Science behind Muscle Soreness and how to deal with it!

Delayed onset muscle soreness. Right, you know those tiny tears in your muscles.

That makes you really regret that last workout. And here's the thing about working out while you're sore. You'd think it just makes you stronger, right? Push through the pain.

Actually, studies show that it can reduce how well your muscles activate and generate force. How much are we talking here? Potentially even like 50%.

So working out sore could actually hurt you.

You will get less out of your workout and it slows down your recovery. No pain, no gain is a myth. What about all the stuff we hear about ice baths and stretching? So ice baths might feel good, but there's more and more evidence that they actually mess with muscle growth.

They could be impacting how your body makes new muscle tissue. Sir we're trying to build muscle, but ice baths are stopping it.

What about stretching? That's got to help. Well, stretching is definitely important for flexibility, but doing static stretches before or after your workout doesn't really seem to impact soreness. So what does work then, if we can't rely on those things? Well, we went through a bunch of research and expert opinions.

We found some really effective science backed strategies that actually work. Let's hear it then.

What can we do about these sore muscles? First up, foam rolling. OR self myofascial release, if you want to get technical. Foam rolling.

It does help. We looked at four studies about foam rolling and muscle soreness. Three of them showed that it really helps reduce pain and speeds up recovery.

Basically, think of your fascia like a net that surrounds your muscles.

When you exercise, it gets tight and restricted. Foam rolling helps loosen it up and get more blood to the muscles. So it's like giving yourself a massage.

And the best part is that if you're less sore, you can actually perform better in your next workout. 

So how do I add it to my routine? After you work out, spend like 10 minutes foam rolling, especially the muscles that are sore. You can also do it a few hours later if that's better for you. 

Sir what else can we do? What about active recovery? Shouldn't we just rest if we're sore? Rest is good, but just laying around might not be the best. What do you mean? Active recovery is better. Keep moving, but at a low intensity.

So like cool downs and easy stuff like walking or swimming. Does it actually work, though? The research says, yes.

Active recovery, whether it's right after your workout or in the days after, is better at reducing soreness than just resting. How can we do active recovery? Well, I always recommend cooling down for 5 to 10 minutes after your workout, especially leg day.

And the type of activity you choose for active recovery matters.

If you just did a heavy leg workout, do some light cycling. If it was an upper body day, rowing or swimming would be better. So match the active recovery to the muscles you work.

What about supplements? Is there anything out there that can just make the soreness.  It probably is. 

A lot of the research on supplements isn't really conclusive, but omega-3 fatty acids show some promise.

They help with way more than just muscle recovery. Omega-3s are super important for your heart, your brain, even your mood. But there have been studies that show if you take one to three grams of omega-3s every day, it can actually make your post-workout soreness a lot less.

But don't forget about actual food.

Try to eat fatty fish at least twice a week. What about caffeine? Does that help with soreness? Believe it or not, there is some evidence that it might.

It has been found caffeine is more for energy before a workout. It is, but the studies that show it helps with soreness used a lot of caffeine, like 400 milligrams. That's like four cups of coffee.

But interesting nonetheless, are there any other supplements we should know about? Well, there's taurine, L-citrulline, and L-glutamine. They've shown some potential in early studies.

So more to come in the future. The world of supplements is constantly changing.

But before we get too excited about supplements, we need to remember that easing into a workout program is super important, especially if you're new to exercise or haven't worked out in a while. Starting off too hard is definitely a recipe for disaster. 

Go slow, gradually increase how hard and how much you work out over a few weeks so your body can adapt. Slow and steady wins the race. 

It is, and it shows how different everyone's experience with exercise can be. What works for one person might not work for another, so it's important to experiment and find what works best for you.

It’s not just about the physical stuff either. Our mindset probably matters too. 

Your mind can actually make the soreness feel worse. 

It's all about the mind-body connection.(6:04) More and more research is coming out about how they influence each other during exercise. So if we're always thinking about how sore we're going to be, maybe we should try to think about it differently, like how we can workout effectively and efficiently with very less soreness and with more enjoyment. 

