What do you do for muscle sorness after a workout?

So I have been busting my ass off at the gym.  I usually do mostly cardio but do some minor weight lifting as well, 

My gym offered a class on Wednesday that was 15min of 4 different classes that they offer as well as warm up and cool down..  I thought it would be a great way to see what the different classes were like.

I sweat my butt off, and had a good time in the class but if we did 1 squat we did 100.  It seemed like each of the 4 instructors wanted to do squats!!   So  Wednesday evening my lower body is stiff, I wake up Thursday and think this isn't so bad... LOL  as the day went on it got worse and worse, Friday was even worse than Thursday  it was pure hell all day!

 Today it is easing up. 

I am hoping to never feel like this again!  I am going to start doing classes, hopefully next week. BUT in case I do have the muscle soreness again.

What do you use to help with it?  Tylenol?  a muscle cream or rub? 

Michelle

Michelle,


    It's important to stretch really well after a workout, which will help, ice bath will help, and as you experienced, the 2nd day after the workout is the worst and then it gets better. Keep doing the classes, I think it's great. There is joy in pain, especially when it's by your own personal doing :)

What Dan said! Keep up the good work!

Jenny

Here is what you should do about the soreness - LOVE IT!   Embrace it.  Smile every time you move and it hurts.  You earned it.  Congrats - means you are working hard. 

It will subside.

Ditto on stretching, it releases the lactic acid that builds up in your muscles when they are used during an intense workout.  Stretching - hold the stretch for 15-20 seconds.

I have recently started using a topical supplement (homeopathic) that helps to decrease bruising & muscle soreness.  You can get it at any natural food store.  You can get it in a lotion form or a gel form.  You can also take it as a pill supplement - I opted not to b/c I figured with malabsorption, I wasn't sure how much I would absorb . . . I didn't notice before I started typing this, but unless you have the band, I wouldn't go the pill form b/c you don't know how it will affect your stomach &/ or if it would be effective. 

I heard about arnica from the plastic surgery board b/c I needed something to help decrease bruising & many people vouched for it.  I've been using it for about 2 weeks & I would have to agree that it helps!

Thanks all for your replies. 

I guess I will learn to LOVE the pain!   Without any pain there isn't much to gain! hahah

BUT I also will not overdue it quite like I did Wednesday night.


Take the best of care!
Michelle