Welcome back to this week’s edition of 2-Minute Tuesdays where we are talking about one exercise topic for two minutes and giving you three reasons why you should follow our advice. Now this week we are talking to those of you who are experiencing some post-workout soreness. How can you still exercise and what things should you keep in mind if you are feeling sore from your last workout?
1) Let The Sore Areas Rest
Tip number one – if you are experiencing post-workout soreness, that means the sore area of your body is still trying to recover from your previous workout. The first tip is to make sure you are letting the sore areas rest and you are avoiding working those areas.
Action Step: If your upper body is feeling sore from your last workout, make sure to hit the legs today and let the sore muscles rest. The opposite goes for if the legs are sore. Wherever you are feeling it, give that area of your body the day off.
Related: 3 Reasons To Move Slowly When You Lift Weights
2) Plan To Do A Lighter Workout Overall
Tip number two – make sure to plan to do something lighter overall if you are still sore. Plan to do less exercise than you normally would if you are experiencing post-workout soreness. You body is clearly telling you that it needs time to recover, so you need to back off the intensity and increase your recovery.
Action Step: If you are feeling sore, consider cutting your workout to 75% of what you would otherwise do. While this will still provide some challenge, it won’t overwork your body.
Related: How To Build Muscle Without Tearing Up Your Joints
3) Keep Notes Of Your Workouts
Tip number three: start keeping notes of your weight training workouts, whether it is the amount of reps, the volume, or the amount of weight that you are using. You have learned that you have overdone it with your past workout, so if you can start figuring out what is the perfect amount of exercise, then you can keep exercising and get all of the gains without the negative repercussions of soreness.
Action Step: Have a workout journal that you bring with you to the gym. Write down all of the exercises you do, the amount of weight, and the number of sets and reps. This will also help keep you accountable to your workouts, too!