How to Decrease Post-Workout Soreness

Hey everybody, thanks for stopping by! 

A lot of people think that post-workout soreness is proof that you went hard in the gym, and it is to a certain degree.  Soreness is proof that your body is making positive changes, but sore muscles and workout quality don’t typically go together.  So in this post I’ll be sharing my favorite tips for decreasing soreness post workout so that you get the best out of your workouts.

Take a hot shower

One of the fastest ways to temporarily reduce soreness is to take a hot shower.  The warmth of the water stimulates circulation and blood flow while loosening joints, tendons, tissues and muscles.  Hot showers are particularly good for a stiff neck or shoulder pain.  I tend to carry a lot of tension in my shoulders, and I’ve noticed that hot showers definitely help to release that tension by relaxing the muscles.

Foam Roll

This was one of my absolute favorite things to do when I started taking fitness more seriously a couple years ago.  One of the only things that helped me continue to work out through soreness was foam rolling.  Foam rollers are tools that you can use to give yourself a massage, in short.  You determine the amount of pressure applied based on how much of your body weight you put on the foam roller.  As you roll your back, legs, arms, etc. across the foam roller, it’s breaking up myofascial tissue, which is the stuff that cushions your muscles and bones.

By decompressing this tissue, blood is able to flow normally and broken down tissue is restored.  Remember that working out, specifically weight training, causes little tears in your muscles.  It is the rebuilding of those tears that result in “gains” or greater muscle development.  Foam rolling helps to speed up that rebuilding process by helping your muscles to return to normal function faster.  They come in different sizes and shapes to suit the needs of different muscle groups.  Check out Amazon, your local TJMaxx, Marshall’s, or ROSS for a solid, inexpensive foam roller.

Stretch

This is so important!  Stretching helps to improve circulation, increases muscular coordination, reduces soreness to a certain extent, and prevents injury.  When your muscles are accustomed to being pulled and stretched in certain ways, when you do something they’re not accustomed to, they’re more likely to stretch, not tear.  Overstretched or strained muscles can still be painful, but it’s way better than a muscle tear.

Eat to Recover

This is the step that so many people miss when they’re working out to build muscle, or looking for any kind of gains.  You must eat to recover.  Eating nutrient dense foods post workout not only helps your body by giving it something to rebuild your muscles with, but it simultaneously decreases soreness.  When you give your body something to use to build up that tissue, you’re less likely to experience that pain.  Foods high in protein or protein shakes are probably your best options.  You can also reduce inflammation by eating foods with anti-inflammatory agents and omega-3s like salmon, avocado, free-range meat, and walnuts.

That’s it!  I hope you found this useful!  Thanks for journeying with me.