FFF Diva Operation Boot Camp Advice: "The Art of Being Sore"

From my friends at Operation Boot Camp - San Jose:

Many of you have been experiencing extreme soreness/knee issues/shin splints etc. Remember that soreness is expected after a hard workout, and is even a good reminder that you are working hard and building muscle! However joint issues and other types of chronic pain following a workout should be minimized if at all possible. There are absolutely things you can do to reduce it BESIDES halting your workouts. The top 2 things we recommend that you do are:

#1: Purchase new good quality running shoes if your current pair is over 9-12 months old. We highly recommend "Runner's Revolution" in Campbell. They will watch your gait on a treadmill, look at your feet, listen to your concerns, and then recommend a shoe for you. Mention that you are with OBC and they will give you a discount as well. Shoes will be more pricey here than other places, but every pair that i have ever purchased there have been incredible on my feet. Rather than spending less on several pairs of shoes that end up giving me blisters or other issues, i spend more on a pair that lasts me longer and treats my feet kindly- it's worth it.

#2: Learn how to stretch using a foam-roller. The technique is called self-myofascial release, and works wonders on tight knotted-up muscles, which is OFTEN the cause of joint and chronic pain. Talk to one of us if you would like to get your hands on a roll, which are super cheap, and we can show you some easy stretches to start doing at home.


7 Tips on Dealing with Exercise-Induced Pain
By Steve Edwards



I often get complaints from clients about being sore. Statements like "I thought exercise was going to make me feel good, but now I feel worse than ever" are somewhat common with people who are new to exercising. And there's not too much for me to tell them. The fact is that if we have any desire on changing our body for the better, we are going to spend some time being sore. It's inevitable. Fact of life: there is some pain associated with the ultimate pleasure of being fit.

But that doesn't mean you have to take it sitting down! If you anticipate, plan, and take the proper steps, you can minimize your soreness. Whenever you do something physical that you're not used to, you get sore. What this means is that most of you reading this are going to get sore—maybe really, really sore—along your road to fitness. But I can help, because I've been through every level of soreness possible, from the "ahhh, I'm starting a new program" feeling to "@#&!, I can't walk" misery. Here are seven ways to mimic the former statement, and avoid the latter.

Embrace the pain. This idea is going to be foreign to many of you but eventually you're going to learn that a little soreness means you've embarked on something that is good for you. The first time, however, you're going to have to show a little faith. Whenever I switch up my training, I go through an initial period of soreness (like today). While it's always bothersome, say, when it hurts to take off my shoes, I know that it's only temporary and that it's an important step along the road to my goal. So I embrace it. Sure, it hurts. But it hurts in a good way. A great way even. I love the beginning of a new training cycle because I know that once I work through the pain I'm going to be fitter than before. In fact, when I haven't had a period of soreness in a while, I start to feel like a slacker.

Anticipate. Remember that I said I knew I was going to get sore? You are too! So don't go full out on your first day. It's normal to get excited on day 1. You've got a new package in the mail and visions of you walking down the beach turning heads are probably dancing in your head. This is great, but keep your wits about you. You're not going to get that way tomorrow or the next day. Hammering through your first workout could end up delaying your program two weeks while you recover from your exuberance. You'll get sore anyway. Next day, push a bit harder. Next day, a bit harder still.

Eat well. The more you exercise, the better you need to eat. Junk won't fuel your muscles properly. This is especially true if you are trying to lose weight because you are eating less than you need to sustain your body. So what you eat becomes vital. The better you eat, the less sore you'll become. Try to exercise on an empty stomach and then eat a small snack about an hour after finishing your workout. This will greatly help the recovery process and reduce soreness.

Stretch. After you work out. The more time you can spend doing extra stretching at the end of your workout the better you'll recover. Don't stretch your muscles when cold, as you'll risk injuring them further. An extra 10 minutes after you work out, however, can do wonders. Also, easy movements and stretches both at night before bed and first thing in the morning helps your blood circulate better and will also improve your recovery time.