Muscle recovery

[waverly]

I don't post here often, so I hope you don't mind.  My chiropractor says that reason I am getting tight is because I am not taking care of my muscles after activity.  I am not really working out, so I don't think to do muscle recovery.  This is more like shoveling snow (I always get lower back pain), or recreational activities I do once a year so my muscles are not built up for it like basketball or kayaking, or hiking.  I did train for hiking by walking on an incline, but it always ends up being more strenuous than what I trained for. 


Any short cool down/ stretching routines that you do to help muscle tightness after activities? Typically I am tight everywhere lol, but hamstrings, hips, back both upper and lower, neck and feet. I do like to do yoga, but I was in so much muscle pain I couldn't do it, and that is why I ended up going to see a chiropractor, and I also saw a physical therapist which has been about a year ago now. The PT routine was more aimed at one problem area rather than overall. 

[Wines Not Whines]

I do a very general stretching routine that takes 2-5 minutes, depending on where I am and how much time I have. I should do more, but I’m terrible about it. I stretch quads, hamstrings, glutes, hip flexors, IT band, and calves. Sometimes I do upper and lower back, chest, and shoulders. These are all very basic stretches, nothing unusual or unique. I’m sure you can find photos or pictograms online. The stretching helps, but I’m still sore and tired the next day if I do a tough workout, especially if it’s something new. It definitely doesn’t stop all soreness.

[winecat]

Try yin yoga. It helps stretch the fascia which should help a lot.

[sadlebred]

If you don't workout and aren't active, you'll have muscle soreness no matter how you stretch after being active. You are better off being active than stretching once in a while.

[waverly]

I do jog and walk on an incline for working out. I mean my activity is not a workout that I prepare for and then do a cool down. It is something unexpected that I can't prepare for. Like I don't know I will be kayaking on vacation- we just decide to do it 2 days beforehand, so I can't prepare my muscles and then I don't do a cool down like I should, I suppose.

I mean I guess I will know I have to shovel 2-3 times a winter, but I think I would rather just opt out of shoveling then exercise to get ready for it lol. But I do need to do something to work on that because even the smallest bit of shoveling leads to back pain.

I am not sure why my legs were getting tight honestly. The Chiro also seemed to think it was from being on a plane and the activities I did on vacation. So basically when I go and am tight she is like well that is because of things you do in life- obviously, but doesn't really explain what I should do to prevent it and just says I am not taking care of my muscles.

[Wines Not Whines]

If your body isn’t used to exercise, then doing a lot of exercise all of a sudden will make you sore. I don’t think there’s any way around it.

[foundmylazybum]

Well, I think you can minimize your soreness by doing some general stretching after you get done with your exercises and movement. I think a little bit your post is really broad and general, so maybe I would start with something broad and general in terms of an overall body stretching routine. Something that is going to work all the major groups.

It could be beginners yoga or something like that..personally I'd get into the routine maybe 1-3 a week now, before you do your activities just bc that's the definition of routine and it might even be preventative.

[wawa]

[meganiv]

Check on youtube yoga with Adriene. "Deep stretch" 45 min workout is perfect thing to do for all the things you mentioned. I did that workout dozen of times already and every time i feel so awesome after that. There are also few things which can be found in online pharmacy and help for muscle recovery : Fatty acid supplement, magnesium supplement and protein supplement (probably the best from those three).