Avoid muscle soreness, or is ‘no pain, no gain’ true?
Can you avoid muscle soreness, or is it necessary for building muscle? Is the saying ‘no pain, no gain’ fact or fiction? Read everything you need to know about muscle soreness below.
Muscle soreness occurs when you “exhaust” a muscle to its maximum. At that moment, you create micro-tears in your muscle fibers, which eventually feels like soreness. This pain usually lasts for a few days, which we call the ‘recovery period.’ This is the time when the fibers recuperate and become thicker and stronger.
So, is muscle soreness indeed a must? Not exactly!
Muscle soreness is not a must
Just because you don’t feel sore doesn’t mean you aren’t building muscle. If you build up correctly and increase your intensity in small steps, you can build muscle without excessive soreness. Doesn’t that sound better?
How can I avoid muscle soreness?
- Correct execution & progression: When you perform exercises correctly and build up intensity or strength gradually, the chance of muscle soreness is significantly smaller. eGym circuit training is perfect for avoiding soreness. The sessions build up gradually, and in most training programs, the machines work with both pressure and counter-pressure.
Read more about the benefits of eGym here. - Stay hydrated: Drinking water reduces the chance of muscle soreness. A dehydrated fiber tears more easily than a hydrated one. Water keeps your muscles supple and, therefore, more resilient.
- Don’t forget your warm-up: If you put a cold muscle to work intensely right away, the chance of micro-tears is higher. By warming up, you pump blood to your muscles, making them better equipped against tearing (and thus against soreness).
- Cool down: Don’t go straight into full rest after a heavy workout; keep your muscles flexible with stretching exercises or a ‘cool down’ on the cardio machines. Those who flop onto the couch for hours immediately after their workout often suffer more from soreness.
Note: Give your muscles enough recovery time after a workout. Training (heavily) again too soon can break down your muscles more than build them up. This is why we recommend scheduling at least 2 ‘rest days’ between your eGym training sessions. On these ‘rest days,’ you can still safely perform a cardio workout.
Muscle pain during exercise?
When you feel muscle pain during or right after exercise, we usually refer to it as ‘acidification’ (lactic acid buildup). This means you are pushing past your limits and have no reserves left. The solution: eat something, drink, or take it easy for a moment.
Let our coaches guide you and get the most out of your training – without constantly going into the red. Feel free to come and test our lifestyle gym experience during a free trial session.