Mindfulness helps you pay attention to how your body feels and how it judges it, and positive self-talk helps you think about those feelings in a more helpful way.

So instead of thinking, I'm so sore, we could think my muscles are getting stronger. Change the story you're telling yourself.

It's amazing how much our mindset can affect how we feel physically. And you know, everyone experiences soreness differently.

Some people can do a crazy workout and be fine the next day, and some people are in agony. Genetics play a role, your training history, all sorts of things.

And some types of exercise make you sorer than others too, right? Eccentric training is a big one.

Eccentric training is when you focus on the lengthening part of a muscle contraction. So like lowering the weight during a bicep curl. 

OR going down during a squat. That's eccentric movement. So the opposite of when you're lifting the weight, shortening the muscle. That's the concentric phase.

Eccentric training puts more stress on your muscle fiber so it causes more damage and more soreness. So basically, if you're doing a lot of eccentric exercises, you're probably going to be sore afterwards. 

But the important thing is to pay attention to your body and find that sweet spot where you're challenging yourself enough to grow without going overboard. Find the balance between pushing your limits and listening to your body. 

That's where warming up properly, gradually increasing your workouts, and giving yourself enough recovery time comes in.

It's like my body is giving me feedback. I push my muscles and they tell me how they're doing with soreness. 

A feedback loop. The more you understand your body signals, the better you'll get at training. So even if you don't feel sore after a workout, it doesn't mean you didn't work hard enough.

Soreness is just one sign that your muscles are adapting. You can be getting stronger without feeling sore.

And as you get fitter, you'll probably be less sore even when you're working out harder. So it's not about trying to avoid soreness completely. It’s about understanding it, knowing how to manage it, and even seeing it as a sign of progress.

Changing your perspective can make a big difference.

It's about understanding the science behind it, paying attention to your body, and using that information to adjust your training.

And maybe even looking at soreness as a sign that you're on the right track. It means you're pushing yourself and getting stronger.

Now, there are a few other things about muscle soreness we could talk about. We've covered so much about muscle soreness.

The science, how to recover, and even how to think about it differently. It really is a multifaceted topic, isn't it? And it just goes to show you how unique everyone's experience with exercise can be. 

What works for one person might not work for someone else. That's why it's so important to try different things and figure out what your body responds to best.

It's not just about what we do physically. Our mindset seems to play a big role too. If you go into a workout already dreading how sore you're going to be, you're probably going to feel it more.

So maybe instead of being afraid of the soreness, we should try to see it as a positive sign. That's a great idea. It's about shifting our perspective from something negative to something we can learn from and even embrace.

It's not just about finding the right recovery techniques, it's also about understanding the mental and emotional side of things. And realizing that our bodies are incredibly adaptable. The more we challenge them, the stronger they get.

Keep experimenting, both physically and mentally, until you find what works for you. And remember, consistency is key. The more you work out, the better your body will adapt.

And the less soreness you'll probably feel over time. Your body will thank you for it later. So keep moving, keep learning, and keep pushing yourselves.

It can be a sign that you're getting stronger and closer to your goals.

Use this principles, you will surely gain lean muscles faster!

I am gonna unlock some serious muscle-building secrets.

It’s all about the evidence-based approach. No crazy fads or bro science. Just solid science-backed strategies. So what's the secret sauce? What makes this approach so different? Well, one of the things that blew my mind was this idea of stretch mediated hypertrophy.

Have you heard of that? So basically it means your muscles actually grow faster when you challenge them in a stretched position like imagine you're doing a bicep curl the idea is that focusing on that full range of motion that deep stretch could actually lead to better results than just lifting the heaviest weight possible. It's like stretching a rubber band the further you stretch it the more tension. It's all about maximizing the tension on those muscle fibers through the entire range of motion. Studies on biceps triceps quads hamstrings. They've all shown this effect. So it's not just about brute force. It's about finesse.

