Sometimes workouts leave
us uncomfortable. We get achy or
sore. Most of the time, that’s a good
sign that we have done enough work to promote growth. That still doesn’t make it fun when we have
to haul our sore behinds up stairs or back to the gym. Assuming we are not dealing with actual
injury (in which case, go to the doctor and follow her or his instructions),
here are some things that help.
• Ibuprofen. It reduces swelling and relieves pain. Taking it (not on an empty stomach) can make us
feel lots better unless we have a condition or take other medications that mean
we should avoid ibuprofen. Dealing with
the pain without OTC medication does not confer moral superiority. There is enough suffering in the world
already; we can save our stoicism for the things we actually have to bear that
aren’t helped by pills.
• Ice. Again, it reduces swelling. It also pretty much makes us hold still while
we have it on us, which gives us a bit of a break.
• Heat. Heat does not reduce swelling, but it can
soothe us and help us relax overly tense muscles.
• Rest. None of us should be working out All The
Time. We all need to rest to give our
muscles some time to rebuild themselves stronger. Weight training soreness should peak by the
second day and should subside after that.
If it doesn’t, that’s a good sign that we might want to tone the workout
down just a smidge.
Work hard and also recover
hard!
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