRO can deliver 3200 beats per minute, which increases lymphatic flow and reduces lactic acid. Lactic acid can make you feel exhausted, nauseous, and have cramps in your muscles. With the help of our flow percussion devices, lactic acid and other toxins that surround the muscles can be flushed out.
The devices are lightweight and portable, meaning you can use your Flow anywhere, 24/7. It's important that your muscles receive immediate attention after your workout for the best results. This is where the percussive devices have an advantage over a traditional sports massage, where you may have to wait hours or days after a workout for treatment. You can get all the benefits of percussion therapy within minutes, no matter when you exercise.
Slight stretching/activation
Stretching can be a great way to relieve tension in your muscles and increase your range of motion, which can prevent feeling sore. However, it's important not to overstretch, as this can make your muscles feel even more tense and painful than before. You should also avoid stretching if you already suffer from DOMS, as you risk further tearing your muscle fibers and delaying recovery.
Light activity after exercise can also reduce muscle soreness. We recommend that you do a less strenuous workout the day after a strenuous workout, as this will ensure your body increases blood flow and essential nutrients continue to circulate.
Use a foam roller
Using a foam roller after exercise can reduce the intensity of post-exercise muscle soreness as it helps relieve tension in muscles as well as improve flexibility and range of motion. Targeted pressure is applied to your muscles, releasing the trigger points where you feel pain. Using a foam roller also increases blood flow to your body, which allows more oxygen to reach your muscles, which can aid in the natural recovery process. And you have a good excuse to lie down.
Just remember that no one is immune to muscle soreness as it is an important part of the fitness journey. That means if you follow these 6 top tips, you can significantly reduce your pain and get your muscle to recover faster and more effectively. If you take the time to follow this advice, you will find that the time you are incapacitated decreases greatly.