Whether you’re a fitness newbie or workout veteran, muscle soreness after an intense session is a common experience. It might feel uncomfortable, but it’s actually a sign of your body healing and getting stronger. Here are six effective methods to deal with post-workout discomfort and aid in recovery.
Benefit from Heat and Ice Therapy
Another of the simplest yet most beneficial ways to manage muscle soreness after a workout is by using heat and ice therapy. By alternately applying heat and cold to the affected area, you can effectively reduce inflammation and promote faster healing.
Start with a warm bath or heating pad to increase blood flow for repair, then follow up with an ice pack to numb pain signals. It’s convenient, cost-effective, doesn’t require any prescriptions or potential side effects associated with medications, making it a go-to remedy for many fitness enthusiasts.
Delve into Deep Tissue Massage
Deep tissue massage provides a fantastic way to alleviate muscle soreness after an intense workout. It’s not just about pampering yourself, as this therapeutic practice works by applying deep pressure to muscles and fascia, the protective layer surrounding our muscles, bones, and tendons. It both relaxes tight muscles and also promotes blood circulation in the area thus speeding up recovery time.
More importantly, it’s renowned for its effectiveness in breaking down knots or “trigger points”. Regularly scheduling deep tissue massages post-workout can significantly aid your overall fitness journey.
Engage in Active Recovery
While it may seem counterintuitive, engaging in light physical activity, or “active recovery,” can greatly assist with muscle soreness post-workout. Rather than lazing around and allowing stiffness to take hold, try activities like walking, cycling at a slow pace, or practicing gentle stretches.
These low-intensity movements help increase blood flow to your muscles without placing extra strain on them – promoting healing and reducing inflammation. This approach to recovery enables smoothing out of knots and keeps the muscle fibers active while they repair.
Stay Hydrated and Well Nourished
Post-workout muscle soreness can often be alleviated by simply staying hydrated and nourished. Consuming enough water helps maintain optimal bodily functions, including nutrient delivery to muscles. It also aids in flushing out toxins that may contribute to inflammation or muscle ache.
Likewise, eating balanced meals rich in protein, healthy fats, and complex carbs boosts recovery by supplying the necessary nutrients your muscles need for repair. It’s wise to recognize that what you eat before and after a workout matters just as much as the exercise itself.
Try Topical THC
If you’re experiencing post-workout muscle soreness, one of the effective remedies is topical THC. This pain-relief strategy may be surprising to some, but many athletes are now turning to it for assistance.
So the way THC topicals work is by interacting with your body’s endocannabinoid system. They bind to CB1 receptors in your skin, providing localized relief from stiffness and discomfort, all without psychoactive effects. It might just give you that fast-acting easing you’ve been searching for after a vigorous workout session.
Cannabis and THC are strictly regulated in UK law due to its psychoactive effects. Therefore, any product with substantial levels of THC is considered illegal. But here comes an exception – hemp-derived THC topical treatments.
Hemp differs significantly from cannabis regarding legal standing and purpose. It produces lower concentrations of THC and higher proportions of CBD (Cannabidiol). Thus, the extracts or products like creams or lotions produced from this plant have negligible intoxicating potency.
In essence, if we consider the UK legislation framework concerning cannabinoids, it asserts that as long as the overall concentration of controlled cannabinoids does not exceed 1 milligram per container, with CBD being legal as long as it’s less than 0.2% THC, and derived from an approved industrial hemp strain, it remains within legal bounds. And most hemp-derived THC topicals usually fall under this directive due to their negligible THC content.
Prioritize Quality Sleep
Never underestimate the power of sleep when it comes to muscle recovery. During quality rest, your body naturally releases growth hormones responsible for repairing and building tissues, including those in your muscles. It’s a time for rebuilding what you broke down during intense workouts.
So if you’re skipping out on sleep, you might be slowing down this crucial recovery process. Getting 7-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night aids in optimal muscle repair, making sure all that hard work at the gym doesn’t go to waste.
The Bottom Line
Taking the time to implement these tactics to tackle muscle soreness will ultimately contribute towards your overall levels of fitness, as you’ll be eager to get back to working out, rather than worrying about the impact it has on your body.