If you are new to the fitness game, or just starting to ramp up the intensity of your workouts, more than likely, you are going to feel pretty sore!
When most people begin to feel that muscle soreness (DOMS), they do one thing…Rest!
Well today we are covering why resting when you are sore is not the best thing for your results!
What is DOMS?
DOMS stands for Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. This is when you may feel great while exercising, but afterwards, because you have been pushing your body in a way it’s not used to, the muscles don’t quite know how to reach and begin to hurt or ache. Usually this is around a day or two afterwards (hence the “delayed”).
DOMS is generally considered to be the body’s natural inflammatory response to exercise that it’s not used to doing. No one is free from risk of DOMS, even frequent exercisers, but it’s particularly likely to affect you when you just start out exercising.
How Can You Treat DOMS?
If you’re experiencing severe or debilitating pain, then you may try taking an anti-inflammatory medication, like ibuprofen, or applying heat. BUT believe it or not, there is one better way of getting over your DOMS…Getting back to working out!
It may sounds strange, and feel a little hard at first, but once you’ve pushed through your body’s pain barrier, it will start to ease off. So, get back in for another session as soon as you can. It may feel counter-intuitive and you may have been told that you should rest up. But unless you’re recovering from an injury or a major even like child birth, then the more the better. If you only train once a week, you’re much more likely to be sore than if you train four or five times a week.
What Are My Next Steps?
If you are new to exercise, then you should seek the advice of a professional or try a plan in a supportive community like The DVCC. We can ensure that you’re doing the right exercises that may leave you feeling a little sore, but won’t cause any serious or lasting damage.
If you just go recklessly down to the gym and start lifting too much weight for your body to stand, you’ll risk a serious injury. So, if you are doing the best exercise for you: The more frequently you can train, the less sore you’ll be!
And of course, team up your exercise plan with the right foods and supplements that will help ease tension on your joints, like magnesium and proteins to repair muscle fibre. And stick with it! The pain will soon pass.
