So you’ve been hard at work getting in your exercise and your muscles are beat. Here are some tips to help you relieve sore muscles and keep crushing those workouts:
1. Foam Roll. Myofascial Release is “a manual therapy technique often used in massage. The technique focuses on pain believed to arise from myofascial tissues — the tough membranes that wrap, connect and support your muscles” according to Mayo Clinic.
Self Myofascial release, however, is something you can do at home without the help of a therapist. Invest in a Foam Roller, or you can even use a tennis ball, to help release those tight spots in your body. This foam roller routine hits all the major muscles!
2. Stretch/Do yoga. Another way to help release stiff muscles is to stretch out. I like to use my cool down time during my workout to focus on stretching out all the muscles in my body and focusing on the ones that need it most that day. You can also look into taking a yoga class. Heated classes may be extra beneficial to someone who isn’t very flexible; the hot room helps your body and muscles warm up faster and stretch out more easily.
3. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate!! Staying hydrated is crucial to helping your body recover from a tough workout. Make sure you are drinking enough water throughout the day. The Food and Nutrition board recommends a general intake of 2.7 liters (91 ounces) for women and 3.7 liters (125 ounces) for men. With vigorous exercise, you may also want to consider a drink with electrolytes and potassium in it, such as coconut water, to help replenish what you lose in your sweat.
4. Do light exercise instead of nothing. Laying around on your couch will just make those stiff muscles even stiffer. Take a walk or do yoga! This is called active rest. I love going on long walks or hikes!
5. Take a bubble bath. Lavender bubble baths can help relieve stress (both mental and physical, and exercise is a form of physical stress) and Epsom Salt baths can also help relieve muscle cramps, pain, and inflammation. If you don’t want to add anything to your bath, a nice warm bath will feel nice all by itself to soothe your muscles.
6. Treat yourself to a massage! Instead of the self myofasical release I mentioned above, make an appointment with a massage therapist and have them work out the kinks in your muscles themselves.
7. Sleep! Getting enough sleep is so crucial to helping your body recover. Aim to get at least 8 hours so your body can heal and rejuvenate itself. Muscular growth and regeneration happens in your sleep, so after you do all the hard work with the workouts, just let your body continue to grow those new muscles while you snooze.
8. Ice packs/Ice baths. I know. Ice baths aren’t the most enjoyable, but they can help. According to Active.com, “The ice bath is thought to constrict blood vessels, flush waste products and reduce swelling and tissue breakdown. Subsequently, as the tissue warms and the increased blood flow speeds circulation, the healing process is jump-started. The advantage of an ice bath submersion is that a large area of intertwined musculature can be treated, rather than limiting the cold therapy to a concentrated area with a localized ice pack.”
Try it out to see if it works for you. Read some do’s and don’ts of ice baths here: http://www.active.com/triathlon/articles/8-ice-bath-dos-and-don-ts?page=2
If you’re diligent about taking care of yourself after those tough workouts, you’ll recover faster and get back on that workout grind sooner. It’s a crucial part of your overall health and fitness!
What are your favorite things to do to relieve sore muscles?
xo,
Bess
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