The 'disillusioning' truth about feeling sore after every gym session

tập gym - Ảnh 1. — Many people believe that if you don't feel sore after exercising, it means you haven't exercised effectively - Photo: FREEPIK

According to The New York Times , many people believe that if you don't feel sore after working out, it means you haven't worked out effectively or with enough intensity to build muscle strength.

Is it a waste of effort to work out without pain?

Fitness experts say that pain does not equal effectiveness when working out. You don't need to aim to exercise to the point of pain.

“A common misconception is that soreness indicates a good workout,” says Cedric Bryant, an exercise physiologist and president and CEO of the American Council on Exercise. “A little soreness is normal, but it’s not necessary for muscle growth.”

When muscles are sore a day or two after a workout, it's often due to microscopic tears in the muscle fibers, which can lead to inflammation and pain, says Laura Richardson, an exercise physiologist at the University of Michigan School of Exercise Science .

As the muscles recover over the next few days, the soreness should gradually go away, she says. Muscles often get stronger after soreness, but that discomfort is by no means a prerequisite for building muscle, Bryant adds.

Many athletes do not experience soreness after their workouts, but they continue to improve their fitness and build muscle.

“Not having pain doesn’t mean the workout wasn’t effective,” Bryant stresses. On the contrary, it’s often a sign that your muscles have adapted to a regular training schedule and become “more efficient at handling the workload,” he says.

Listen to your body

Instead of using soreness to measure the effectiveness of your workout, track your progress, whether it's through improvements in strength, endurance, or visible changes in muscle tone.

Excessive soreness can even be counterproductive, Bryant adds. It’s hard to exercise effectively when you’re sore, which can reduce your athletic performance or increase your risk of injury.

Gently massaging the sore muscles, kneading or stroking them with your hands for 10 to 15 minutes can also help. Scientists have found that massage is one of the most effective ways to reduce fatigue and muscle soreness after exercise. Wearing compression garments around sore muscles and taking a cold shower for 10 to 15 minutes have also been shown to be effective.

Sometimes, even just a little movement can help relieve pain, even if it's just a little bit. A simple rule is to listen to your body.

What to do to relieve pain?

If you are sore after a workout, ease up on your workouts for the next few days. Make sure you are drinking enough water. If your workouts are long or intense, drink electrolyte drinks. Dehydration can cause cramps.

If you have severe muscle pain, muscle weakness hours or days after an intense workout, your urine turns dark brown, or you urinate very little, it could be a sign of a rare but dangerous condition called rhabdomyolysis.

For muscles that are only slightly sore or stiff, you can still continue exercising with the exercise that caused pain before, but reduce the intensity.

If the pain is moderate — you can still move but have some discomfort — choose gentler activities like walking, swimming, yoga, low-impact resistance training like lifting light weights, or bodyweight exercises to stimulate circulation and reduce muscle tension.

DAWN

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/su-that-vo-mong-ve-cam-giac-nhuc-moi-sau-moi-buoi-tap-gym-20250410130127811.htm