Working out is one of the ways to improve your health, but if you stress your muscles too much, you might feel some soreness. Every pull-up, crunch, jump, press, squat, run, and curl involves muscle. Muscle soreness can make your next workout impossible or extremely. Soreness is something you can hardly avoid, but there are ways to cure it. Let’s jump to few ways on how you can reduce muscle soreness after a workout.
1. Get Enough Protein
You know how important protein is to your muscle if you work-out. But it’s not just any protein. It is the right type of protein that is rich in amino acids. They really help ease muscle soreness. Soreness is usually a result of the stressed muscle fibers which needs amino acids to cure.
Amino acids are usually the building blocks of protein. According to a study, if you mix protein with small amount of carbohydrates in your food after exercise, you will be able to cure muscle soreness rather quickly.
2. Take Caffeine
When it comes to caffeine, probably the first caffeinated drink that hits your mind is coffee.
Glycogen which fuels your muscles during a workout is more replenished when you take some caffeine alongside carbs before hitting the gym. So, before running the track, taking a jog around the block or lifting a weight, grab a cup of coffee, preferably Lavazza espresso alongside your carbs.
3. Soak in Epson Salt
Epson salt which is also known as magnesium sulphate is popular for its ability to ease stress, flush toxins, and reduce inflammation. Muscles and bones contain 99% of magnesium of our body.
Since, magnesium absorbs through the skin; you can mix Epson salt with hot water in your tub and soak yourself in. You can do this a couple of times a week.
4. Switch Your Workouts Every Time
If you do the same workout over and over again and are stuck to one routine, your muscles will become sore the moment you switch to another one. As your muscle has adapted to the same one routine.
Try different workouts whenever you are in the gym. Lift weights, do pushups, run on the treadmill, cycle, and every other activity in there. You can also do rowing, swimming, running, or boxing.
5. Warm-Up Before an Exercise
Warming up before your workout is one of the most effective ways to ease muscle soreness, yet it’s the most overlooked. People want to enter the gym, change to gym wear and start exercising but without warming up.
The reason why people shrug it off is that they think it’s vague and they can do other things like jumping jacks.
6. Get a Massage
Most successful athletes can attest to the fact that massage is a true solution to muscle soreness. If you can, it’s advisable to pass through the massage parlor and get a professional massage.
A bi-weekly or once a month massage can take you a long way. In fact, a massage is better than swimming. Ever wondered why animals love being caressed? The feel is so heavenly.
7. Drink Cherry Juice
According to a study, drinking tart cherry for a week before a strenuous activity like a marathon can help you reduce post-run muscle pains.
Another study has proven that cherry supplements can reduce the soreness in your muscles by up to 24% in two days from a vigorous workout. There is also a research that demonstrated that cherry juice is a solution to post-lift strength loss.
Conclusion
Everyone needs to work out to keep fit. But when the workout is intense, it makes muscles sore. Don’t over exercise, and always switch routines.
