How To Rebuild Sore Muscles

Rebuilding muscle tissue that you broke down during training usually starts right after you finish training, though it can start even earlier. You can add supplements prior to your workout to improve your recovery and reduce muscle soreness. Following your workout, consuming easily digestible carbohydrates such as dextrose and a quickly digesting protein such as whey can help you replace the sugar and amino acids that your body scavenged during your workout. Light recovery methods also can speed you on the way to healing. Consult a health-care practitioner before beginning any strength-training program.

Step 1

Consume 5 g of branched-chain amino acid supplement powder prior to your workout. Mix these with water prior to training and drink at least 24 to 32 oz. of water prior to your workout. Branched-chain amino acids help reduce muscle soreness and improve recovery following training, according to a 2006 study in the "Journal of Nutrition."

Step 2

Drink water during your workout. Do not drink so much that you bloat or cramp but ensure that you stay hydrated. The amount you need to consume varies with training volume, intensity, local conditions and the amount of water you consume over the rest of the day. Do not let your mouth get dry. When you get dehydrated, you being to lose strength. When a muscle, which is 75 percent water, loses only 3 percent of its water volume, you get weaker. And you do not recover as quickly.

Step 3

Consume a shake of at least 25 g of dextrose or maltodextrin and 25 g of whey protein. This helps replace the sugar and amino acids your body scavenged during training. Drink this shake immediately after training to improve recovery and increase your ability to build lean muscle mass.

Step 4

Perform light exercise the next day. There is no formula for what you should do. Simply sit less and move more. If you trained your upper body, do pushups, but not to the point where you struggle. If you trained your lower body, go for a walk. If conditions permit, go for a swim.

Tips and Warnings

Your recovery exercise is just that -- recovery. Do not strain or struggle. You will be back in the gym straining soon enough. You can pick up all of the supplements you need at any supplement store.
Do not gulp your post-workout shake. You do not want to swallow air while you are trying to process nutrients.