Why Over Exercising Causes Muscle Pain And How To Recover Quickly

It seems like any other day...

You pack your bag. You set off on your merry way towards your holy shrine, the gym.

As you approach the entrance, you see someone waiting for you.

It looks like your buddy, they are standing the same way as they usually do.

But today, something is different.

Today, they have a devilish grin on their face that says "we're going hard".

A shiver runs down your spine.

Reluctantly, you nod and make your way inside.

After a short, but competitive jog, you load up the weights and your 'friend' goes first.

They blast out the first set, look you head to toe and tag you in.

You take a deep breathe in through your nostrils in an effort to psyche yourself up.

Then let it out on the weights.

Rep. Breath. Rep. Breath. Rep.

Your buddy / nemesis gives a nod of somewhat approval.

A thought crosses your mind...maybe you're off the hook?

Seconds later, they can be seen increasing the weight.

Apparently not!

They power through the set and lay the weights out for you.

Well, challenge accepted then!

You get down to it, punishing yourself in the name of pride.

Heave. Breathe. Heave. Breathe. Heave!

They increase the weight again, this time way out of your comfort-zone.

You begrudgingly pick them up, try the first rep and realise it's really quite heavy.

Perhaps too much.

Stubbornly, you decide to throw down the gauntlet.

Struggling through every single one, you can feel your muscles straining.

And then, it happens.

Your pull a muscle.

The weights drop to the floor.

And the competition ends.

Your training partner immediately switches back to 'friend-mode', apologising for pushing you too hard.

The damage is done though and you know it would be reckless to continue.

Why You're Feeling So Uncomfortable

It's natural to want to push yourself and your friends harder when exercising.

After all, the only way for your muscles to get stronger is to encourage the fibres to tear.

Wherein during recovery, they'll grow back bigger.

However, if you push too far out of your comfort-zone, it can cause substantial tears that cause your muscles to lock up, preventing them from moving freely.

Not only is it frustrating, being unable to reach the top shelf because you're stiff can also be incredibly painful too!

How To Get Rid Of Muscle Pain

Option 1. Stretch

Simply by stretching your muscles, you can get a light level of relief from muscle pain.

You'll get even better results if you make a regular habit of practicing yoga every morning.

Option 2. Pain Killers

If you're in a large amount of pain, it may be difficult to get relief  by stretching alone.

An over the counter pain killer such as paracetamol or ibuprofen can help you to temporarily alleviate the pain.

Note: We don't recommend this option as a long-term solution.

Option 3. Massage Therapy

The simplest and easiest way of getting rid of muscle tension is through massage therapy.

By applying a firm pressure to the knotted areas, they will become loosened.

This will allow you to move freely again, get relief from pain and concentrate at work again.

Recommended Treatment:

Sports Massage

A firm massage treatment focuses on releasing specific muscles areas that have triggered as a result of strenuous exercise or injury.