Every year more and more people become a certified couch potato as they inadvertently reduce their exercise intake and consume an unbalanced and unhealthy diet. Here at The Healthy Living and Fitness, we want to ensure that our readers understand how to deal with common exercise dilemmas that may put people off before they’ve even started. Read on as we go over a few simple tips and tricks that can help prevent DOMS…
What is DOMS?
The term DOMS stands for Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness and it is the term given to the aches and pains that people often get after a long run or a brutal gym workout. With this said, beginners or those that have taken a lengthy break from working out can also suffer from DOMS because it occurs when we create micro-tears in the muscles so that they can recover stronger and more prepared. Luckily, it often subsides within 24 to 48 hours.
Why are rest days important?
Since DOMS happens because of small tears in the muscles, it is very important that we provide the body with enough time to recover and make effective repairs. After all, this is how it adapts to exercise and eventually becomes stronger. Many athletes advocate for the implementation of rest days between particularly high-intensity workouts because they allow the muscle the time it needs to repair.
Is it necessary to stretch before and after a workout?
There are many conflicting reports about the benefits of stretching before and after exercise and this can be confusing for many people, particularly beginners who are worried about the onset of DOMS. With this said, stretching before a workout can prepare the muscles and stretching after a workout whilst the muscle fibres are repairing themselves can help prevent knots and soreness, especially if a foam roller is used.
In most circumstances people find that a couple of aches and pains after a good workout is a good thing as it is taken as a sign that the body has been pushed out of its comfort zone. In order to ensure that delayed onset muscle soreness does not prevent people from getting the most out of their workout, it is important to ensure that rest days are not skipped. To find out more information, get in contact with a member of The Healthy Living and Fitness team today!