You gotta work smarter not just harder. How Incline curls emphasize that stretched position might actually be more effective for bicep growth than preacher curls. I've always been a preacher curl guy and for triceps overhead extensions again because of that greater stretch seem to outperform traditional triceps pushdowns. So how do we put this into practice like do we have to ditch all our favorite exercises and totally revamp our routines? Well, not necessarily the key is to make sure you're including at least one exercise per muscle group that really targets that stretched position. So like what are some examples of exercises that really hit that sweet spot that stretched position? Well, some great suggestions for biceps. It’s been recommended behind the body curls. For shoulders behind the body lateral raises and for hamstrings.

It’s been suggested seated leg curls for glutes. Bulgarian split squats Bulgarian split squats those are brutal. They are tough but effective. But it’s been realized that sometimes that focus on lifting heavier came at the expense of proper form and full range of motion.

The deep stretch brought about by light weight but more perfectly done the crazy part is muscles responded even better. So sometimes less is more. But I imagine that takes a lot of mental discipline. Most people are kind of programmed to think that heavier equals better. It's a mindset shift for sure. But remember the goal isn't to impress anyone at the gym with how much you can lift. It's about challenging your muscles in the most effective way to stimulate growth. Using lighter weights and focusing on the stretch. Also emphasizing the importance of pushing close to failure during each set. But here's the thing. He even admitted that for  training as intensely as could be and really pushing those boundaries really getting uncomfortable that he saw significant growth.

Well research suggests that getting within about three reps of failure is key for maximizing muscle growth. But isn't there a risk of injury if you're constantly pushing to failure like that? There's always a risk with any kind of exercise, right? But that's where proper form and listening to your body come in. We often underestimate our capabilities and end our sets too early.

But the real growth the real magic happens when you step outside of that comfort zone and embrace that feeling of pushing your limits safely. 

Challenging yourself, but not being reckless. That you're pushing those boundaries and triggering muscle growth. 

Visualize yourself. Completing those reps.

But all this talk about pushing our limits it makes wonder about the other side of the equation recovery.

So it's not just about rest days. It's about managing your overall training volume throughout the week. So just to clarify training volume refers to the total amount of work. You're doing the number of sets and reps are performing each week. So even if you're taking rest days you could still be over training if you're pushing too hard during your workouts.

Constantly being sore feeling may drain progress. By cutting back to five days a week to a routine of four slightly longer workouts with an optional accessory day works best. Your energy levels will shoot up. You fell more excited to train and your muscles will have adequate time to recover and rebuild. So the takeaway here is to pay attention to your body. If you're constantly feeling beat up and your performance is suffering it might be time to dial back the volume. 

It's about striking that balance where you're challenging yourself enough to stimulate growth, but also allowing for adequate recovery. Now, let's talk about the fuel that powers all this muscle growth - nutrition. Yes, nutrition helps in lean bulking.

Doing it in a controlled way minimizes fat gain. So you're still eating more than you're burning. You aim for a more modest surplus. Typically around 10 to 15 percent above your maintenance calories. So it's like finding that sweet spot where you're giving your muscles enough fuel to grow without packing on too much fat. But I imagine it takes a lot of discipline to stick to a lean bulk, especially when you see your physique changing. The mental challenge of accepting some fat gain as part of the muscle building process. It's easy to get caught up in the desire to be shredded year-round but sometimes you have to prioritize the long-term goal. But there's one more crucial ingredient that ether emphasizes and that's Patience. We live in a world of instant gratification.

The fact that building muscle takes serious time muscle growth is a slow and steady process. Especially once you're past those beginner games.  Trust the process and celebrate those small victories along the way. It's like anything worthwhile. It takes dedication and consistency. Consistent effort and evidence-based principles really can lead to remarkable transformations. What would you say are the most important takeaways for someone who wants to build muscle faster?First shift your focus from simply lifting heavy to strategically challenging your muscles. Incorporate exercises that emphasize the stretch position and don't be afraid to reduce the weight if it means achieving a fuller range of motion and better muscle activation quality over quantity and starting to see a rhythm. Then there's the mental game. Embrace the discomfort of pushing close to failure. Think of that burn is a signal that you're breaking down muscle fibers and triggering growth.

But it's not all about pushing hard all the time. You can't forget about recovery right manage your training volume to make sure your body has adequate time to rebuild and get stronger. Sometimes taking a step back can actually move you two steps forward. Next is nutrition for lean bulking approach. Seems like a sustainable way to fuel muscle growth without going overboard on calories. It's a balanced approach that emphasizes slow and steady progress.

