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Why on the second day after training the muscles hurt more
After unusual physical exertion, every movement responds with pain. We understand the intricacies of physiology.
Editor-in-chief of the magazine “Telesem. South Region”
One day, a colleague tried so hard in her first CrossFit class that the next morning she had a fever and was literally unable to move from severe pain. I had to resort to medical care, relieve pain with medication and take sick leave. This is, of course, an individual reaction of the body, and a very strong one. Ideally, only pleasant fatigue should remain after class.
The unpleasant painful sensations that appear after the gym even have their own term – sore throat, delayed muscle pain syndrome. It appears after the first workout or at a load exceeding the usual volume, it is not felt immediately, but within two days and has varying degrees of intensity. An athlete understands which muscles he has worked well when, when moving, they remind of themselves with aching pain. However, many people mistakenly believe that such pain is a sign of quality training and increased muscle growth. But this is primarily a sign of microtrauma and inflammation.
Why is this happening?
Until recently, it was believed that lactic acid (lactate) was to blame. Its level in the blood depends on the intensity of the exercise. The greater the load, the more lactic acid is produced, which makes it difficult for nerve conduction and muscle contraction. Therefore, a burning sensation is felt in the muscles, it becomes difficult to perform repetitions. The extreme degree of “acidification” is the inability to make a movement. The breakdown products of lactate are removed from the cells 20-30 minutes after training.
Now experts are inclined to believe that lactic acid is not the only metabolic product, and muscle pain is affected by micro-tears of muscle fibers, ruptures of filamentous structures of myofibrils, release of free radicals, local inflammation, and, as a result, the development of various biochemical processes that seek to rid the body of damage fabrics. The water-salt imbalance can affect the well-being: during physical activity, the ratio of electrolytes to fluid changes. Salts are excreted with sweat, breath.
Newcomers to gyms are especially prone to soreness. The manifestation of mild pain when moving is a characteristic phenomenon and should go away within 72 hours after class. In the future, the body adapts to stress, pain may appear when changing the training plan.
But physical discomfort may also indicate an injury or sprain. This is a more severe sharp pain that appeared during the exercise or after exercise, and further load becomes impossible. In such cases, you need to seek medical help from a specialist.
How to minimize pain?
During training, do not forget about the drinking regimen – water does not thicken the blood, supplies nutrients and oxygen, improves the permeability of nerve impulses to muscle fibers.
Sports activities should be started rested, full of energy. Sleep for at least 8 hours, and after pumping muscles even more – then the recovery period will pass easily.
With regular physical activity, you need to make sure that there is a sufficient amount of protein in the menu – 2-2,5 g per 1 kg of weight.
You can not quit classes with muscle discomfort after exercise. Usually 2-4 days are enough for the body to return to its shape. And for the next lesson, you need to choose the right load, lightweight, this will help “pour” blood on the muscles and accelerate recovery.
Among the prevention of muscle pain after exercise is a hot shower, bath or sauna. Hot air accelerates blood flow, toxins are removed faster.
A good massage with warming ointments will not only relieve pain, but also help get rid of water accumulated in the cells.
Choose quality knitwear for your sports activities. Compression things – tights or whole sets help protect yourself from sprains, injuries.
It is believed that cherry juice or a glass of unsweetened coffee makes it easier to feel after exercise.
Prevention of muscle pain
Sports activities should be regular and preferably under the supervision of a specialist who will select an adequate load for your physical condition, age and health. And he will control the technique of strength exercises.
You cannot “set records” in the first lesson, and then not show up in the gym for two weeks. That’s right – to go to the goal in small steps, gradually increasing the time and volume of the load. Then our naturally lazy body adapts faster to stress and gets used to sports.
Every workout should be started with a good warm-up. This is a set of exercises to prepare the muscles, joints and ligaments for the load. Experienced athletes never start a workout without a warm-up, which cannot be said about beginners.
You need to finish the workout with a hitch – it is just as important for the body as a warm-up. After an intense core, the body must restore breathing, circulation and muscle relaxation. During training, all systems of the body work in an enhanced mode, blood flows to the organs under high pressure, the muscles increase in volume. A 10-minute cool-down of cardio and stretching helps bring the body back to normal, stretch the muscles, make them smoother, and reduce pain.