How to avoid/lessen aching muscles after heavy workout? - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

mystic511 · 08-11-2003, 10:43 PM

I just started working out again, and my muscles have been killing me the last few days from the overload of pushups I did, to the point where I can't move my arms freely. My friend (a fitness nut) said something about some kind of acid build up in the muscles? I think it was lactic acid.

I'm not sure about the details though, he was sort of vague. Just wondering if you guys knew how to lessen the hurt or avoid it for next time.

Right now, four days after that workout, my muscles are still aching enough that I can't continue working out.

I tried just ignoring it and doing my normal routine, but I can't seem to do anywhere near what I did that first day. I guess my muscles are still recupperating.

I know it's too late now, but how do I avoid this lactic acid build up and muscle pain in the future?

ronan · 08-11-2003, 11:21 PM

no pain no gain my friend

drawerfixer · 08-11-2003, 11:24 PM

STTTRRREEEEEEEETTTCCCCHHHHH

Notice how I elongated the word 'stretch'? I'm so clever.

Anyway, always stretch before and after every workout. It also helps if you do it right before bed, and when you wake up. Basically, stretch whenever you can.

None of that bouncing crap either. Hold it for a good 12-15 seconds.

obsvr · 08-12-2003, 01:26 AM

Yea, I agree with drawerfixer's advice - stretching can help minimize the problem. But as you work out more the insane soreness that you fell now will diminish in intensity.

Now, I actually love it when I feel sore from a workout - means it was pretty intense for me. Also, make sure the muscle groups you're going to target are fully recouperated before you work them out again. The time between workouts is when your muscles grow.

winsecure · 08-12-2003, 08:03 AM

The soreness you feel after a hard workout is called DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness). Hard workouts result in microscopic tears in the muscle fibers (this is actually a good thing). Over the next several days, your body works to repair those tears... the soreness you feel is the result of your body working to repair the tears and the result is that the mucle fibers end up stronger than previously. This is what leads to strength/size gains.
There are some things you can do to lessen the effects, but you probably won't ever completely eliminate it. As mentioned previously... stretch! Both before and after your workout. Drinking plenty of water will help and some say that consuming a good mix of carbs & proteins within an hour of the end of your workout will help as well. I have found from personal experience that when I'm on a creatine cycle, the soreness doesn't hit as badly. Hope this helps

cliche · 08-12-2003, 08:43 AM

Stretch afterwards, or some kind of light CV warmdown (jog etc) - gets the blood moving and all that nasty crud out of there.

Personally, I always found that if I had time for a nap (1hr) after a really hard session then it wasn't nearly so bad the next day - though was slightly sore for training that afternoon. Seems the real soreness only kicks in after a sleep for me...

onetime2 · 08-12-2003, 08:44 AM

Bananas.

Loup · 08-12-2003, 10:00 AM

Grapefruit Juice right after a workout session

theinfamous · 08-12-2003, 01:48 PM

i love the soreness after a great workout. it's not really something you can really avoid, but as your body gets broken in (if you just started working out) the soreness isn't as bad as when you first started. follow the advice above and you'll learn to live with it.

jhericurl21 · 08-12-2003, 02:38 PM

my biceps never get sore for some reason

butthead · 08-12-2003, 02:46 PM

Try D-PA, or DLPA if you can't find it. It enhances endorphin function by inhibiting metabolism of endogenours opiates. It is also an excellent pain reliever.

MikeV · 08-12-2003, 02:47 PM

Get your blood flowing as soon as you can when you're done.

I find that if I just jump on the bike or elliptical thingy for 5-10 minutes when I'm done with a hard session, I'm barely even sore the next day.

You need to pump all the crap out of your muscles, basically. Also make sure you're doing well on your vitamin and protein intake.. Being unhealthy is not good when you're trying to get bigger.

blackdas · 08-12-2003, 03:43 PM

Stretching before and after the workout is very useful, as is drinking lots of water.

BTW, don't eat bananas...if you are a body builder they are one of the worst fruits you can eat. Stick with strawberries, blueberries and oranges, which are the best fruits for a body builder.

Cedar · 08-12-2003, 06:16 PM

Water and walking. That's what it's all about. Also, make sure your muscles are nice and warm before preworkout stretching. If you're sore the next day, I find that walking helps.

cowlick · 08-13-2003, 09:51 PM

ice. not an acronym for anything. just real frozen water on spots that get sore.

