Why do you experience muscle soreness?
Simply, you get sore because your muscles are adapting. This could be adaptation to a higher level of physical activity, preforming a new movement, or adding extra weight or repetitions to a movement you usually do. If you just started working out or workout a different way than usual; you'll probably be sore.
DOMS is the most common type of soreness; delayed onset muscle soreness. It is muscle pain felt a couple hours to a couple days after a new or strenuous workout. Even professional athletes get sore, so no one escapes. The pain from being "sore" is caused by microscopic damage to muscle fibers. Muscles break down and then grow back stronger, which is how working out works... but the process can result in soreness.
What if you don't get sore?
Many people measure the quality of a workout based on how sore they get or if they are able to walk the next day. This leads back to the typical "no pain, no gain" mindset; but that's not how it works. Like I said above, soreness is caused by a new level of movement or preforming a movement your body isn't used to. So after you've been exercising using a certain method for a while you might not get as sore as quickly, but it's still benefiting you. Soreness level doesn't equate with the amount of muscle growth or health improvements you'll experience. You might not be getting sore, but you are still getting stronger. So if muscle soreness doesn't indicate how "good" a workout is, what does? Progress. If you're feeling healthier, the weights are starting to feel like they don't weigh as much, or maybe running is getting easier; then your workouts are working!
How do you relieve/ prevent DOM soreness?
Eat some protein before and after you workout! My personal favorite after method is chocolate milk, besides who doesn't like chocolate milk? Consuming the right amount of protein helps build your muscles and can reduce soreness. Another way is to allow enough recovery time. Taking time between workouts for your muscles to recover makes them grow stronger and is better for you than working out 24/7, bonus it also reduces DOMS. One last way to prevent soreness is to make sure you're drinking enough water! Drinking water makes life happier in all areas of health and fitness. It also plays a large role in recovery and after workout results.
Simply, you get sore because your muscles are adapting. This could be adaptation to a higher level of physical activity, preforming a new movement, or adding extra weight or repetitions to a movement you usually do. If you just started working out or workout a different way than usual; you'll probably be sore.
DOMS is the most common type of soreness; delayed onset muscle soreness. It is muscle pain felt a couple hours to a couple days after a new or strenuous workout. Even professional athletes get sore, so no one escapes. The pain from being "sore" is caused by microscopic damage to muscle fibers. Muscles break down and then grow back stronger, which is how working out works... but the process can result in soreness.
What if you don't get sore?
Many people measure the quality of a workout based on how sore they get or if they are able to walk the next day. This leads back to the typical "no pain, no gain" mindset; but that's not how it works. Like I said above, soreness is caused by a new level of movement or preforming a movement your body isn't used to. So after you've been exercising using a certain method for a while you might not get as sore as quickly, but it's still benefiting you. Soreness level doesn't equate with the amount of muscle growth or health improvements you'll experience. You might not be getting sore, but you are still getting stronger. So if muscle soreness doesn't indicate how "good" a workout is, what does? Progress. If you're feeling healthier, the weights are starting to feel like they don't weigh as much, or maybe running is getting easier; then your workouts are working!
How do you relieve/ prevent DOM soreness?
Eat some protein before and after you workout! My personal favorite after method is chocolate milk, besides who doesn't like chocolate milk? Consuming the right amount of protein helps build your muscles and can reduce soreness. Another way is to allow enough recovery time. Taking time between workouts for your muscles to recover makes them grow stronger and is better for you than working out 24/7, bonus it also reduces DOMS. One last way to prevent soreness is to make sure you're drinking enough water! Drinking water makes life happier in all areas of health and fitness. It also plays a large role in recovery and after workout results.