And finally remember that patience is your secret weapon. Muscle growth takes time so celebrate those small gains and trust that consistency will ultimately lead to the results you're looking for.

Mediated Stretch highlights the importance of understanding how our muscles work and applying that knowledge to our training. So it's like we're not just mindlessly going through the motions at the gym. It makes you rethink the whole approach to exercise. It does and it's a perfect example of why it's so important to stay curious and keep learning. Yes, there are always new discoveries and perspectives that can transform our results. The question is how can you actually apply it to your own training?

Start by honestly assessing your current program. Are you prioritizing exercises that emphasize that stretch position? Are you pushing close to failure? Are you managing your training volume effectively? Are you fueling your body properly? Those are great questions to consider. Even small changes can make a big difference. Maybe you incorporate one new exercise per muscle group that emphasizes the stretch Or you push just a little bit closer to failure during your next workout. You could experiment with reducing your training volume and see how your body responds Or tweak your calorie intake to find that sweet spot for lean bulking. So many possibilities.

The key is to just start somewhere and make adjustments. Take action evaluate your progress and listen to your body. And most importantly remember that patience is key. Don't get discouraged if you don't see dramatic results overnight. It's all about consistency over time. Remember it may take a year and a half of dedicated effort to see those impressive results.

It's about showing up putting in the work and staying committed to the process. Rethinking about these principles might apply for muscle growth.

Leg Press is better for Legs Hypertrophy and Less Prone to Injuries

Not skipping leg day keeps the doctor away. But which is better for the leg hypertrophy? Is it the leg press or is it the age old barbell back squats? Squats engages multiple muscle groups, the quads, the glutes, spinal erectors, the core and less optimally the hands. It enhances overall lower body strength and functionality.

But squats require balance, technique making them potentially riskier if form breaks down. Leg press on the other hand isolates the quadricep muscle a bit more than the barbell back squats. The need to stabilize the body on a leg press machine is eradicated.

It also eliminates the need for core and spinal erector engagement through hardcore breathing and breathing techniques. Leg press eliminates the axle loading on the spine. It's easier to learn, less riskier and more joint friendly compared to a barbell back squat.

But to understand which is better for hypertrophy, we need to analyze this freaking study. 24 healthy male subjects with prior resistance training experience were divided into two groups. Freeway training groups who performed exercises like squats and bench press.

Machine based training group who used machines for similar movement patterns. Training program guidelines were as follows. 8 weeks of structured training.

3 sessions per week. Progressive overload was applied in both groups. Measured outcomes were 1RM strength in squats and bench press.

They also measured power output using vertical jump and sprints. The study concluded that freeway training is more effective for improving strength and power in dynamic functional contexts, particularly for athletes. Machine based training was beneficial for strength improvements in isolated muscle groups and to be more suitable for beginners and rehab cases.

This study underscores the importance of exercise selection which should align with your goals. If you are a fake nadi power lifter like singa, then barbell back squats is likely better for you. If you are a natural bodybuilder like Athar Choudhry aka not so fit, who has a lot of back issues, then leg press is likely better for you, especially for the core hypertrophy.

Myths about cardio, and how to achieve a sustainable, enjoyable and fruitful way of exercising, dieting and recovering to foster health, wellness and longevity in life?

Well, one of the things that Ethier talks about in his research is the concept called the constrained energy model.

So it basically suggests that when you increase your cardio a lot in a significant amount your body kind of compensates.

I mean cardio is great for you, you know for your health in general. But our bodies are pretty smart. They want to save energy whenever possible. So if all of a sudden you're doing a ton of cardio, it might try to save energy in other different and many ways so maybe you're less fidgety throughout the day or you take fewer steps almost as if it's trying to hold on to those fat stores.

if you burned 300 calories on the treadmill, that doesn't mean you have a 300 calorie deficit for the day. There are even people who experience something called diet compensation where they kind of subconsciously eat a bit more after a cardio session to offset the calories that they've burned. It’s like a built-in mechanism.

