Wellness Articles

A lot of  of us become sore when we start exercising. Common causes for the discomfort that results immediately or a day or two after exercise may include

• tiny tears in the muscle tissue and/or connective tissue surrounding the muscle

• fluid retention surrounding the muscle tissue

• muscle spasms

• overstretching

You certainly don’t want to cause more harm than good. Without an in-person evaluation, the exact reason behind your soreness can’t be determined.

As your soreness can’t be safely evaluated via the internet, specific recommendations can’t be made as to whether stretching would be appropriate under your current conditions.  

It is safe to say some soreness might be due to the new way you are using some muscles, though if any action causes sever pain you ought to stop the activity and seek guidance from your health care provider.  

Authorizing a day of rest between stretching and yoga activities can help your muscles recover and support your overall objectives.  When you’ve only minor muscle soreness, consider using static stretching.

Static stretching is a kind of stretch that’s recommended to alleviate muscle soreness. It involves holding a stretch for 2 minutes, resting for a minute, and then holding another 2-minute stretch.

To do this, position your body so that the joint involved is stabilized, placing the muscle at its greatest possible length.

For example, your knee needs to be straight, not bent, when you are stretching your hamstring muscles (located at the back of the upper leg).

Whether you carry out the stretch in a standing position, sitting upright, or lying on your back depends on your flexibility and how the stretch feels to you.

If you are going to stretch, always warm up in advance - like by walking for at least 5 minutes. (You can do this in place, if you don’t feel like walking around the block.)

Static stretching causes little to no muscle contraction, and definitely no pain. Avoid bouncing motions - they cause the muscle to contract, inflicting pain.

Since subtle changes in your body positioning can make a world of difference in the benefit you derive from a stretch, seeking specialist assistance on stretching is a good idea.

You can work with a knowledgeable Licensed Fitness Trainer or Physical Therapist.

To find a licensed personal trainer in your area, visit the American Council on Exercise web site. Consult with your primary healthcare provider about getting a referral to a physical therapist.

Muscle powders have been around for years and the ads are no longer in just muscle mags. the ads can now be seen during sports shows, especially televised body building competitions.

They’re so convincing that it is hard to believe they don’t help build muscle any faster — but they don’t.

Although additional calories are needed whenever you markedly increase your exercise routine, the increase does not need to come from only protein, which is what a lot of the labels on the muscle powders imply.

The actual need for protein only goes up about 10 to 15 grams per day (and that is for a serious five to six day split routine!).

The calories should actually come from complex carbohydrates, such as beans, potatoes, and whole grains. Do not forget, the calories that you do not use will be converted and stored as fat.

Despite what all the late night infomercials tell us, fat and muscle are two distinctly different tissues and one cannot be turned into the other.

Muscle will always be muscle and fat will always be fat. As to the second thought you mentioned, one pound of either is exactly that - one pound.

It’s indeed a myth that fat cells can change into muscle. You can burn fat and build muscle, but a fat cell will never turn into a muscle cell.

Body fat is a storage place where our body puts extra energy when we consume more calories per day than we burn.

If someone continues to consume more calories than she / he needs, the size of their existing fat cells increases.

When we “burn fat” we are actually shrinking the size of our fat cells by using the energy that has been stored there.

There are also have a fixed number of muscle cells so when we are building muscle the individual muscle cells are increasing in size (bulking up).

Over time, you are able to gain muscle mass through a selection of activities including lifting weights and other forms of weight training.

If your main goal is to bulk up, you’re likely increase your muscle mass which can increase your overall weight. Don’t forget that your weight also depends on what you eat and when you’re doing other types of exercise.

For  instance, when you’re doing lots of cardio, then you may ultimately lose fat and decrease your weight.

Instead of stepping on a scale, you may want to consider measuring your body composition.

Methods to assess body composition (lean body mass vs. fat body mass) can help give you a more exact idea of what comprises your body.

You can always speak with a Registered Dietitican or a trainer to help determine the weight and exercise plan that’s right for you.

Glycogen is a carbohydrate stored in the muscles and liver and is critical for sustaining exercise over long periods of time.

When levels of glycogen are low, you can feel sluggish, weak and tired. During exercise, muscle glycogen is used as a source of energy for the specific muscle in which it is stored.