Bobaphat · 08-14-2003, 07:56 AM

Its best to work your way back into working out slowly if you want to avoid that kind of soreness. Do a little less initially and build slowly. Whats the point in working out really hard once and then being laid out for a week and unable to do it again?

funbob · 08-14-2003, 08:01 AM

Start by stretching and drink plenty of fluids. And most important, don't work on any one muscle group too much. If you work on arms, work on legs the next day. Give your muscles time to recover, this is very important.

DeviouslySimple · 08-15-2003, 11:46 AM

Don't worry, yeah that's what basically a lactic acid buildup is. It's basically the body's immediate response to try to "fix" your muscle tissue, figuring the exertion was overall damage. It can hurt like hell and also make things stiff to the point that you can barely move.

Now the good news. After your first serious workout (most especially if you haven't done it in awhile), it gets far less intense the next time. The times after that, you'll hardly feel it at all. You will just feel specific muscles being sore after you work on them according to your routine. You will have virtually no problem getting up and moving your arms to turn a doorhandle, etc, on the next few workouts.

So persevere! But, don't work out now again until all the soreness goes away. It could be 4-5 days after the first session. On my first session a few weeks back I thought I wasn't going to be able to walk/move/bend/unzip my fly. But, after 5 days everything was peachy keen and I continued my regime, doing larger weights each time.

So again no worries, in short

wwcd101 · 08-15-2003, 12:19 PM

Jacuzzi!

Thanks for listening.

soccerchamp76 · 08-15-2003, 11:36 PM

Lactic acid

Warmup (light jog)
Stretch good
Workout
Cooldown (light jog)
Stretch again

kris · 08-16-2003, 01:58 AM

i love the feeling of aching muscles after a workout. It's when my muscles arn't sore teh next day is when i get worried.

dannoxxxx · 08-26-2003, 03:51 PM

Take l glutamine and protein......these help rebuild muslces and take away the soreness

axolotls · 08-26-2003, 07:40 PM

Do not do static stretches on muscle you are going to work on -before working out- or you'll do more damage to your muscles when you lift weights.

Stretches are fine afterwards but not before since you can cause compound damage to them.

Plan9Senior · 08-26-2003, 09:13 PM

l-glutamine is your friend

Anibal5 · 08-27-2003, 05:46 AM

In the 80's lactic acid was believed to be the culprit. Now we know that in as little as an hour the lactic acid has dispersed and been transported to other muscles that are not damaged and converted to an energy source. As others have mentioned the pain or DOMS is due to micro-trauma. This can be minimised with adequate nutrition, adequate sleep, stretching in a static way AFTER the workout, ice therapy, hydrotherapy .. the list goes on. The main thing to remember is that PAIN usually = damage. SO go slower in your climb to increase the volume of the workouts and the amount of poundage lifted per workout and you should find it subside somewhat.
DOMS is NOT an indicator of EFFECTIVE training for strength/speed/hypertropy etc .... It is related to many factors. Some people are sore after every workout, others only certain bodyparts, others never. Being sore or lack of soreness is not directly related to results.

Anibal5 · 08-27-2003, 05:49 AM

blackdas - could you provide more information re: your banana comment. I have not heard this viewpoint before. Thanks.

08-11-2003, 10:43 PM	#1 (permalink)
mystic511 Tilted	How to avoid/lessen aching muscles after heavy workout? I just started working out again, and my muscles have been killing me the last few days from the overload of pushups I did, to the point where I can't move my arms freely. My friend (a fitness nut) said something about some kind of acid build up in the muscles? I think it was lactic acid. I'm not sure about the details though, he was sort of vague. Just wondering if you guys knew how to lessen the hurt or avoid it for next time. Right now, four days after that workout, my muscles are still aching enough that I can't continue working out. I tried just ignoring it and doing my normal routine, but I can't seem to do anywhere near what I did that first day. I guess my muscles are still recupperating. I know it's too late now, but how do I avoid this lactic acid build up and muscle pain in the future? __________________ One day, I will become Virtually Infamous.

