How to reduce muscle soreness and pain

How to reduce muscle soreness and pain is an important question to answer for the serious athlete. This is because two commonly encountered problems with training sessions that take you beyond your current comfort level are muscle soreness and muscle pain. According to the theory of Progressive Muscle Overload we need to be continually overloading our musculature in order to break it down and have it grow back stronger. There is a fine line though between training at a level of peak performance and being injured (here in this case meaning suffering soreness and/or pain).

One common misconception to get out of the way is any idea you may have that soreness and/or pain is necessary (and hence desirable) for growth and improved levels of fitness. Certainly you want to be pushing yourself to develop but as I noted above, your new goals should not be leading you to injury. There are exceptions to this and as always professional, elite athletes can and do push themselves beyond the limits of most people. But these are people who have and do dedicate their lives to their chosen sport. They are also more likely to suffer (sometimes very serious) injuries in training owing to their gung ho attitude. Pro athletes are also often surrounded by a support network dedicated to their comfort and improvement. This includes things like the availability of ice baths (useful for recovery), a nutritionist, professional massage, adequate periods to rest in and often access to the latest scientific information and devices.

How to reduce muscle soreness and pain

The average person then should not be training with the intention of experiencing soreness/pain in the mistaken belief that that is automatically equated to growth. Training for growth and training for soreness are two different things. There may be some overlap at times but consistently training to make yourself sore is a good indicator that you are over-training and likely to burn out.

There are three broad areas that we can address when determining how to reduce muscle soreness and pain. The first is the use of supplements, followed by a modified diet and finally by living a healthy lifestyle.

Supplements

Beta-Alinine is a non-essential amino acid (meaning the body can produce it naturally, unlike essential amino acids which must be absorbed). Amino acids help with processing protein, meaning they are important for muscle growth and recovery. In particular beta-Alinine buffers our muscles against lactic acid, which builds up as a workout becomes longer and more demanding.

SOD/Glisodin is, amongst other things, great for overcoming muscle fatigue. SOD (Super Oxide Dismutase) protects against cell damage. It is itself prone to damage from stomach acids and therefore a carrier is used: Gliadin. The combination of the two is known as GliSODin.

Omega-3 will help to reduce inflammation while CoQ10 (Coenzyme 10) promotes a healthy heart (as well as liver and kidneys). Vitamin C is useful for innumerable reasons but is also used up quickly when we workout (and indeed through our daily lives in general) and it therefore needs adequate replacement. One of the things it does is to help us relax, as does Magnesium, which is also recommended. It is a vital mineral and needs to be replaced after a workout. It serves among other things to keep our muscles and nervous system relaxed. Finally Creatine Monohydrate helps to keep fatigued muscles energized.

Nutrition

Nutrition is of course vital in deciding how we reduce muscle soreness and pain.

Blueberries are an excellent post-workout snack as they contain important nutrients that need to be replenished after training. Carbs are important in day to day training (as long as they are good carbs...stay away from donuts, pizza and so on) but need to be limited and you may also experience benefit from carb cycling (eating an above average number of carbs every few days).

Lifestyle

Avoid long layoffs between workouts. Lifting lighter, longer and more often will give you greater benefits than lifting heavy once in a while. You definitely need recovery time but left for too long and your gains will disappear. Drink more water, especially in hotter than normal weather and, even moreso, in the colder months when you may not feel as thirsty. Finally make sure that you are getting enough quality rest. You want to make sure that you are having a deep sleep at night and are awakening fully rested.

These are some key points then on how to reduce muscle soreness and pain. Ice baths, massage and stretching will also help as additional activities.

Bodybuilding supplements for beginners

When exploring bodybuilding supplements for beginners the first point to highlight here is that supplements should be exactly that: additions to an otherwise healthy, nutritious diet. They should not be taken instead of good food. The second point is that the products by themselves are not miraculous. They will not grant you massive gains unless you are putting the work in with the weights as well.

What supplements will do is maximize your gains and improve recovery time as long as they are used with a planned diet and a well-executed workout program. They are not necessary for the casual athlete or someone looking to exercise to lose weight or maintain a minimum fitness level. If you are serious about your training though and are going to the gym at least 3 times a week for over an hour and are looking for good results, then various powders should help to take you to the next level. They have always been popular in bodybuilding circles, but have also transitioned into more general use for general sportspeople.

One word of caution though. Once you start taking supplements and you start seeing improved gains, bear in mind that in order to maintain your new higher level you will have to continue to absorb whatever it is you are taking. Once you stop taking the supplements your performance level will drop to where it was before you started.

How to Pick Supplements

Here are a few general guidelines on choosing bodybuilding supplements for beginners.

Do they increase lean muscle? There is a big difference between bulking up by putting on weight and building lean muscle mass. You may prefer one or the other, but make sure the product you are using delivers what you are looking for.

Are they dangerous? Make sure you are reading reviews of any new supplements you are interested in trying and be sure to follow the instructions for use as directed carefully from the beginning. Don’t sacrifice the health of your kidney or your liver (or any other organ) for the promise of slightly better performance.

Do they increase heart rate? This isn’t so much an issue for building bulk, but popular pre-workout mixes include heavy doses of caffeine and other stimulants designed to get your heart working, the theory being that you can then perform at a higher level while training. As a pick-me-up once in a while this may be fine, but if you are relying on this kind of supplement all the time before hitting the gym then you are going to run into trouble.

Is there research? As well as the reviews, check out the science behind any supplement (and its ingredients). If you are going to supplement then aim for quality products that have been proven to work and are demonstrably safe.

Good Supplements to Take

Without recommending particular brands you may want to look at the following to help you out.

- Whey and Creatine
- L Carnitine
- Leucine
- CLA
- Zinc
- Magnesium
- Omega 3