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Ten Ways to Ease Muscle Soreness!

I am no doctor or scientist, but I can tell you what works best for me for alleviating pain the day after a kick-a$$ workout leaves me tender to the touch. I will do one or any combination of the below items when I’m feeling the burn the next day. There is a fine line between soreness and injury though to beware of.

1. Stretch well after an intense workout. I did Jillian’s No More Trouble Zones last night and found that the cool-down was kind of lacking. Hence, I am darn sore today and feel like tomorrow will be even worse. It’s always important to stretch all the major muscle groups for at least 30 seconds each.

2. Massage. I had a massage therapist once who said she was removing the lactic acid from my muscles. The next day, I had that internal feeling like I should be sore, but felt no pain. That was amazing to me!

3. Keep Moving. Counter-intuitive as it may seem, it’s important to be active in the days following a tough workout. Even when I’ve worked my butt so hard it hurts to sit, I find it’s best to get up and around the next day up to every half-hour or so. A low-intensity walk or even a gentle yoga workout seems to have a repairing effect. Muscles need a chance to heal to be sure, but they also do best with extra circulation and stretching.

4. Keep stretching. I’m always sure to continue stretching the day after, especially since I’m desk-bound most days. My favorite thing to do is stretch while also rubbing the tender areas–a little massage/stretch treat.

5. Drink lots of water. Dehydration only makes the soreness feel worse to me. I’ve also heard–and don’t know if it’s true–that water helps move the lactic acid through the body and lubricate joints. With all the benefits of water, it can’t hurt to try.

6. Hot or cold pack: Heat increases blood flow to the area while cold reduces inflammation. Both feel nice.

7. OTC relief. WebMD talks about using anti-inflammatory medication. While I abhor popping a pill if I don’t have to, with some of the workouts I’ve done, I probably could have used a little medicated relief.

8. Epsom salt bath: word on this street is that Epsom salts decrease inflammation and draw out toxins, making a wonderful addition to the bathwater. The warm bathwater itself increases circulation, bringing much-needed oxygen to tissues in the process of healing. I usually feel better after a bath anyway.

9. Visualize. Soreness is Mother Nature’s way of letting you feel exactly how hard you’ve worked. It is evidence that your body is building muscle, so visualize it doing so. You’ll begin to bask in the glow of a productive workout! In order to progress, there has to be some soreness.

10. Get enough food and sleep. I always feel like I need to sleep longer after an intense workout and it makes sense. Sleep is restorative and I need an extra dose of it to indeed restore. I also find I’m quite hungry the day following sweat sessions. I have to be careful to eat healthfully and feed my body the nutrients it needs to repair.

Infomercial Maniac

I know one. Someone who has bought multiple products off of infomercials, especially when she worked third shift and infomercials were the only things on the channel-deficient television she was allowed to watch. Some were laughable (everyone knows there’s no cure for stretch marks), some legitimate (I’ve heard good things about Proactiv®). Now I’m starting to bend for some. Namely P90X and Slim in 6. I don’t really know a whole lot about them, but the buzz around me suggests they might be worth a shot.

I adore the idea of a complete fitness plan in one bundle where all the guesswork is removed and workouts are changed up every so often to keep muscles and people from getting bored. I’m not too keen on the price for something I’d like to see/try first. And P90X even sounds a bit hardcore for my athletic taste. There are always mixed reviews from people who have tried it which doesn’t make the decision any easier. I think I’ll wait until my neighbor or someone else close by tries it so I can get a first-hand account. (And maybe borrow a DVD or two just to preview it).

Stott Pilates

I went on a search for sunglasses two days ago at a discount home store and ended up coming across a Stott Pilates DVD for just $4. Naturally, as I’m always on the lookout for something new/different and affordable, I bought it. And last night I worked out along with the video and was pleasantly surprised.

I have tried a whole variety of Pilates DVDs only to be bored with the all-too-familiar repetition of the same old moves. Sometimes it seems like if you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all. You do the hundred; you do you do the side-lying leg series; you do some single and double leg stretches; you do the saw, etc. However, this Stott Pilates DVD offered a lot of variations and a lot of adjustments that made the moves even more challenging (a bonus for the challenge-seeking non-beginners and beginners alike). You do the hundred on your knees and pump your arms from all different directions. But don’t worry, you can still feel it in the core!

I actually felt rejuvenated after my workout and I felt like I actually worked out my arms. Imagine that–a Pilates routine that works on the arms! There were some isolated upper back moves, a few different kinds of push ups and a few different moves that integrated the biceps and triceps into the movements.

I think I might make a trip back to that store and make a few more selections while supplies last and the price is right!

