Los Angeles, CA -- (SBWire) -- 12/18/2013 --When beginning an exercise program, it’s important to understand the difference between muscle stiffness and muscle soreness. Stiffness is inevitable; that general achy feeling after a good hard workout is referred to as stiffness, but actual excessive soreness – the kind that lasts for days and causes extreme pain or avoidance of activities – is the body’s way of telling a person they’ve gone too far.
Soreness is a result of microscopic tears that happen during physical activity, and the accompanying swelling that follows as the body works to repair and rebuild the muscles. These microscopic tears are necessary to build muscle and improve strength, but the pain shouldn’t last more than a day or two.
While there’s a basic premise of the more effort one puts in, the more they’ll get from it, there are certain times working harder doesn’t yield any additional benefits to the body. Just like prescription medications can be overdosed on, exercise has dosages and it is possible to overdose.
But if soreness is good, why should we try to avoid it? Excessive soreness should be avoided as it can be a deterrent not a motivator to continuing a new physical activity. Avid exercisers will strive to reach stiffness, but actual pain or soreness that lasts for days can derail fitness plans, or even stop a person new to physical activity in their tracks.
To avoid soreness, make sure the body is adequately fueled with proper nutrition and rest to allow for maximum recovery. It’s also important to monitor how the body feels after a workout. If the weekly leg or arm workout leaves muscles aching for days, it’s time to back off on either reps or weight amount.
It’s also important to hydrate and stretch the muscles. Stretching increases blood flow and lengthens the tissues to allow for faster more efficient repair. And while coming out of the gate into a workout program fast and hard might seem like the best way to get ahead, remember the race is a long one. Setting a steady pace that the body can keep up with long-term is more advisable than a dead sprint into perfection.
Expert Brand has all the performance apparel to make running or walking a pleasant activity. The website http://expertbrand.com has a great selection and is easy to shop. Use the Expert10 at checkout to save.
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Muscle Soreness vs. Stiffness