Although it is not our intention to make you devastatingly sore, it can happen! So what to do when you are Holy $hit sore?
You know what I mean by Holy $hit sore – I know you do. You have been Holy $hit sore when:
- You have ever taken time off from training
- Did something outside your norm (such as hmm… 150 Wall Balls?!)
- You were new to training
When you are Holy $hit sore, stairs are the devil, you might have to free fall to sit on the toilet, it hurts to walk.
Here’s what to do when this happens:
- Drink a lot of water. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! It helps flush the soreness out of your system – electrolytes in that water would be a good idea too!
- Make friends with Epsom salt baths and Ibuprofen. It really helps.
- Get in some light stretching and movement! The last thing you may want to do is move, but movement is what you need. If squatting is what made you sore, some air squats and light rowing are your remedy. Exercise helps drive blood through those sore muscles, gets them warm, gets those muscle fibers from being glued down, and will actually make you feel better.
In the end, know that it will pass – don’t stop training. Resting isn’t the best answer! Remember to try to head it off before it begins. When you do something outside your norm, mobilize immediately after; you will likely be less sore later.
Also know that just because you don’t feel great (because you are sore) doesn’t ultimately mean you cannot perform great. These are really two different things. A few days after that training day that made you that sore has passed, you can perform even if you are feeling sore and even perhaps set a PR. (True story!)