The rate at which muscle glycogen is depleted is dependent upon the kind of exercise (higher intensity workouts depleting glycogen stores faster than lower intensity sessions) and the frequency of workouts. Eating complex carbohydrates before and after your workouts will increase the amount of glycogen stored, enhancing future workouts.

It may also be beneficial to add some protein to your post-workout snack, as emerging evidence suggests that protein and carbohydrates combined may actually help with glycogen replacement.

A snack after a workout will provide some carbohydrate necessary for glycogen replenishment. Different individuals may have different preferences on what’s satisfying.

What kind of food or beverage will your body tolerate after a workout?

Do you want a solid snack, a protein smoothie, or a couple pieces of fruit? Would you prefer a sports drink with electrolytes?

No matter what your choice, it’s always good idea to replace the energy you have expended with a healthy snack while also maintaining a balanced diet throughout the day.

It might be helpful for you to spend some time with a nutritionist to determine your specific needs. A personal trainer can help you understand your entire workout from warm-up to recovery.

Recuperation of muscle fibers after an intense workout goes beyond replenishing glycogen stores. In addition to proper nutrition, a resting period in between workouts helps decrease the risk of injuries.

Muscle soreness can happen to any of us at any time. It typically always happens to people who are just starting an fitness program, but can also happen to trained exercise enthusiasts who overload excessively, or who change from one activity to another, or work the same set of muscles in a new and different way.

You could want to be certain you’re providing ample time for your muscles to recover from lifting - typically forty-eight hours. This means that your strength workouts should be every second or third day.

If you have to lift every day, do not work the same muscle groups, or work opposing groups and secondary muscles. For  instance, work chest and triceps one day, back and biceps the next.

Although at one time lactic acid was believed to be involved in muscle soreness, exercise physiologists no longer believe this is so. Lactic acid is long gone from the muscles before soreness occurs.

Soreness might be caused by several factors, including small tears in the muscle fibers or connective tissue, muscle spasms, and perhaps over stretching.

It’s also known that eccentric muscle contractions and, to some extent, isometric contractions cause more soreness than concentric ones.

As a reminder, in a concentric contraction, the muscle shortens as it overcomes the resistance, as in an upward curl with a weight.

Lowering the weight, as the muscle acts to oppose gravity, lengthens the muscle and this is an eccentric contraction. an isometric movement is one in which the object is too heavy to move, even though muscle force is being applied.

To prevent soreness, do not overload, but gradually increase the amount of weight or number of repetitions you do.

Provide yourself time between sets… one to three minutes, and include warm-up and cool-down stretching exercises also to your lifting.

Eating a healthful snack after exercise can also be a no sweat way to help your muscles to recover and prevent soreness.

Try to do this from 15 minutes to an hour after your workout has ended, and pick carbohydrate and protein-rich foods such as peanut butter on toast, slices of turkey breast or cheese on a bagel, or some milk and a banana.

Because your muscles can only store about an hour’s worth of carbohydrates (in the form of glycogen), it is important to replenish that as soon as possible.

The protein will help to maintain and rebuild your muscle cells, and based on how much you are eating, can also be used in increasing the size of your muscles.

Knees are extremelycomplex joints. They’re made up of many ligaments, tendons, and cartilage that cushion and connect bones and muscles of the upper and lower legs.

Our knees may become sore or injured from overuse, exercise, or simply as a result of daily wear and tear.

Strengthening and stretching supporting structures and musculature will help but may not prevent all issues with the knees.

A number of general tips for promoting knee health and decling the chance of injury include

• Maintain overall flexibility and strength - strong muscles support your bones and joints.

• Be certain to check your footwear - the wrong footwear, athletic or otherwise, can exacerbate existing conditions or trigger new problems. Excessive wear on one side might indicate an issue with gait and is a good indicator to seek help.

• Be sure to take it easy - your body knows when it needs to rest and your knees are no different. Tune in to what your body is telling you.

• Maintain a healthful weight - chronic knee pain is often triggered by additional weight.

• Buckle up! Protecting your knees from injury in a car accident is yet another reason to use your seatbelt.

You can increase the likelihood of having healthful knees by strengthening the muscles in your legs. Because some person might have knee problems, or be prone to them, it’s a great idea to talk with a licensed trainer before starting a new routine.

If a fitness trainer isn’t an choice, relying on health club staff for basic instructions on equipment can also be useful.

It is especially important to work with a physical therapist or other healthcare provider when you’re rehabilitating after an injury.