Tracey Anderson Method

So, I’ve been reading a lot about celebrity trainer Tracy Anderson lately. Just like other things I’ve written about, it seems once I hear about something, I’ll hear about it a few times. Tracy Anderson popped up in my inbox twice in one day, so I thought it would be worth checking out.

There are devout followers and extreme skeptics of the Tracy Anderson Method. Tracy emphasizes the itsy bitsy dancer body, which of course isn’t for everybody or every body. The claims made are that she has over a decade of research under her belt, but I’m very curious as to what and how trustworthy this research actually is. And some of the nutrition plans of hers that I’ve come across sound sketchy. And who on this Earth, besides Madonna, has two hours six days a week to work out? Just sayin’.

Anyhow, Tracy places a wonderful emphasis on improving strength and sculting a sexy body without worrying about adding bulk. It’s a wonderful high rep/low weight method to try on alternate days from your low rep/high strength training days. Don’t mistake the low weights as a workout for pansies, because some of them can be very hardcore. The method also has some similarities to Pilates, but with a much more diverse set of exercises. For one, Pilates puts focus on the core, while Tracy Anderson chisels out arm and leg muscles as well.

Althought I don’t think the complete plan is sustainable, I am a proponent of variety. So, I have incorporated a few of Tracey’s methods into my workouts this week.

Here are a few places where you can find a few free workouts from Tracy:

1. Daily Candy recently posted four workout videos with Tracy. This is a link to the “Tracy Anderson” search results. There are four different targeted workouts from which to pick and choose. Tracy guides you, but you have to pause the video to eke out the indicated reps by yourself.

2. Just type Tracy Anderson in YouTube to bring up several free 10-minute-ish workouts.

3. The home page of the Tracy Anderson Method Website offers a free workout video if you enter your email address. No gimmicks or hassle, or I wouldn’t have signed up myself.

4. Self Magazine published a wonderful arm workout by Tracy several months ago. Print the slide show and do in your living room.

Check out Tracy’s website and studio images. People are paying $900 a month to work out with her on funky pully systems and cube-shaped frames. She also made a series of workout DVDs you can get on her website or Amazon. For now, I’ll just take advantage of the free online workouts, thanks.

New Take On MBT Shoes

I just love to find new and improved ways to workout or ways to make working out more efficient and fun. Today, in my Daily Candy newsletter, I found a video clip of these fun shoes that look like a cross between Rollerblades and mini trampolines. They’re called kangoo jumps. Basically, when you’re taking a jog, these boots take the bulk of the stress off your joints while giving you a great workout. They literally put a bounce in your step. The price tag is a little high for me, but if I could rent them or something, I certainly would give them a try. Looks like the contraptions elicit a lot of gawking as well.

Gym Rookies

I’ve heard people who are so self-conscious of their weight that they will forgo a gym membership just for that reason. Heck, I was probably one of them. Well, I actually thought gyms were for hardcore weight lifting men with excessive muscle. I had no idea that the gym was a regular place for regular people and their regular fitness routines until I joined one.

The first thing to remember is, some of these people started their fitness journeys in your same shoes. They may have been overweight, hesitant to join, and completely unsure of themselves in that new place. They know exactly how you’re feeling and can sympathize with your uncertainty. They are much more likely to be internally rooting for you rather than judging you. They’re more likely glad that you’re there, taking care of yourself, than not.

Second, everyone is really probably only thinking about themselves. People are very self-conscious when they’re grunting, sweating, and struggling in front of other people. They’re all worried about themselves. It’s actually sort of comical if you watch people for awhile. They all check themselves out in the mirrors around the gym. Don’t worry, they’re more worried about their own sagging skin than your cellulite. Or they’re busy focusing on their workout form.

Third, I’ve noticed, especially with runners, there is a sort of unspoken comaraderie among people who run. It doesn’t matter if you’re an elite athlete or a slow beginner. Runners cheer each other on. I have never seen so much enthusiasm or experienced so much encouragement as when I’m out running, especially in road races. At the gym, you’re doing something that most of the population disregards, and you can take pride in the fact that you’re there instead of glued to the tube.

The easiest way to acclimate yourself to a new gym is to take a tour, take the gym up on their free personal training sessions, or try out a group fitness class. Just getting accustomed to the lingo, equipment and faces let you dip your feet without drowning. Read up a little bit on fitness equipment before you head in and print off a few workouts you can try. Take a friend with you for those free weekly trials so you have a buddy in this unchartered territory. I also find that reading or listening to music helps me fall into my own little wonderland where I don’t even know what’s happening around me.

Happy Lifting!

