|
Fitness Tip: Muscle Soreness
The phenomenon of muscle soreness is something that has had an
effect on all of us at some stage or another. Waking up the
morning after starting a new weights routine or after a
gruelling game of squash can be a rather unpleasant
experience. The soreness is generally a result of either
lactic acid accumulation or muscle fibre breakdown. Unless
you've be doing exercise which involved your heart rate being
above 160 beats per minute for prolonged periods i.e. repeated
sprints or interval training then the most likely explanation
for the muscle soreness is muscle fibre breakdown. The main
thing that contributes to this breakdown is eccentric
contractions, these are the lowering movements of exercises
like bench press and squats, and these same contractions are
performed when you lunge out for a shot during a squash game.
However knowing what causes the muscle soreness isn't a great
lot of use so I thought I'd also introduce you to a few things
that will either ease or alleviate the pain. From a sports'
perspective the most important thing is a thorough warm up,
this should include dynamic stretching (sport specific
movement patterns), a gradual progression from jogging to
actual game intensity and some relevant static stretches a
gradual cool-down is equally important. From a weight training
perspective it is also important to perform a warm-up, this
should include 5-10 minutes of cardio and some warm up sets
with lighter weights. Your overall routine is also important,
you should gradually build up intensity (weight lifted) and
volume (number of reps times number of sets) your should also
ensure that you have adequate recovery.
A quick fix to counter muscle soreness, but one that should be
used in moderation is to take a panadol or rub
anti-inflammatory cream into muscles and tendons immediately
after exercise. Hot and cold showers or baths are also an
option to give a try if your heart can handle that.
|
