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Ease Sore Muscles With a Tennis Ball

FitSugar — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:00:57 -0700

Getting a massage is not always an affordable option to relieve sore muscles. I use The Stick at home but when I'm on the go it's not something I can take with me. Because of its size, a tennis ball provides on the spot muscle relief wherever you are.

Here's how I've been using mine:

For leg muscles I sit down on the floor with my legs outstretched and place the ball underneath myself where the thigh meets the butt. I slowly move from side-to-side and let the ball work itself over my muscles, placing my hands on the floor for support. This motion can be worked all the way down leg. After that's done, I turn over and place the tennis ball under the front of my thigh and start the rolling motion all over again.
For my back, I place a tennis ball between myself and a wall - this works especially well for the muscles near the neck and shoulders. Lean back into the ball and let it roll back and forth over your muscles.
Use a tennis ball underneath the arch of your foot to relieve tired muscles. Sit down in a chair and place the tennis ball under your foot. Put some pressure on the ball and let it roll up and down the muscles of the foot. This is an easy way to get a great foot massage!

The basic idea is that you can work a tennis ball into a trigger point with just a little bit of pressure. If you need to cover greater surface area, put a few tennis balls into a long sock and tie off the end.

Preventing the Hurt After the Burn

FitSugar — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 08:00:50 -0700

I love a little bit of post-workout soreness. I wear it like a badge of honor, since I know it means I am becoming stronger. However, there's a difference between a healthy ache and pain that makes it agonizing to brush your hair, take off your bra, laugh, or get into your car. You can prevent this post-workout pain by never getting out of shape (that's my trainer Hannah's philosophy), or you can try the following suggestions.

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Fit Tip: Exercise Even If You're Sore

FitSugar — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 11:00:00 -0700

The day after a grueling strength-training session or lengthy bike ride always leaves me deliciously sore. Yes, I admit that I love the feeling of sore muscles, but on those days, I often feel like skipping out on exercise. While days of rest are definitely necessary and a great reward for a previous day's hard work, a little soreness is no excuse to ditch the gym entirely. A light workout will actually help alleviate some of the tightness and tenderness you feel. I'm in no way encouraging you to do a 10-mile run, or 30-minute session of squats and lunges. Take it easy and go for a relaxing walk, do some stretching, or even a short jog. The light exercise will get blood pumping to your muscles, and afterward, your soreness should feel much less painful. I will say that if you wake up and are extremely sore, as in you-can't-even-walk sore, then a day or more of rest will probably be more beneficial.

Fit Tip: Exercise the Day After a Long or Difficult Workout

FitSugar — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:00:00 -0700

Spring may have inspired you to go on an exercise bender. Those long runs, hikes, or bike rides feel great while you're moving, but they can leave you feeling really sore the following day. To ease your pain, don't skip working out the next day since light exercise gets your blood moving, which can help heal microscopic muscle tears. It is those tiny tears, not lactic acid, that create sore and tight muscles. The day after a difficult or longer-than-usual workout, your body will appreciate a light jog, short walk, gentle stretching, or some moderate strength training exercises. Try it and see.

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Sore Muscles? Caffeine Could Help

FitSugar — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 03:00:00 -0700

Recent news has left me asking if there's anything caffeine can't do, and I'm feeling less and less like my caffeine habit is a vice. We learned that caffeine improves performance for most forms of exercise, making us faster and increasing endurance and strength, and more than 50 percent of you admit to drinking caffeine before some or all workouts. Newest research has found the effects of caffeine aren't limited to providing a pre-exercise boost that powers us through workouts.

Researchers at the University of Illinois rounded up a group of 25-year old men for an experiment. The men participated in two studies held one week apart, and had to perform intense exercise for 30 minutes during each session. They were given a placebo pill before the first session and a caffeine pill before the second session. The researchers found significant evidence that exercise after caffeine was less painful for the volunteers, no matter if they were regular caffeine drinkers or not.

One of the researchers suggested that the findings could help some people who shy from the gym because of too-painful workouts and said, "If we could give people a little caffeine and reduce the amount of pain they’re experiencing, maybe that would help them stick with that exercise." Do you think caffeine could help motivate people to revisit their gym?

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You Asked: Training For Big Hikes?

