(aka Don’t let DOMS dominate you)
We’ve all been there; sore achy muscles the day after a workout or physical labor. Walking funny, due to overused muscles after “leg day” at the gym, is often worn like a badge of honor. You know you really killed it at the gym if you’re in pain afterwards….right?
I must confess that I’ve never been one who loves working out. I consider it a necessary part of life to keep my heart healthy. I delight in practicing yoga, meditation, and core strengthening every morning. I go to the gym for a little more strengthening, and to really get my heart pumping. Although I’ve had a few muscles that let me know they worked hard, I have yet to be walking funny, or screaming in pain as I sit in a chair after my workouts. As I hear the laments of others post-workout, I sometimes ask myself…..”Am I doing this right?” and “Why doesn’t it hurt more?” But seriously….is muscle soreness and extreme stiffness/pain necessary for muscles to gain strength?
While it is common for muscles to feel sore a day or two after a new exercise program, if there’s extreme pain or loss of function a day or two afterwards, then that’s NOT okay. There’s a name for this phenomenon…..Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, or DOMS for short. DOMS happens when tissues break down as a result of being overstretched, creating small tears in the muscle fibers. Since this is actually an injury to the muscle, that muscle then needs to recover before any gains in strengthening can be made. You have to start over and progress gradually to achieve your goals. So how can one find relief when DOMS occurs.?
Here are some ways to avoid DOMS during a workout
- Warm up before resistance training
- Have consistency in your workouts
- Don’t try to push through the pain (your body is telling you to back off)
- Be conscious of your form while exercising.
- Avoid intense stretches
- Stay hydrated
- Consider using compression garments during your workout
If you do “overdo” it, here are some ideas to find relief from DOMS
- Rest. Give the muscles time to recover.
- Gentle massage can help (avoid deep massages, though)
- Use a Foam Roller or self massage with a towel roll
- Compression Garments
- Light exercise with gentle movements
- Hot packs or warm baths can help
As I said earlier, I’ve engaged in negative self talk, when witnessing others pain after workouts. Was my workout effective….even without the pain? True, I will never be a gym worshiper, but I’m confident that I can do what’s good for my heart , avoid injury, AND make gains in strengthening and endurance. So I’m changing the question to myself to, “What am I doing right?”
For a yoga class to help all your body parts feel better, try one of my weekly offerings. I teach Hatha Yoga (Sundays 5-6 pm MT), Yoga 1 (Mondays, 5:30 pm MT) and Healing through Yoga (Wednesdays at 5:30 MT).
If you’d like a personalized sequence or an individual session focused on your health goals, please drop me a line at lorie@wellnesswithlorie.com. You can also sign up for a class or private session by clicking here. For more tips on pain relief and injury prevention through yoga and physical therapy, sign up for my newsletter here, or follow me on social media on FaceBook @yogalorie, Instagram Wellness_with_Lorie, or LinkedIn yogalorie