OH.MY. GAWWWWWWWWWWD!!!!!!! I am so SOOOOOOOORRRRREEEEE!!!!!! I can’t sit down on the toilet without screwing my face in a pinched ball of PAIN!!!! I now know what my clients are talking about when they text me in the middle of the night, cursing me. I have DOMS. And I have it baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad. I even had to take painkillers before teaching. No joke.
DOMS is delayed onset muscle soreness and anyone who has worked out has probably felt it to some degree. It’s the soreness you sometimes feel in your body, in your muscles, after a workout (anywhere from 24-72 hours after). I don’t know why I have it so bad. Maybe a client has done some voodoo thing on me in retaliation for the Barre HIIT routines or the burpee challenges we did in class. Anyway, I thought I’d share some useful tips on how to manage DOMS if you have it.
- Use a Foam Roller– These cylinder foam thingy’s actually have a purpose beyond my kids whacking each other with it. It helps to ease tension and tightness between your muscles and connective tissues. Roll over the sore muscle using your body weight and apply pressure as you go. It’s like a massage. Only it’s not really, because it hurts like holy hell. It is freaking painful. I’m sure it’s used as a form of torture in some countries. But, after you’re done rolling, you’ll drift away in a haze of jelly leg bliss and numbness and feel all loose and lovely.
- Eat Magnesium Rich Foods– Magnesium has been found to help relax and reduce muscle soreness, as well as your nerves. It also keeps your blood circulating properly, and we need blood flowing to our muscles to help repair them! You can only get magnesium from food so fill your hard working tummies with bananas, nuts, seeds and, errrrrr sardines. Not all mixed together, obvs.
- Eat Protein– This might not help directly with improving the pain, but it will help in healing/ repairing the muscles. When you exercise properly you cause tiny micro tears to your muscles. This is totally normal. The body then repairs those tears (using protein) which in turn makes your muscles bigger/ better/ stronger! Toned arms and perky bum here we come!!! If I’m in a rush and can’t make real food I tend to have a quick protein shake after but if I have time I eat a cooked meal, like chicken or fish with rice and veg. Or a burger. Mmmmmmm, the American in me can always eat a burger.
- Move- So this might seem counter intuitive but honestly getting your body moving again is probably one of the best ways, at least for me, to feel better!!! It must have to do with increasing blood flow to your muscles and warming them up which makes it work. Try something gentle, like walking or yoga, but get your tight little bottom out of bed and moooooooooooove!
Hope this is helpful and SO sorry to all my clients that I’ve caused any of this kind of pain to. This was karma, at the highest level. Although it secretly feels kind of good too, knowing I pushed and worked my body hard!
Love,
Sophie x