Stretching the muscles that support the knees is an important component of any workout program. Stretches ought to include the hamstrings (back of the upper thigh) and quadriceps (front of the upper thigh).

The calf muscles and shins also need to be stretched and strengthened as they contribute to the structure of the leg.

Quadriceps stretch (lying on one side)

1. Lie on your side with your thighs side by side.

2. As you bring the ankle of your top leg back towards the buttocks, reach back with the free hand and grab hold of your ankle (keeping the leg parallel to the ground).

3. Press your hip forward and slightly extend it, then hold the stretch for at least 30 seconds and repeat for each leg

Standing quadriceps stretch

1. Make sure to use a chair or wall for support.

2. With your right hand, grab the lower part of your shin, right above your foot and bring your right leg behind your body.  

3. Push your hip forward slightly and keep your knees together. the emphasis is on pushing your hip forward a little, not pulling your leg backward (otherwise, you might injure your knee).

4. Hold for 30 seconds.

5. Repeat on the left side.

Hamstring stretch

1. Lie on your back, with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.

2. Raise one leg without lifting your hips from the floor.

3. Gently push your heal up to the ceiling - beginners may grasp their leg behind the upper thigh or use a stretching band. Movement must be slow and steady.

When you’re experiencing any knee pain, rest is ordinarily a good idea, as is seeking medical attention for any concerns. Since knees are so complex, many things can go wrong.

Normally, when your knees hurt, avoid activities that put a heavy load on the joints. Some examples may be squats, lunges, stair climbing, and running up and down hills.

Crosstraining with activities like swimming and cycling reduce load yet still work the muscles of the lower body.

All lifters could probably use a few refreshers as it is easy to get into a routine without thinking about those basics. Are you giving yourself sufficient time to rest between sets?

Are you lifting a challenging, but manageable amount of weight? These may be important factors in assisting keep your lifting sessions balanced.

You mention that you take care not to eat an hour before training. That might be working against you and it’s possible that you might be experiencing hypoglycemia.

Working muscles need fuel and exercising leads to increased levels of insulin that transport blood glucose to the muscles, possibly creating a hypoglycemic condition that may make you feel nauseous.

It may actually be useful to have a small snack 20 to 30 minutes before you decide to lift.

Consider an apple with some peanut butter, a granola or protein bar, or another balanced snack to help sustain you through your workout.

Beyond a snack, be certain that your normal diet is high in complex carbohydrates and minimal in any refined simple sugars.

Complex carbohydrates, as they’re stored in the body and then used as fuel, enter the blood stream at a more constant rate and will help alleviate the quick insulin response followed by the low that often comes with consuming simple sugars.

It may make sense to experiment with the time between your sets, number of repetitions, and the amount of weight you’re lifting.

Do not forget, the science of exercise has moved away from the “no pain, no gain” philosophy. Less repetition with lower weights can still have considerable benefits.

A well trained personal trainer, exercise physiologist, or sports medicine expert might be able to provide some insight and helpful tips.

When you do not experience relief from changes to your workout and diet, it could make sense to visit with a provider.

A few small changes in your before workout snacks and some minor adjustments to your regimen may let you get on with getting pumped.

Protein is not necessarily the most important food source for muscle building. Actually, when bodybuilding, your main consideration ought to be taking in adequate energy, or enough calories.

Research shows that consuming an additional 2270 to 3630 calories each week (approximately 500 additional calories a day), along with appropriate resistance training, will result in one pound of muscle gain.

Muscles rely on glycogen (the energy they use for fuel) to perform work. When bodybuilders replace carbohydrate with protein in their diet, they’ve lower muscle stores of glycogen.

For that reason, a high protein/low carbohydrate diet cannot provide enough glycogen for our muscles, so they may feel weak, tired, and fatigue quickly.

In addition, our bodies need to convert any excess protein we eat to burn it as energy or to store it as fat.

Protein conversion helps us get rid of the nitrogen contained in amino acids (the building blocks of protein), which we eliminate through urination; nevertheless, it can also contribute to dehydration, muscle cramping, and excess stress on liver and kidneys.

As a result, it is important for a bodybuilder to take in enough carbohydrates. Carbs are used to fuel the muscles you’ll use to help build lean body mass.

Lots of additional protein by itself won’t add muscular bulk - carbohydrates actually spare protein so that it may be used to repair muscle tissue, which is how we build muscular strength and size.

