Q: I’m frequently very sore from my workouts, particularly after training legs–it’s sometimes so bad I can’t walk down stairs unassisted! Is this normal? Is there anything I can do to prevent it?
A: This is a common problem that occurs after weight training. I’ve even seen people walking backwards down stairs due to the pain from their hard leg workout. So rest assured… you’re not alone!
There are two types of exercise-related soreness. The first is immediate or acute soreness, and the second, more common type, is “Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness” or DOMS. Let’s take a look at these two, what causes this soreness, how to tell if the pain is good or bad, and perhaps most importantly, how to ease the post-workout “ouch.”
Acute Soreness This type of soreness occurs during exercise or immediately after. It’s caused by a buildup of chemical waste in your muscles (technically known as “endotoxins,” which are measured by the rise in lactic acid within the blood). These toxins usually dissipate within a couple of minutes as you rest between sets when strength training, or if you are doing some form of cardio exercise, when you slow your pace.
During exercise, when these toxins reach a peak within the muscle, athletes refer to this sensation as “the burn,” and it’s normally a good indication our muscles are about to reach failure. Most athletes consider this a “good” pain as it signifies the high level of intensity you’re putting into your workout.
Fortunately, this pain goes away almost immediately.
However, if you feel this type of pain after your workout, then it may be caused by fluid moving from the blood plasma into the tissues, which can occur an hour or two after stopping intense exercise. As with acute/immediate soreness, which occurs during exercise, this pain should ease on its own within the same day. Normally within an hour or two after your workout.
** WARNING **
It’s a good idea to always be in tune with your body and on the lookout for signs of “bad” pain, such as a localized stabbing, stinging, sharp pain, or tingling, as these sensations could indicate something more serious than acute or immediate soreness. Perhaps you’re performing an exercise incorrectly, or a previous injury (that was never fully healed) is recurring, and without suitable attention, this could lead to further injury.
If this type of pain persists, beyond a couple of minutes, then you may have seriously injured yourself and should stop exercising immediately. If the pain persists for more than 24 hours, consider seeking the assistance of your primary care physician. Hopefully stopping the exercise will prevent further injury, and rest should make the pain go away completely. If not, again, please seek the advice of your personal physician.
DOMS This may sound familiar: you work out intensely and leave the gym feeling great. You feel great the whole day. And then bam, the following day, you feel like you’ve been put on the rack in a torture chamber.
Welcome to DOMS or delayed onset muscle soreness.
Typically, DOMS occurs the day after you work out, but oftentimes you actually feel even sorer on day two. Think of the last time you trained your leg muscles… either with heavy weights or with super high intensity. Remember how you endured a full day or two of walking funny and screaming “ouch” every time you lifted one of your legs to take a step or, worse, trudge up a set of stairs? And sitting down, forget about it!
DOMS can be especially difficult if you’ve laid off for some time from training, and then, when returning to the gym, hit it hard. I’m sure you know what I’m talking about here.
Fortunately, this type of pain should subside after a couple of days, and once you’ve adapted to the new exercise, higher level of intensity, workload, or new workout program, the pain should lessen considerably.
Since DOMS is the one most people endure, this is the type of pain I’m going to be focusing on in this article.
DOMS is particularly seen in “newbies” who are just starting a workout program. So if this is you, please don’t let the temporary (and typical) soreness of DOMS put you off–it will get better! As any seasoned trainer can tell you, though, DOMS can also be experienced when introducing a new exercise or hitting a new, higher level on the weights you use.
Why does pain happen? When you train with weights, you’re actually breaking down the muscle fibers, and as current theories hold, this may be what causes general, localized soreness. Basically, what is happening when you train intensely with weights is, on a microscopic level, you’re tearing the muscle fibers. The muscle tears are essential, though, as you actually build new muscle when these fibers are repaired and, as a result, increase in strength and size.
Lactic acid was previously blamed for DOMS, however, recent research indicates this isn’t so: lactate concentrations return to normal levels within 60 minutes, whereas DOMS occurs after 24 to 72 hours. It ’s also theorized that DOMS may be caused in part from inflammation around the muscle fibers or even from damaged connective tissue. Research is still ongoing to give a conclusive reason for it. (In other words, the scientists aren’t exactly sure what causes it!)
Research so far does suggest that certain types of exercise are associated with persistent soreness. For example, a study published in the journal Ergonomics compared two types of strength training: concentric (as in ordinary flexion) and eccentric (as in lowering a weight). Subjects in the eccentric group complained of muscle soreness, while the concentric group did not. In other words, it appears from this study that micro tears (and thus the possibility of DOMS) are more common with the “negative” (or eccentric) portion of the exercise, versus the “positive” (or concentric) part. Therefore, if you want to increase your muscle size and strength, you need to concentrate more heavily on the eccentric/negative part of lifting weights. I’d say this goes hand and hand with the old theory that says “slow and controlled” movements stimulate the most muscle fibers.
