Maximizing Manduu Results, Part 5: Dealing with Post-Workout Soreness
Manduu’s Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS) training is safe, effective and incredibly efficient. But there are things you should be doing outside of the studio to get the most benefits from your Manduu training.
A 15-minute training session at Manduu can equal six to eight hours of traditional strength training. That’s because our Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS) training program activates nine major muscle groups in your body during that short amount of time. That’s what makes Manduu the most safe and efficient workout on the market.
As opposed to conventional strength training, Manduu does wonders for increasing flexibility. But you may feel some temporary soreness or tightness after your session is over. This is totally normal, and a sign that your muscles needed to be stressed and that Manduu’s EMS training regimen is working correctly. In addition, soreness is a protective mechanism your body uses to keep you from doing additional damage to muscles.
The type of soreness that builds up 12-24 hours after a workout is known as delayed onset muscle soreness, or DOMS. According to the American College of Medicine, you put a novel amount of stress on your body while working out, including microscopic damage to your muscle fibers. This is what creates the soreness in your body.
While there is no way to instantly eliminate muscle soreness, and reducing pain is not the same as recovery, there are a few things you can try to relieve some of your post-workout discomfort:
To Heat or To Chill?
Is it better to slap an ice pack or a heated blanket onto a sore muscle? Well, both could help.
According to the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, your muscles produce chemical byproducts when you work out. Your body needs good blood flow to eliminate these byproducts. Applying heat to sore muscles increases blood flow in those areas, and can gradually reduce soreness.
Conversely, putting an ice pack on a sore muscle can numb damaged tissue and reduce swelling and inflammation.
Cold therapy works best within 24-48 hours of feeling soreness, while heat should not be used until after 48 hours.
Roll It Out
There’s a complex system in your body called fascia, a giant web of connective tissue that supports your body by attaching to muscles, bones, organs … basically every structure in your body. Think of it like the huge network of threads that make up the shirt you’re wearing.
Working out can strain your fascia and cause tightness. One way to reduce that temporary tightness is to use a foam roller for self-myofacial release. That means pressing the sore parts of your body, like your back or hips, down onto the roller and working through a series of exercises to stretch your muscles and release the tension from your fascia.
Be careful not to overexert yourself with the foam roller; a little force goes a long way when using it. Here is an infographic with several foam roller exercises to try.
Take Your Time
Most often, the best remedy for muscle soreness is to just give your body the time it needs to properly heal. That’s why we recommend you allow several days between Manduu appointments to give your muscles adequate time to rest and repair.
Take care of your muscles, and they’ll take care of you!
Stay tuned for Part 6 of our Maximizing Manduu Results blog series.