Maybe you’ve had a hard session at the gym, or maybe it’s the first time you’ve exercised in a while, but the struggle with DOMS is real! DOMS stands for Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness – the aches and pains you get after exercising your muscles. It normally kicks in a day or two after working out and can make you ask yourself why you bothered exercising in the first place! But DOMS is common, and a sign you worked hard, and can be managed if you know how!
Don’t let DOMS put you off your next workout; here are some of the ways you can manage it.
Prevent it as much as possible
DOMS can be very difficult to prevent, unless you avoid exercise completely! But as that’s unlikely, you need to learn how to work out in a way that helps prevent DOMS from setting in in the first place.
Instead of going straight into a series of hardcore exercises, build up the intensity over time. Make sure you always stretch and warm up before a workout, and if it’s your first time exercising in a while, be sure to take it easy. While you may not get rid of DOMS completely, a pre-workout plan can help.
Get your nutrition right
Effective nutrition is a must for anyone wanting to get the most out of exercise. A balanced diet featuring plenty of protein will help give you the energy you need to work out, and help your muscles repair and recover afterward. Amino acids are one of the key components for building muscle and boosting muscle recovery, so consider EAAs (essential amino acids) and BCAA (branch chain amino acid) supplements to help give your body what it needs. You’ll be surprised at the difference effective nutrition can make to your routine.
Create a post-workout routine
When DOMS sets in, the right post-workout routine can help you recover and ease the pain. Activities such as foam rolling are ideal for helping to flush out some of the toxins built up within your muscles, helping to stretch and massage those tired muscles. Adding in some activities like yoga, swimming and walking can help you enjoy some active recovery to get your muscles moving again and ease some of that soreness.
Many people swear by fire and ice routines (ice baths/sauna, etc.) to help prevent and ease DOMS post-workout.
Switch up your activity
It’s important to switch up your activity to help prevent DOMS and ensure you can carry on working out. So if you trained your upper body yesterday, consider working on your lower body today – it could help you keep up your routine instead of waiting for complete recovery. Adding in some gentler exercises may also help, or if you’ve done some heavy strength training, some cardio can help mix things up and help you work on other areas of your health and fitness. Setting up a home gym can also help you work out at your own pace, making it much easier to get back on the horse than having to set foot in the gym again!
The struggle with DOMS can be real, but it shouldn’t put you off further exercise. Learning how to prevent and manage DOMS can help you get the most out of your workout routine so you can get into the best shape of your life.
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