Is there any way to prevent DOMS?
Luckily, there are certain measures you can take to ease DOMS or even prevent it altogether. First, try warming up thoroughly before you start your workout. This could be as simple as five to 10 minutes of easy cardio (in other words, until you start to break a light sweat) or by performing a few “warm-up” sets, using lighter weights than you would normally use for the muscle group you’re about to train. Both these methods help you completely warm up your body, ensuring your connective tissues (that hold the muscle to the bone) and muscles are “warm”–meaning they are filled with fresh, flowing blood, and nutrients are being delivered to the local area, and you’re not just hitting the weights or going full-belt into cardio without “waking up” your body and preparing it for intense training. By the way, this is particularly true if you work out first thing in the morning and your muscles are stiff from lying in bed for eight hours or so.
What you do after your workout is important too. That is, you should “cool down” completely before leaving the gym. I’d recommend you again do five to 10 minutes of cardio and then some light stretching–concentrating on the muscle group you’ve just trained. You could even try stretching the working muscle(s) between sets as well. This works particularly well for people who just want to get out of the gym after their workout or are on a time constraint.
Stretching helps lengthen the muscle and increases blood flow, which helps flush out the toxins that have built up during your workout. Be sure to stretch only after working out, though, and not before–as you might have heard. You don’t want to stretch muscles that aren’t “warmed up” as this can potentially lead to injury.
You’re already sore… now what?
Sometimes you just get sore, despite doing everything you possibly can to prevent it, so how can you ease the pain?
Don’t call me crazy but the answer is.. more exercise. I’m not suggesting you go and repeat the workout you just did or run three miles at a hard pace after running five miles the day before. I’m talking easy, light exercise, which will increase blood flow to the area to diminish the soreness. Examples would be a light workout, like riding a bike; a nighttime walk at a moderate pace; or even performing another weight-training session but focusing on core body parts, such the abdominals (rather than limbs).
Other ways to ease the pain include more stretching, especially on the affected area. Yoga is great for stretching and a fabulous way to keep toxins from building up. Another way to flush out toxins from your body is to have a full body massage. Preferably, the type best known as a “deep-tissue” massage. Massage has been shown to help if done soon after you’ve finished working out. (Okay, this isn’t a proven fact, but do you really need an excuse for a massage?!) It will not only relieve some of the soreness, but it will keep your body free from potentially damaging toxins that build up over time. It’s a good idea to get a massage at least once a month. But if private massage is not something you feel comfortable with or can fit in your budget, you can always administer some self-massage to the affected area.
Icing can be very effective too and, if the pain is really persistent, try taking some ibuprofen or aspirin. Take note that aspirin increases Vitamin C excretion, so leave a few hours between taking your multivitamin and the painkiller. If the pain continues for longer than seven days, make sure you consult your physician as this sounds like more than just DOMS.
You’ll probably find that if you have a desk job, your muscles feel worse after a prolonged period of sitting down, so get up every few hours and take a little walk and then stretch out.
Supplements for Pain Relief? Speaking of Vitamin C, research has shown that this vitamin does ease the pain associated with DOMS. Although this research has been criticized by some researchers, it’s a fact that Vitamin C does aid in making new connective tissue, so if damage to this tissue is part of the reason DOMS occurs, then it follows that supplementation could help. A good, healthy dosage of Vitamin C is one to three grams daily.
Bromelain is a digestive enzyme that has been shown to ease inflammation and may ease the symptoms of DOMS. Between 80 and 320 mg of bromelain, depending on the amount of physical activity, taken three times daily (after meals), has shown positive results. Commonly found with bromelain in supplement form is white willow (Salix alba), an herb commonly used by those wanting to avoid aspirin because it works in the same way, reducing the levels of pain-producing prostaglandins without the side effects that may be associated with aspirin. Anywhere from 200 to 400 mg can be used. But under no circumstances should white willow be mixed with other pain relieving substances, nor should white willow be given to children (under the age of 18).
L-Glutamine use has been shown to speed muscle recovery, and continuous use of this amino acid may help reduce the symptoms. You should take this daily, after your workout and prior to bedtime, if you suffer regularly from aches and pains from the gym. A good, effective dose of glutamine is 10 to 20 grams, daily, taken with meals or your favorite protein or meal-replacement shakes.
In Conclusion DOMS usually only occurs when your body is adapting to exercise–if you’re new to the gym or if you’ve introduced a new exercise into your program or increased your intensity level. Thus, you shouldn’t suffer after every workout. And remember, DOMS is a sign that your body is working to recover and rebuild itself.
Are you familiar with the lyrics of a classic song by John Mellencamp (then known as John Cougar), where he says… “Sometimes love don’t feel like it should. You make it hurt so good!”? Well, I guess you could say that in our world, we have a love-hate relationship with the temporary pain we experience after weight training, and some of us might consider it to be a “good” hurt. I know it sounds a little crazy, but if you can, try and look at your post-workout soreness (as long as it’s within reason) as normal.
