You’ve finally cut the fat and the last few pounds are starting to come off. Your time in the gym is paying off, but your body isn’t quite used to all that work yet. As you progress through a weight loss plan, you’ll soon learn how little or how much an activity affects your muscles. You may have heard it described as delayed onset muscle soreness or DOMS.
DOMS is that feeling in your muscles when you wake up the day after a tough workout, so you might find yourself limping down the stairs in the morning. Lowering your weight will reduce this pain in time, but there are several things you can do to help relieve your muscles before it gets that bad.
1. Stretching
Stretching is one of the most effective ways to prevent DOMS. It can be done before you go to bed at night, but you’ll probably want to do it after your workout, too. Dynamic stretching before exercising will help increase your range of motion and prepare your muscles for more stress. Static stretches are best for cooling down after your workout.
2. Foam Rolling
Painful muscles can be helped by self-massage, or what is commonly called foam rolling. This is a form of deep tissue massage that helps relax stiff muscles, break up any knots, and improve flexibility, which can reduce DOMS pain. To do this, lay on the floor with the roller underneath your upper back, cross your arms over your chest and slowly roll forward and backward to massage the muscles.
3. Essential Oils
Essential oils such as lavender oil and peppermint oil are great for pain relief, calming muscles, and improving blood flow. Just rub it on your sore muscles after a workout. Doing so can improve sleep and create a calming effect when applied topically. According to the experts at New Phase Blends, CBD gummies and other CBD products can also make your pain go away since CBD is a very effective pain reliever. However, you’ll feel best if you use CBD oil with a healthy diet and exercise routine. You can apply these oils directly to sore muscles, or add them to your bath or shower.
4. Hot or Cold Shower
A hot shower or bath can help relax sore muscles, but it can also increase blood flow which helps carry away lactic acid that causes some of the pain associated with DOMS. A cold shower or bath, on the other hand, can help reduce blood flow to the muscles and reduce swelling.
5. Protein to Relieve Muscle Soreness
Muscle soreness after a workout is often the result of overworked muscles, so to help repair them you need protein. Protein also helps create lean muscle mass which will increase your metabolism making it easier to lose weight and reduce DOMS pain. The best times for protein are right after a workout or within 30 minutes of waking up in the morning.
By using these simple tips and tricks, you can start feeling relief in as little as 15 minutes or less. Stretching, foam rolling, essential oils, and taking a hot or cold shower can reduce pain associated with DOMS after working out. If you use these tricks consistently, you’ll notice a significant improvement in your recovery time and feel better faster. Of course, if the pain is too much and doesn’t let up it’s always best to consult your doctor.
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