How much protein do bodybuilders need? First figure out how many calories you need. If you are not taking in enough calories, you cannot build muscle tissue efficiently.

That’s because your body will be burning most of your calories, not using them to repair muscle tissue. For  instance, take a 180 pound guy - when he’s moderately active, he probably needs about 2700 calories a day (plus or minus a few) to maintain his weight.

Besides his moderate daily activity level, he may burn about 500 calories during an hour of heavy weightlifting.

If he wants to add one pound of muscle weight weekly, he needs approximately 500 additional calories per day plus about 500 more to make up for the energy deficit from intense weightlifting. This makes his grand total to be around 3700 calories a day.

So how can we translate this number to his protein needs? the RDA for protein has been established at 0.8 grams/kg of body weight for adults. This isn’t enough to build muscle mass for intense athletes.

Although it is challenging to pinpoint a specific number because you’ve to take into account based on  variables, research has determined an acceptable range - even at the very high end, the top protein intake needs to be 1.5 to 2.0 g/kg of body weight. For our 180 lb. (divided by 2.2 = 82 kg) lifter, this would be 122 to 164 grams of protein per day.

Since protein has 4 calories per gram, then this amount of protein would comprise 13 to 18% of his daily caloric intake of 3700 calories; the usual recommendation is about 12 to 15%. As you can see, a gigantic excess of protein isn’t needed.

It’s easy to get enough protein from food - and quite easy for quite a few individuals to overdo it. If too much high-fat protein is taken in, and not used, gains could be seen in fat tissue rather than in muscle tissue.

Resistance training, strength training, and strength training all relate to the use of free weights and/or weight machines to increase muscular strength and muscular endurance.

Weight and power lifting involve the use of free weights (usually heavier than those used in weight training).

Some of the major lifts engaged in during weight and power lifting may cause  injury, in particular if the athlete is not physically mature enough to handle the movement and/or weight.

Proper technique is also very important for injury avoidance and for maximum results - no matter what the age of the lifter is.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that

• kids be well supervised by certified adults.

• any weight-training program be appropriate to the child’s stage of maturation and examined objectively by medical personnel. (Proper bone development is one of the key factors to assess.)

• kids avoid weight training, power lifting, bodybuilding, and the use of maximal amounts of weight until they have met certain developmental criteria.

See the American Academy of Pediatrics position paper for additional specific details on the above points.

Here’s another question - Where’s your son planning to lift? Supervision by a coach or athletic trainer with an academic degree in exercise physiology or a closely related field could make the activity a lot safer and much more effective.

Experience working with preteens and teens, and certification from a nationally recognized organization, such as the National Strength and Conditioning Association, wouldn’t hurt either.

Now that physical education in quite a few schools has in conclusion shifted to accommodate students’ sum health and interests, weight-exercise programs are more widely available as a curriculum option.

Health clubs are also providing more fitness programs designed for kids.

For sure, strength is only one component of fitness - cardiovascular endurance and flexibility are the others.

Make sure to encourage your child to experience “life” sports - those that can last him a lifetime and that he can participate in with others or alone - e.g., swimming, cycling, skating, walking, etc.

Team sports are also excellent for children because they foster camaraderie, teamwork, and the art of graceful losing, in addition to winning.

Weight training is an important component of fitness. As in any exercise program, rest is an essential factor. It’s important to leave a day between exercising a specific body part or muscle for reap the advantages of your hard work.

That’s because weightlifting can cause micro-tears in the muscle fiber(s) that temporarily reduce strength. These tears are thought to cause some of the soreness you feel after a new exercise or tough workout.

During this vital rest time, your muscles are building protein and getting stronger. It takes about two days to heal the muscle fibers torn by weightlifting.

If you would like to lift weights every day (remember to take at least 1 day per week off for rest), focus on different muscle groups in three-day cycles, leaving two days in between the same group. For  instance

• Day one - back and biceps

• Day two - chest and triceps

• Day three - legs and abs

• Day four - repeat day one

Other tips to consider for safer weightlifting

• to help prevent injury, begin with some light cardiovascular activity to warm up your muscles.

• Prevent rushing through your weightlifting workout - slow and steady is the way to go.

• Limit your weightlifting motions while making sure you are keeping correct form. When you aren’t certain that you are weightlifting properly, ask a trainer for some assistance.

• Don’t forget to inhale and exhale ordinarily while you lift.

• Rest muscle groups adequately between workout sessions (as mentioned above).