Besides, the soreness will soon pass. And as you’re hobbling along, look on the bright side: as your body adapts to the stress of the exercise, you’re only getting stronger, healthier, and re-building a better body!
By Linda Obryne
March 30th, 2006
When people think of fasting many people think of someone like Ghandi who fasted for weeks at a time to attain enlightenment or as a form of non violent protest against an oppressive government. The truth of the matter is that fasting can be used by any of us on a limited and occasional basis both for cleansing and rapid weight loss.
If you want to make a change in your current diet, feel a need to cleanse your body, or you just want to jump start your weight loss program fasting can be a good way to go. The great thing about fasting is that you see results immediately. I am on the 8th day of a fast at the moment and have lost over twenty pounds!
Fasting is a great way to help your body to cleanse itself and should be done occasionally for that purpose alone. It will remove any bloating you may have, make your waist look smaller almost instantly, and will clear up your skin. This is one of the first things I noticed with fasting; my skin became much clearer in just the first three or four days.
I am not recommending fasting as a weight loss program in itself but more as a transitional step to lead into a more long term healthy weight loss and maintenance regimen. If you have been eating tons of junk food, heavy meats, and the like you will have toxins as well as excessive waste built up in your system. Cleansing your system first will give you much better results.
Let’s look at the mechanics of fasting. When we are talking about fasting, I am not saying go without anything at all. You must take in fluids. Your body will die in a few days without enough fluids even though it can survive for many weeks with no food, depending of course on how much body fat you currently have. Try to stick with water and natural fruit juices. Some people try to go on water alone but this can usually only be handled for a couple of days, plus the fruit juice will help with the cleansing process.
If you learn to use fasting properly and become dedicated with it you will also be able to have more discipline when you return to a regular diet and it will be easier for you to turn down foods that you know aren’t good for you. One of the benefits of this fast I am currently on is that it will prepare my body for the raw diet and am starting. I guess I should really say raw lifestyle since I intend to eat that way from now on.
Fasting is definitely something everyone should do at least once or twice per year to cleanse your body from all the built up toxins and help keep you healthy.
By Glen Freiboth
March 29th, 2006
Pep up your taste buds with a dash of mustard. If mustard seeds are not your cup of tea, have mustard sauce instead. Spread it on your grilled meats, dip those crunchy French fries in it or crown your hamburger with a liberal dose of mustard sauce. Have it anyway you like. The tangy, pungent flavored mustard will make a delicacy out of even the plain old bread and butter sandwich.
The mustard sauce is a hot sauce with a mild temperament. While it is spicy enough to add a zing to your food, it does not exactly cause your tongue to go up in flames. So you don’t need to be a fire-eater to savor its taste.
Big Bob Gibson’s Backyard brand of barbecue mustard sauce happily blends the best of both worlds. The sharpness of the onions, garlic, and hot sauces are tempered to comfort by the molasses, sugar and caramel.
It is actually hard to fathom that the staple fixture that mustard sauces are in today’s dinner tables, had a relatively low-key debut in America. Though mustard in its raw form was not much popular, the Americans gradually warmed up to the mild mustard sauces that were prepared with white mustard seeds. Now, “Pass the mustard” is probably the most uttered phrase during any meal.
Once gaining a foothold, the mustard sauces have blossomed with time, innovating while simultaneously adhering to the taste appeals of the average American. Thus, you have Honey Dijon, a delectable combination of honey and mustard, which enjoys cult status among the foodies.
The mustard sauces lend themselves well to innovations and customizations. Thus those who would love to heat up things a bit more can add peppers to their mustard sauces. Ass Kickin Mustard would suit them to a hilt. Containing the fiercely hot Habanero peppers, ground mustard and also whole mustard seeds, mustard sauces of this variety command considerable awe.
The mustard sauce, as a food additive, dipper and accompaniment, can any day give the ketchup a run for its money. Those tiny mustard seeds do pack in quite a punch.
Mustard Fact Sheet
Mustard seeds were used both for flavoring and for medication by the ancient Greeks and Romans. By 800 AD, France was already using the stuff to enhance salted meats and plain meals. Mustard was also one of the many spices brought during Spanish explorations in the 1400s. It was originally considered as a medicinal plant and only later took on a culinary character.
Actually, mustard seeds aren’t hot at all. They only get “fired up” when cracked and mixed with cold water. Mustard gets its heat from the oils which are released from the seeds when crushed. The mustard oils contain enzymes and chemicals that when mixed with water, liberates compounds known as isothiocyanates, that give mustard the heat.
Mustard varieties differ mainly in strength of flavor. The relative heat packed by mustard depends on the proportion of brown or black (strong) to yellow (mild) mustard seeds. The flavor of black and brown mustard is more intense and lasts longer than that of the white mustards.
By Chris McCarthy
March 25th, 2006