Muscle Soreness

Airline delays, telephone delays on hold, and now muscle delays. What's an athlete to do? Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is when you´ve worked, or worked out, hard and don´t really feel it until the next day.

In weight training, it happens when you try a new strength training exercise or one you haven´t done for a while, or go up in weights too quickly. Avoid it by starting extra light with a new strength training exercise. If you´re a beginner suffering from DOMS, it´s best to skip a couple days in your weight training program and wait until it clears up before working out. If you´re experienced and feel you can handle it, you can do a very light workout.

The good news is, the next time you do the strength training exercise it won´t hurt nearly as much the next day, unless you´ve let 2 months go by between weight training workouts.

Yoga is a great way to ease that muscle soreness. I do weights and cardio Mon-Wed-Fri and I try to do yoga on Tues-Thurs-Sundays. It really has helped to cut down on the tightness and soreness I feel after strength training. If you're new to yoga check out this Yoga for Beginners Kit to help you get started.