FitSugar — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 05:30:17 -0800

Dear Fit,
This past weekend I hiked Camelback Mountain in Phoenix, AZ. It was fun, but it totally exhausted me. Basically, my entire body is very sore. I can't walk correctly because my right quad is so intensely sore! I work out regularly at the gym, so I'm really disappointed that I'm this sore. Are there any exercises that can help prepare me to hike Camelback again? There is a lot of climbing up rocks on the trail. I would say going back down the mountain is even more difficult. I was really slow for several reasons: bad knees, legs were fatigued, and I was scared of falling. Any suggestions?
-urban chic 101

Hiking is one of the best forms of exercise, and because of that, it's one of my favorite activities. There are definitely some things you can do to prepare for your next trek up Camelback. To find out what, read more.

Start off with some shorter, easier hikes. Even though you work out regularly and are a fit person, a steep hike is really demanding on your body. As your body becomes stronger, gradually increase the difficulty and length of your hikes.
Hike regularly. Just as running gets easier with practice, so does hiking. Get out at least once a week if you can.
Become one with the incline on the treadmill. Adjust the level so it's as steep as possible and work on walking up the hill. Then lower the incline back down, raise the back of your treadmill with wooden blocks, and work on walking downhill. Or just find a steep hill and walk up and down that instead.
When working out, focus on quad strengthening exercises such as lunges and squats. Practice going up and down stairs as well, or use a StairMaster.
When you do go hiking next, carry as little as possible and use a lumbar pack instead of a backpack. It will keep your center of gravity on your hips, so you'll feel more stable on rocky terrain.
Use a pair of trekking poles to help make the ascent and descent easier on your knees.
After a hike, be sure to stretch those muscles to prevent soreness the next day.

Hope this helps and happy hiking!

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When Do You Feel Most Sore After a Tough Workout?

FitSugar — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 09:00:00 -0800

Whether you like the feeling of sore muscles after a workout or not, sometimes we can't avoid it. Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) can be felt hours after a workout, the next day, or even two or three days later. Soreness sets in at different times for different people. One factor for me is the type of workout, but as I moved out of my 20s and into my 30s, I have noticed the delay seems to be longer. For me the pain sets in most intensely two days post-workout, but what about you . . .

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Sore Muscles? Treat Them to a Spot of Tea

FitSugar — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 16:00:00 -0700

For those days when you really went hard at the gym, reward yourself by soaking your tired muscles in tea (and no, I am not talking about brewing the world's largest pot of green tea). Cornelia's Muscle Relaxing Soaking Tea ($6.50) is the perfect addition to any post-workout bath. The soak smells oh so good because it contains sea salts combined with herbs such as peppermint, scots pine, willow bark, horsetail, and birch, all which work together to sooth, smooth, and relax an overworked body. And at just under $7, it's a bargain in comparison to how much you'd spend to pamper your muscles at the spa. Buy it online on Cornenlia.com.

Fit Tip: Beat Sore Muscles with Cardio

FitSugar — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 10:00:00 -0700

One of the best things about lifting weights is the hurts-so-good soreness that you can get afterward; it's also one of the worst things about it. When muscles start hurting, hanging out on the couch chilling and not moving seems like a good idea, but this is one of the worst things you could do. A light aerobic workout can actually help relieve the pain, since moving around will get your blood moving and bring blood to the sore area - new blood helps promote the healing process. In fact, you may even want to think about adding quick bursts of cardio between your lifting sets to reduce delayed onset muscle soreness. So keep moving, your muscles will thank you.

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You Asked: Does Heat Make Sore Muscles Feel Worse?

FitSugar — Tue, 27 May 2008 14:30:00 -0700

You're asking and I'm answering . . .

Dear Fit,
When I have a tough workout at the gym or an intense bike ride, my muscles are so tight and sore. I love to get into a hot shower to relieve my pain, but I read somewhere that heat can make the pain worse. Is this true? Should I take a cool shower instead?
- Sore Savannah

Ahh the age-old question about whether to use heat and ice, that confounds many fitness fanatics. To see what I have to say about this issue read more.

If you have an injury, like a pulled muscle or a sprained ankle, ice is needed to reduce swelling. However, sore muscles indicate that you have microscopic tears in the fibers. This is normal and means you challenged your muscles. Yay! As the fibers heal they become stronger, making you stronger. When you heat your muscles either with a hot bath, heating pad, or warm compress, it helps to bring blood to the area, which aids in healing. So go ahead and step into your steamy shower after a workout. Massage will also soothe your tight muscles, so it's a great excuse to make an appointment for a little pampering. The next day or two, if you're still sore, do some low-impact exercise, or work other muscle groups - the circulation will ease your discomfort.

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