08-11-2003, 11:21 PM	#2 (permalink)
ronan Crazy Location: Australia	no pain no gain my friend __________________ i am enlightened

08-11-2003, 11:24 PM	#3 (permalink)
drawerfixer Stonerific Location: Colorado	STTTRRREEEEEEEETTTCCCCHHHHH Notice how I elongated the word 'stretch'? I'm so clever. Anyway, always stretch before and after every workout. It also helps if you do it right before bed, and when you wake up. Basically, stretch whenever you can. None of that bouncing crap either. Hold it for a good 12-15 seconds. __________________ They that can give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. - Benjamin Franklin

08-12-2003, 08:43 AM	#6 (permalink)
cliche Rookie Location: Oxford, UK	Stretch afterwards, or some kind of light CV warmdown (jog etc) - gets the blood moving and all that nasty crud out of there. Personally, I always found that if I had time for a nap (1hr) after a really hard session then it wasn't nearly so bad the next day - though was slightly sore for training that afternoon. Seems the real soreness only kicks in after a sleep for me... __________________ I can't understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I'm frightened of the old ones. -- John Cage (1912 - 1992)

08-12-2003, 08:44 AM	#7 (permalink)
onetime2 Junkie Location: NJ	Bananas. __________________ Strive to be more curious than ignorant.

08-12-2003, 01:26 AM	#4 (permalink)
obsvr Upright	Yea, I agree with drawerfixer's advice - stretching can help minimize the problem. But as you work out more the insane soreness that you fell now will diminish in intensity. Now, I actually love it when I feel sore from a workout - means it was pretty intense for me. Also, make sure the muscle groups you're going to target are fully recouperated before you work them out again. The time between workouts is when your muscles grow.

08-12-2003, 08:03 AM	#5 (permalink)
winsecure Tilted	The soreness you feel after a hard workout is called DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness). Hard workouts result in microscopic tears in the muscle fibers (this is actually a good thing). Over the next several days, your body works to repair those tears... the soreness you feel is the result of your body working to repair the tears and the result is that the mucle fibers end up stronger than previously. This is what leads to strength/size gains. There are some things you can do to lessen the effects, but you probably won't ever completely eliminate it. As mentioned previously... stretch! Both before and after your workout. Drinking plenty of water will help and some say that consuming a good mix of carbs & proteins within an hour of the end of your workout will help as well. I have found from personal experience that when I'm on a creatine cycle, the soreness doesn't hit as badly. Hope this helps

08-12-2003, 10:00 AM	#8 (permalink)
Loup Pup no More Location: Voted the Best	Grapefruit Juice right after a workout session __________________ "If you cannot lift the load off another's back, do not walk away. Try to lighten it." ~ Frank Tyger

08-12-2003, 01:48 PM	#9 (permalink)
theinfamous Crazy Location: Cali	i love the soreness after a great workout. it's not really something you can really avoid, but as your body gets broken in (if you just started working out) the soreness isn't as bad as when you first started. follow the advice above and you'll learn to live with it.

08-12-2003, 02:38 PM	#10 (permalink)
jhericurl21 Banned	my biceps never get sore for some reason

08-12-2003, 02:46 PM	#11 (permalink)
butthead Loser Location: SF Bay Area, CA	Try D-PA, or DLPA if you can't find it. It enhances endorphin function by inhibiting metabolism of endogenours opiates. It is also an excellent pain reliever.

08-12-2003, 02:47 PM	#12 (permalink)
MikeV Upright	Get your blood flowing as soon as you can when you're done. I find that if I just jump on the bike or elliptical thingy for 5-10 minutes when I'm done with a hard session, I'm barely even sore the next day. You need to pump all the crap out of your muscles, basically. Also make sure you're doing well on your vitamin and protein intake.. Being unhealthy is not good when you're trying to get bigger.

08-12-2003, 03:43 PM	#13 (permalink)
blackdas Crazy	Stretching before and after the workout is very useful, as is drinking lots of water. BTW, don't eat bananas...if you are a body builder they are one of the worst fruits you can eat. Stick with strawberries, blueberries and oranges, which are the best fruits for a body builder.

