Weightlifting is meant to strengthen your muscles so that you're less likely to experience pain, but often it can also be the root cause of your pain. While an effective way to build muscle and become stronger, weightlifting can be done improperly, resulting in muscle soreness and strains soon after your workout. By taking a few pre-workout precautions and caring for your muscles properly, your weight training workouts can be less of a pain.
Step 1
Eat a snack high in protein before and after your weight training workout. Protein helps to build and repair damaged muscle as a result of a tough workout. Look for snacks like a protein shake, peanut butter on wheat toast or string cheese and milk. The right fuel can help prep your body for exercise as well as help your body recover.
Step 2
Perform a few minutes of light exercise before you begin weightlifting. A few minutes of jogging on the treadmill and taking time to stretch each major muscle group readies your body for exercise. Complete the same routine after you lift weights in order to cool your body down and stretch out your worked muscles, to help avoid pain and loosen tightened muscles.
Step 3
Ask a trainer or experienced friend to spot you as you lift weights. Improper posture and form could be resulting in after-workout pain. A spotter can offer a critique on your form and posture and offer suggestions so you're getting the most benefit from your workout and not straining your muscles.
Step 4
Apply the R.I.C.E. technique to sore, aching or strained muscles after a workout. R.I.C.E. stands from rest, ice, compression and elevation. By giving the muscle time to rest and applying ice, you can help relieve the muscle pain. Compression helps to stabilize the muscle and reduce swelling, while elevation can help draw fluid and blood away from the sore muscle for faster recovery.
Step 5
Alternate the days you work a particular muscle group, to provide proper recovery time. For instance, if you have work your chest and shoulders on Monday, concentrate on your thighs and glutes on Tuesday. Overworking your muscles can cause further pain and muscle fatigue, which can slow your progress and results.
References
- KidsHealth.org; Strength Training; Joseph A. Congeni M.D.; May 2009
- Go Ask Alice!, Columbia University Health Services; Muscle Soreness and Weightlifting; Nov. 2, 2007
- "Muscle Medicine: The Revolutionary Approach to Maintaining, Strengthening, and Repairing Your Muscles and Joints"; Rob DeStefano, et al.; 2009
