in an effort to become a total axeman i did a bunch of push ups the other day and now my muscles hurt so much i can't even do one. i did a bit of stretching 'fore and aft' but i mustn't have done enough.

what do i do to make the muscle ache go away? should i take steroids?

Not much you can do for that. Eventually your muscles will stop hurting as much... but the pain means gain, and as gay as that sounds it's true. There are some supplements you can take that reduce the recovery time from a workout, but if you're doing effective exercise you're always going to feel the burn.

Calcium and Magnesium Tablets along with Vitamin E capsuas (to help circulate them) and lots of massages

I may be making this up but i vaguely remember protein helps after a big workout?

HAHAHHAHAHHAHAH fitness newbies...

just shutup and LIFT!

kfc ?

My mates who go to the same gym as Acetame said he ain't all that, so disregard what he says.

Hah... they are saying that if he put on some more muscles he would look decent, but his size is all genetics and not gym workout.

gyms suck.
Pushups, chinups and mountain biking ftw.

last edited by Vash at 20:30:18 23/Feb/06

ice gel ftw

take steroids.

holding myself inside a thrashing 4x4 is all the workout i need

yeah quit being a bitch, take it like a man and get back out there

Calcium and Magnesium Tablets along with Vitamin E capsuas (to help circulate them) and lots of massages

massage my penis plz

what do i do to make the muscle ache go away? should i take steroids?

Dont be a fat lazy nerd all your life such that you are left with muscles so unconditioned that the slightest excercise causes them to go into critical failure?

Seriously, if you have been out of excercise for a while, no matter how hard you stretch, youll have an ache or two after. Next time you wont and the time after that youll have forgotten about this first one.

last edited by qmass at 21:47:10 23/Feb/06

gyms suck.
Pushups, chinups and mountain biking ftw.

that use to be my idea aswell. i should probably get back into it use to do situps pushups and chinups (but the cloths line doesn't like it, so i need a new bar location)

Massage the muscles to get the acid out of them and drink copious water

Go to the gym often, but spend most of your time in the changing room wearing a towl.

what do i do to make the muscle ache go away?

keep eating good food, keep getting enough sleep and let a couple of days go by

rinse repeat

no real solution here, although training until you want to throw up is the best for most, if you haven't exercised much before, you're going to be feeling quite sore for a few days, i myself did a chest and back exercise on wednesday morning, couldn't move for an hour after cos i thought i would throw up, and i'm quite sore now, but i can't take supplements as often as most people so i have to just recover normally.

the pains you are feeling is called DOMS - Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness.

Dealing with muscle pain after exercise
Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) after exercise is not uncommon, particularly if you are just beginning exercise program or changing activities. For those starting a new exercise routine or learning a new sport, some muscle soreness may be felt from 12-48 hours following the activity. You may also experience muscle stiffness, fatigue and weakness. Rest assured, this is a normal response to unusual exertion as the muscles adapt to the new stress. Over time this adaptation leads to greater muscle strength and endurance and the same activity will no longer result in soreness. Delayed onset muscle soreness is generally the worst within the first 2 days following the activity and subsides over the next few days.

Causes of DOMS
It is thought that delayed onset muscle soreness is the result of microscopic tearing of the muscle fibers.

The amount of tearing (and soreness) depends on the activity, the intensity and the time of the activity. Any movement you aren't used to can lead to DOMS, but eccentric muscle contraction (movements that cause muscle to contract while it lengthens) seem to cause the most soreness. Examples of eccentric muscle contractions include going down stairs, running downhill, lowering weights and the downward motion of squats and push-ups. In addition to small muscle tears there can be associated swelling in a muscle which may contribute to soreness.

Preventing DOMS
While DOMS is common and annoying, it is not a necessary part of getting into shape. There are many things you can do to prevent, avoid and shorten DOMS. Here are a few tips:

* Warm up thoroughly before activity and cool down completely afterward.
* Perform easy stretching after exercise.
* When beginning a new activity start gradually and build up your time and intensity over time.
* Start a new weight lifting routine with light weights and high reps (10-12) and gradually increase the amount you lift over several weeks.
* Avoid making sudden major changes in the type of exercise you do.
* Avoid making sudden major changes in the amount of time that you exercise.

Too Late! You are Already Sore.
Here are some tips for treating delayed soreness:

* Wait. Soreness will go away in 3 to 7 days with no special treatment.
* Avoid any vigorous activity that increases pain.
* Do some easy low-impact aerobic exercise - this will increase blood flow to the affected muscles, which may help diminish soreness.
* Use the RICE method of treating injuries.
* Use gentle stretching om the affected area.
* Gently massage the affected muscles,
* Try using a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication (aspirin or ibuprofen) to reduce the soreness temporarily, though they won't actually speed healing.
* There is some evidence that vitamin C may decrease soreness.
* Allow the soreness to subside thoroughly before performing any vigorous exercise.
* Don't forget to warm up completely before your next exercise session.

Awesome post Mav. I found out yesterday I've lost 10kgs since I stopped playing soccer 2 months ago, so it's about time I got back into the flow. I probably would have gone for a few beach runs for 1/2 hr or so. Maybe that's not the best idea now :S

Just put up with the pain for now and next time you attempt something like this take it slow.

Nothing wrong with taking things slow.

Get some sick morbid person to massage the knots out.

so you are offering

Sorry, I don't cackle while pressing on a knot.