It’s extremely normal to suffer from delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) after trying new exercises or increasing the intensity and weights in your workout.
DOMS will occur one to two days after your workout and can last up to 5 days in extreme cases. Resistance training causes the muscle fibres to microtear, which inflames the area and causes the pain. It can be severe or mild depending on the amount of strain you put on your muscles, but this is how we build muscle, as the tears heal stronger than before.
Recovery after training is just as important as the workout itself. Rest days give your body the chance to repair and recover energy, ready to take on your next session. Here are some very simple ways to aid recovery so you don’t have to stumble around after the squat challenge you did yesterday.
Get more sleep
This one seems a bit too simple to be true. But lack of sleep could be making you more prone to injury if you are pushing your body too far, causing the muscles to fatigue. Being overtired can also make muscle pain feel worse in general.
Stretch it out
Most people will stretch after a workout, but it is particularly effective to stretch on your rest days as well. It loosens any tightness in the muscle and can help ease the effects of DOMS before the DOMS even occur!
Apply ice or take a cold bath
You can go the extra mile and sit in an ice bath if you are in an immense amount of pain, otherwise, a simple ice pack on the affected area will do. The cold compression should reduce inflammation and relieve pain. The method of taking cold baths is also known as cold water immersion.
Foam roll
Foam rolling can be the most effective muscle recovery technique. Rollers work by breaking up knots and sore spots in the muscle by providing myofascial release. This is where pressure is applied to tight spots to stimulate the stretch reflex in muscles and increase blood flow, softening muscles and easing inflammation.
Vibrating foam rollers are a new and improved take on the classic foam roller. They use vibration technology to get much deeper into the muscle so there is less need to physically roll, it’s more of a leaning motion from side to side while applying pressure. Pulseroll offer a range of recovery products including a vibrating foam roller which can be used on larger muscle groups like the back and legs. For more precise areas try the vibrating single ball to really get into the smaller tight spots!
 Vibrating Single Ball |
 Vibrating Foam Roller |
 Vibrating Peanut Ball |
Anytime Fitness members have access to a range of exclusive benefits, including 25% off vibrating foam rollers and massage products from Pulseroll. Talk to the team in your local club to find out how to claim this offer and browse the full range of Pulseroll products on their website.
Anytime Fitness has over 160 clubs throughout the UK, to learn more about the Anytime Workouts app click here or find your local Anytime Fitness and sign up for a free trial pass by visiting our ‘Find a Gym’ page.
