What is muscle soreness and why do you get it?

Muscle soreness, otherwise known as delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is that pain that you feel 24-72 hours after your workout, and can sometimes last longer. It can be very painful at times, even enough pain to make you not want to get out of bed in the morning. The actual science behind DOMS is not completely known. It was originally thought to have been caused by the lactic acid buildup that you feel during your workout, but this theory was soon shot down as it was proved that lactic acid does not stay in your muscles for an extended period of time. Then it was established that DOMS is caused by the breakdown of muscle fibers since there are actual small tears in your muscle after a heavy workout, which are then rebuilt over the next few days.

What should you do?

Rest

Getting enough rest is probably the most important way to help reduce muscle soreness. Any weightlifter/bodybuilder must get a healthy nights rest in order for proper muscle recovery. This is one thing that I personally do not budge on. I will aim for at least 8 hours of sleep a night and have noticed that my overall soreness level has decreased since I’ve been sleeping properly.

Proper Nutrition

While proper nutrition will not prevent or give you instant relief from muscle soreness, it is essential for the muscle repairing process. Stick to a healthy balanced diet and try to get at least 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight every day. I cannot stress the importance of the post-workout shake enough. The period of time directly after your workout is a time where your muscles are craving nutrients, and you must deliver them in the form of whey protein and some simple carbohydrates (this is often overlooked). Studies suggest that consuming simple carbs along with protein after an intense workout will increase your recovery response by 38% as compared to protein alone (Muscle Body magazine).

Avoid Over Training

Many gym newbies will overtrain their muscles in an attempt to “feel the burn” during their workout, since they feel like that is the best indicator of a good workout (which is not true at all). They also overtrain thinking that they will see results at a faster pace. This thought is wrong and can result in prolonged soreness and even muscle catabolism. To prevent this prolonged soreness, newbies will have to adjust the frequency and volume of their workouts.

Avoid Newbie Gym Mistakes

Bodybuilding/weightlifting knowledge is something that comes with experience, so newcomers to the gym tend to make plenty of mistakes with their routines. The biggest mistake I made was not warming up and cooling down properly. After I learned this, I noticed my workouts were becoming much more efficient, and the soreness was never as bad. Make sure you stretch before every workout and start off with light sets to get the blood flowing.

When you start a new routine, make sure not to go 110% as this will cause your muscles to overload, and you will feel the soreness for days to come. I made this mistake when I took some time off from the gym. As soon as I went back, I tried to do the same routine and lift the same weights as I did before I took my time off. I ended up being out of commission for over a week. Don’t make that same mistake. A gradual progression is on that works, and is the best to prevent massive muscle soreness.

Understand the difference between good pain and bad pain. Any pain felt during your actual workout is most likely something more serious than soreness, and should be evaluated by a health professional before continuing.

Try to avoid training a muscle group if it is sore from a previous workout. A lot of people ask this question, and I always give them the same response. However, if you feel that the soreness in the particular muscle group you are training is not overwhelming then you should be able to work out that muscle without any negative effects.

Supplementation

Glutamine – Glutamine is an important amino acid used by muscle to fuel growth and repair. Glutamine also fuels the immune system; helps prevent cell damage and excess muscle breakdown; and facilitates the storage of glycogen in the muscles and liver. I have noticed that taking high doses of glutamine (15g-20g a day) has noticeably reduced my muscle soreness. For beginners you can start by adding 5 grams into your post-workout shake.

BCAA’s – BCAA’s or branch chain amino acids include the essential amino acids leucine, isoleucine, and valine. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, and BCAA’s are special because they are the only amino acids metabolized by the muscle itself. It has been proven that BCAA’s help prevent catabolism and speed up muscle recovery.

Other Remedies

There are many other temporary remedies to relieve the pain, but I can honestly say that I have never resorted to these measures. If you cannot endure the pain think about purchasing over the counter anti-inflammatory medication, but I would only use this in extreme cases. Another thing that some people like to do is to take ice baths or baths with special salts that act as muscle relaxants to ease the pain.

Gym newbies must realize that muscle soreness is a part of the process and it is a normal experience for athletes and weightlifters. Hopefully you will learn to embrace soreness with your arms wide open, just as I do. I love the feeling of not being able to walk the day after a heavy leg workout and it also tells me that I did something worthwhile at the gym.