Well, that becomes crucial when you're in a calorie deficit.

Because it helps you preserve the muscle mass you've worked so hard to gain. So then cardio is that like extra boost. You can think of it as like a supplemental tool that accelerates your progress once your diet and weight training are on point.

Let's talk about the pro bodybuilders Alberto and Lee how do these guys who are masters at getting lean actually incorporate cardio. They actually minimize cardio initially really and they focus more on manipulating their diet and then if their fat loss stalls then they'll strategically increase their cardio. So it's almost like a secret weapon. But what they do emphasize is the importance of steps as it's technically called NEAT non-exercise activity. Basically, it's all the calories you burn outside of your workouts. So walking fidgeting doing chores around the house all that good stuff and it can make a big difference.

And from just doing that he lost like 30 pounds before he even added any dedicated cardio sessions. 

So it sounds like they kind of use their step count as a way to fine-tune their calorie expenditure without like drastically changing their workout routine.

So when they do incorporate cardio, they don't go super hard right away. They don't gradually increase the volume. They always make sure to prioritize recovery too and they tend to favor lower impact activities like cycling or using the elliptical.

And the goal is to preserve muscle while you're losing fat. So if you're always super sore you not gonna be able to perform your best in your weight training.

What about like dropping cardio completely after you finished a diet phase. Well a fitness scientist a natural bodybuilder named. Dr. Eric Trexler actually warns against that. He says that can actually lead to weight regain. So it sounds like even if you reach your goal weight, it's still important to maintain at least a moderate amount of activity. He suggests aiming for like at least 150 minutes per week just to help regulate hunger and prevent that weight from creeping back on so it really is about finding that sustainable approach. 

We also know cardio has a role to play for sure. So what kind of cardio are Alberto and Lee doing specifically. Well, they're big fans of variety. So some days they might be doing incline walking other days. It's cycling or even swimming. So it's not just about slogging away on the treadmill. People need to know what encourages them to find activities that align with their interests.

So number one cardio alone isn't as effective for fat loss as we might have thought because our bodies are smart and find ways to compensate right and then we have to remember the holy trinity diet weight training and then cardio. Yes diet is like the foundation. Weight training helps preserve muscle and then cardio that's our little extra boost.

And then don't underestimate the power of daily steps even if you can't make it to the gym just moving around more throughout the day can make a big difference. And emphasizing finding cardio activities that you actually enjoy that you can stick with. Even after you hit those goals.

Let's figure out a sustainable approach that actually works for sure.

Especially, if you're already like eating well and you have a strengths training routine and if you have a job where you're already on your feet a lot is awesome. 

If you're a server or a personal trainer you probably don't need like formal cardio on top of that. It's all about like figuring out your own context. But if you are mostly sitting all day you need at least 7,000 steps in a day.

You don't have to stick with just one cardio thing either. You can switch it up throughout the week or even in one workout.

Dr. Trexler said you need at least 150 minutes of activity every week even after you hit your goals just for overall health and weight management.

Consistency is key it is better to do a little bit regularly than to burn yourself out. It is and it's all about building that sustainable habit. Something you can keep up over time and don't be afraid to have fun. Your movement has so many benefits. It does beyond just like shrinking your waistline boosts mood and energy levels and cognitive function. It strengthens your bones and muscles. It reduces your risk of chronic diseases. It helps manage stress and you can add movement into so many parts of your life.

It’s about being conscious. Movement throughout the day not just when you're at the gym and as you start to notice those benefits.

It's not about perfection. It's about progress and consistency. It’s just finding something you can stick with.

Not only achieving a certain look or whatever, it’s more about how it makes you feel like mentally emotionally physically stable and stronger. So it's not just about hitting the gym for an hour. It's about finding ways to move throughout the day. 

It takes the pressure off you. It’s like celebrating what your body can do.

It's so much more than just like burning calories are trying to lose weight. It is it's about taking care of yourself  mentally emotionally physically. Rethink your own relationship with movement you know find ways to make it a more enjoyable part of your life. Keep exploring keep moving and keep celebrating all the amazing things your body can do.