High Rollin’ on Skates

I’ve decided that today, a cross training day, will be dedicated to roller blades. The weather is finally shaping up and I have a pair of shiny new skates in the attic that have been waiting to come out of hiding. I bought them just as it was getting cold and snowy. So, I did a little research on roller blade workouts, because I don’t want to sell my workout short. Here are some different moves that I’ve come across that I might try when no one’s looking:

1. In N Out: While skating, get into squat position. From there, move legs out wide, bring them in and repeat.

2. One-legged In N Out: Same as In N Out, except move only one leg out to the side at a time during each rep.

3. Riding backwards: Basically the same as In N Out, just propelling yourself backwards.

4. Leg lifts: Grab a bench or tree for balance. Since the skates provide extra resistance, leg lifts to the side get an extra push.

5. Rear leg lift: Same as above; use skate for resistance and lift one leg behind you.

I found a whole lot more intricate moves as well that I am not even going to attempt. Even just braking is going to take some getting used to again. We’ll work on the more coordinated dance steps some other time:)

Psychology to your Advantage

I just heard an interesting tidbit from a Social Psychology lecture I was listening to on a podcast (don’t ask). There was a study that said that individuals put forth more effort when other people are around. Thinking about this from a fitness standpoint, it would be beneficial to work out in a gym or other public facility. You might just work a little harder. Or perhaps you might try running in public. It feels good to breeze past homes where you occasionally see people sitting in front of the TV, or sitting around in general. Or when you sneak a peek at a cute guy, you can’t help but pick up your shoulders and your pace. Awww, c’mon, you know you do:) And you know people are watching you from their vehicles as they pass by, so you don’t want to appear haggard, right? Taking part in group exercise classes, in front of a mirror to boot, makes you more apt to perfect your form, follow through, and eek out every last rep so you don’t look like a schmuck. In the comfort of your own living room, you can get by with a little (or a lot) of slack.

The hugest boost I’ve ever had while running was when I was running in road races. I don’t think I would’ve survived the half-marathon if it weren’t for the supporters that cheered the entire length of the route. As silly as it may sound, it ticked me off, at the same time as it made me root for them, when these little kids or people much heavier than me would pass me up. That pushed me to run faster. And my mom even noticed that every time I saw my family at the mile markers, my pace seemed to pick up. So, there must be some truth in these psychological theories.

The opposite effect is true when you’re working out with other people or participating in a group effort. You’re actually more likely to work less hard. You start to rely on the strength and speed of others, such as in the case of something like a tug-of-war.

So, use these little tidbits to your advantage to push your workout to new heights!

Sweatin’ to the Oldies

Thank goodness the days of Richard Simmons and endless grapevines are gone. You can get fit, without sweating to the oldies, with the likes of Jillian, Ellen Barrett, Chalene Johnson, Sara Ivanhoe, and other modern-day fitness mavens. As technology progresses and trainers find new ways to sweat, we are blessed with more efficient and more enjoyable workouts.

I think when the background music, background decor, workout outfits are more tasteful and modern, the more favorably I look upon the video. It’s much easier to get into the groove of it when it doesn’t feel like I’m traveling back to the days of thong leotards and neon biker shorts. I don’t know exactly what it is.

Thank goodness for on-demand fitness television, online workout videos, online fitness information about anything you can think of, easier access to foreign forms of exercise, accessible exercise equipment and widespread chain fitness clubs in every city. This modern stuff is all very much to my benefit, for sure. I get bored very easily.

Melting into the Sheets

No, I’m not talking about sex. I’m talking about a soothing nightly ritual that puts me in the mood for…sleep. My ritual feels so indulgent, I sometimes trick myself into thinking that I shouldn’t do it all the time like some other extravagant luxury. But really, it’s the best and easiest thing that I’ve found to do before bed that costs nothing and takes only a few minutes.

I did a Google search for morning and nighttime exercises and came across a few that I return to time and again. My ultimate favorite thing to do is breath-regulating, stress-relieving Yoga. Something like Fitness Magazine’s 8-Minute Workout: Yoga for Better Sleep. I have a few of these routines printed off and stored within reach in my bedside table. In addition to calming the body through breath, these routines nix any leftover kinks from the day with gentle stretching. And stretching my back and other tight areas is the next best thing to a nice massage or being rocked to sleep as a child.

I can feel the difference between going to bed after not doing Yoga versus doing Yoga. It’s easier to melt into the sheets after doing a gentle nighttime routine. Something even that simple has the ability to leave the mind a little calmer and the body decompressed. It also changes my energy, giving it a more positive glow that primes my body for perfect sleep. Ahhhh…