Combating Soreness

Wow. Today I am sore. More sore than I have been in a while. It’s mostly from the new exercise added to my work-out, called Turkish get-ups (see video in previous post). Sore is a good thing and a bad thing. Sore means you worked your muscles, and they learned something new. Sore also means you will hobble around like a 90 year-old for the next day or so.

I started thinking this morning about ways to combat the soreness. My day started off with the usual hot shower, which I believe helps. I did some stretches at my desk, and I am not allowing myself to sit for too long. I also had a nice helping of protein for breakfast, and most important: WATER. I think we tend to overlook just how much water helps us in building muscles and in recovery.

Sure, we drink water while dieting because we are told to. When we start to maintain our weight, we tend to not drink so much and fall into old habits. At least, I have in the past. Then there are those of us who claim not to like water, and “hide” water with things like flavored drink powders with artificial sweeteners. I don’t count that as water. That’s just another sweet drink to me. And, studies have shown those drinks do nothing but make you crave sugar – DIET BUSTER!

Protein is the most common muscle helper after a good workout. I find that when I eat some egg whites after a long workout, I do feel better all around. I also make sure each and every breakfast, snack, lunch and dinner contains some kind of protein. I’m not a fan of high protein diets, but protein at each meal has made a difference for me in the past month. I have lost fat and gained lean muscle mass, and I attribute that not only hard work, but eating properly to support my work-outs. I also read today that including protein in your breakfast will aid in not overeating the rest of the day.

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GOOD THINGS:

• The pedestrian overpass is ALMOST complete over Telegraph Rd - soon the West Bloomfield Trail  and the Clinton River Trail will be connected! Very excited! I use both trails frequently.
• I was able to stay in my 40/30/30 Zone today, even treating myself to a Baja Salad at Rio Wraps
• Even though I was super sore today, I had a fantastic work-out!

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TONIGHT'S WORK-OUT

• Run to dead end and back (~.8 miles)
• repeater straight punches on heavy bag - 2 minutes
• down-ups - 2 minutes
• repeater straight punches on heavy bag - 2 minutes
• down-ups - 2 minutes
• repeater straight punches on heave bag - 1 minute
• down-ups - 1 minute
• ladder of straight punches, bicycle crunches, and leg scissors (100, 75, 50, 25)
• run to dead end and back
• repeat ladder
• run to dead end and back
• 5 dive-bomber push-ups
• 10 heavy kettle bell swings
• 15 deep rows on TRX bands
• 20 heavy kettle bell thrusters
• run to dead end and back
• repeat 5 times from dive bombers and down
• stretch

Egg beaters for dinner! Recovery time!