Sore today or sorry tomorrow - DOMS

This article explains the reason you experience soreness and how to help deal with the same. #DOMS

How many of us are unable to get out of bed the following day of a strenuous workout routine? It's everyone with a muscle. Even lifting your coffee mug seems impossible. God forbid if someone asks you to climb up and down the stairs.

Normal people call it soreness while super active individuals call it a nuisance as a simple activity of picking a dropped pen too can become difficult. Such pains can hamper your wonderful vacation or even a gym class the next day.

What causes soreness?

I remember my first day at the gym. I was 18 and filled with an enthusiasm to kill the fat girl inside me. I attended a super training schedule and walked home feeling proud and hoping my collar bones have become visible. Little did i know how stiff i would feel the next morning. I woke up absolutely stiff and sore. If only i knew what it was before panicking that i had acquired a disease. Nevertheless years or working out and walking down the painful path, i have understood what causes these pains and how to simply get over them. No, crying in your bed doesn't help. Been there done that.

That wonderful feeling you get is called DOMS, elaborated to read delayed onset muscle soreness, caused by tiny little tears in the muscles and the tissues surrounding it. Individuals commonly mistake this as lactic acid build up, but not true. Lactic acid leaves your muscles in an hour following your workout. If you too thought it was the Lactic acid, well you are welcome i kept you informed. Good news is that these muscles repair themselves quickly to perform better. Now that it has been projected what DOMS are, let us find a few simple solutions to overcome them.

Overcoming DOMS.

As i mentioned in the introduction crying is not a solution and so is skipping the gym. Personally experienced, skipping working out the next day stiffens your muscles even more. Do attend your classes or go running the day after. The first 5 minutes will feel like a punishment but as these muscles tend to warm up and blood flows to them, pain will gradually reduce. Even massaging the areas after your workout for 10 minutes can help reduce the pain. Many gym enthusiasts work their lower muscles on day 1 and upper body on day 2 allowing ample time for the muscles to relax between workouts.

Hydrate hydrate hydrate!! Drink plenty of water after your workouts. Re-hydrates those parched muscles. Do consume a sip or two of water in between your training.

The above practices in long run will help get rid of the stiff sensation. Another alternative if none of these work, soak yourself in a bathtub filled with warm water and rose scented fragrance to relax and rejuvenate yourself.