0
Your Cart
No items found.
Product is not available in this quantity.
There is a common misconception surrounding muscle fatigue and soreness, whereby people will often see the measure of their workout’s effectiveness by how sore or fatigued they are, rather than viewing these things just as a natural outcome of physical activity. In this article, we will break down the science, and the misconceptions as well as some advice for dealing with fatigue and muscle soreness, ultimately helping you to ensure that your training is purposeful, sustainable and result focused.
The first thing we must address and clarify is that fatigue and muscle soreness are physiological responses to training stress. Soreness and fatigue occur due to microtears to the muscle fibres, lactic acid build up, and energy depletion. Whilst we can certainly see these physiological responses as an indication that the body is adapting to new stimuli, these things should never be the goal. Simply being tired and sore is not a sign of workout effectiveness (Ref, Ref). We must shift our mindset away from trying to exhaust ourselves to training smarter and with the intention of long-term progression.
When we make training to fatigue the focus of our training, the real purposes of improving our performance, strength, skill development and fitness all become overshadowed (Ref). We must remember that workouts are there to challenge within a structured framework, not to destroy the body so it cannot perform effectively in the next session.
By specifically going after muscle soreness or fatigue without taking adequate rest and recovery between sessions, we can lead ourselves to overtraining, which may increase our risk of injury, compromise our immune system and hinder our long term progress (Ref, Ref).
The body’s ability to adapt relies on being able to recover efficiently. When we accumulate fatigue without resolution, we can disrupt the repair process, leaving our muscles underprepared for future workouts and demands.
As you can see by the graphic below a positive adaptation allows time for recovery whereas a negative adaptation can occur when the recovery potential is reduce or when you are chasing muscle soreness and fatigue.
We carried out a survey measuring the main things that people struggle with in training/fitness. The top three issues that came out with fatigue, energy and muscle soreness.
Often referred to as Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, or DOMS, soreness in our muscles is a sensation we often get most when we try a new exercise or increase our workout intensity. Whilst it is common to get muscle soreness, it should not be debilitating for us. Here are some tips for helping mitigate muscle soreness and promoting recovery.
Nutrition underpins your recovery. To recover properly and efficiently, you must ensure that you are consuming enough calories to ensure your body has the resources to repair muscle fibres and replenish your glycogen stores for the next workout.
Incorporating more nutrient-dense foods in your diet will help support your overall recovery and potentially reduce inflammation. Look to be consuming mostly lean proteins, whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and minimise your intake of processed low nutrient foods.
Try to aim for 1.6 - 2g of protein per kg of body weight per day. Protein will provide the amino acids which are necessary for muscle repair and growth. By maximising the positive conditions for your muscles to repair properly, you can potentially decrease your muscle soreness. Look for sources like chicken, fish and tofu. Support your protein intake with protein powders like whey protein or plant protein.
Dehydration can promote soreness by impairing blood flow and efficient nutrient delivery. You should focus on your hydration, ensuring that you are drinking enough water, especially around exercise times, as well as further supporting it with an electrolyte supplement such as performance hydration and our electrolyte sachets.
Sleep is when the majority of your muscle recovery will occur. Getting enough deep sleep promotes the release of growth hormone, which is key for repairing tissues.
Make sure that you are incorporating rest days into your programme. These do not need to be complete days off; feel free to incorporate light activities such as stretching, yoga or walking on rest days to keep your blood flowing without adding further stress to your body.
Supplements like fish oil, curcumin, tart cherry juice and creatine monohydrate may aid recovery through their anti-inflammatory properties.
Managing your fatigue will often come from your pre-workout nutrition, with fatigue stemming most often from inadequate nutrition, poor hydration or lack of rest.
Energy expenditure increases with training intensity. Make sure that you are fuelling adequately with carbohydrates to provide the energy needed for higher intensity or longer sessions.
Start your sessions hydrated to maintain electrolyte balance and normal circulation and nutrient delivery. Consider hydration sachets for a convenient electrolyte boost.
For endurance athletes, consuming easily digestible carbs during sessions in the form of gels or drinks can help maintain your energy and delay the onset of fatigue.
Chronic fatigue often points to poor sleep quality. You should always aim for 7-9 hours of restorative sleep per night, with a sound sleep strategy such as reducing stress late at night, eating your last meal a few hours before bed, and no caffeine for 8-10 hours before bedtime.
The conclusion of this article? Fatigue and muscle soreness are inevitable in fitness, but they shouldn't be a focus. They are always byproducts, not goals, and there are many strategies such as prioritising recovery and listening to your body which can help you achieve long term progress without letting these two factors get in the way.