08-12-2003, 06:16 PM	#14 (permalink)
Cedar Crazy Location: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry	Water and walking. That's what it's all about. Also, make sure your muscles are nice and warm before preworkout stretching. If you're sore the next day, I find that walking helps. __________________ Do I contradict myself? Very well then I contradict myself, I am large. I contain multitudes. -Walt Whitman, Song of Myself

08-13-2003, 09:51 PM	#15 (permalink)
cowlick Insane Location: Seattle	ice. not an acronym for anything. just real frozen water on spots that get sore. __________________ "It's a long story," says I, and let him up.

08-26-2003, 09:13 PM	#24 (permalink)
Plan9Senior Banned Location: Orange County, California	l-glutamine is your friend

08-14-2003, 07:56 AM	#16 (permalink)
Bobaphat whoopity doo Location: Seattle	Its best to work your way back into working out slowly if you want to avoid that kind of soreness. Do a little less initially and build slowly. Whats the point in working out really hard once and then being laid out for a week and unable to do it again? __________________ --size matters not-- yoda

08-14-2003, 08:01 AM	#17 (permalink)
funbob Crazy Location: The Desert Southwest	Start by stretching and drink plenty of fluids. And most important, don't work on any one muscle group too much. If you work on arms, work on legs the next day. Give your muscles time to recover, this is very important.

08-15-2003, 11:46 AM	#18 (permalink)
DeviouslySimple Upright Location: Stillwater, Oklahoma	Don't worry, yeah that's what basically a lactic acid buildup is. It's basically the body's immediate response to try to "fix" your muscle tissue, figuring the exertion was overall damage. It can hurt like hell and also make things stiff to the point that you can barely move. Now the good news. After your first serious workout (most especially if you haven't done it in awhile), it gets far less intense the next time. The times after that, you'll hardly feel it at all. You will just feel specific muscles being sore after you work on them according to your routine. You will have virtually no problem getting up and moving your arms to turn a doorhandle, etc, on the next few workouts. So persevere! But, don't work out now again until all the soreness goes away. It could be 4-5 days after the first session. On my first session a few weeks back I thought I wasn't going to be able to walk/move/bend/unzip my fly. But, after 5 days everything was peachy keen and I continued my regime, doing larger weights each time. So again no worries, in short

08-15-2003, 12:19 PM	#19 (permalink)
wwcd101 Insane	Jacuzzi! Thanks for listening.

08-15-2003, 11:36 PM	#20 (permalink)
soccerchamp76 Go Cardinals Location: St. Louis/Cincinnati	Lactic acid Warmup (light jog) Stretch good Workout Cooldown (light jog) Stretch again

08-16-2003, 01:58 AM	#21 (permalink)
kris Upright Location: Potomac, Maryland	i love the feeling of aching muscles after a workout. It's when my muscles arn't sore teh next day is when i get worried.

08-26-2003, 03:51 PM	#22 (permalink)
dannoxxxx Insane Location: Toronto	Take l glutamine and protein......these help rebuild muslces and take away the soreness

08-26-2003, 07:40 PM	#23 (permalink)
axolotls Tilted	Do not do static stretches on muscle you are going to work on -before working out- or you'll do more damage to your muscles when you lift weights. Stretches are fine afterwards but not before since you can cause compound damage to them.

08-27-2003, 05:46 AM	#25 (permalink)
Anibal5 Tilted Location: Brisbane Australia	In the 80's lactic acid was believed to be the culprit. Now we know that in as little as an hour the lactic acid has dispersed and been transported to other muscles that are not damaged and converted to an energy source. As others have mentioned the pain or DOMS is due to micro-trauma. This can be minimised with adequate nutrition, adequate sleep, stretching in a static way AFTER the workout, ice therapy, hydrotherapy .. the list goes on. The main thing to remember is that PAIN usually = damage. SO go slower in your climb to increase the volume of the workouts and the amount of poundage lifted per workout and you should find it subside somewhat. DOMS is NOT an indicator of EFFECTIVE training for strength/speed/hypertropy etc .... It is related to many factors. Some people are sore after every workout, others only certain bodyparts, others never. Being sore or lack of soreness is not directly related to results. __________________ Forgiveness is like the fragrance a flower gives after it's been stepped on.

08-27-2003, 05:49 AM	#26 (permalink)
Anibal5 Tilted Location: Brisbane Australia	blackdas - could you provide more information re: your banana comment. I have not heard this viewpoint before. Thanks. __________________ Forgiveness is like the fragrance a flower gives after it's been stepped on.