Wow, if you’re a regular at the gym, you know many fitness kids don’t like leg days because it creat muscle pain after leg day. There were so many that a meme circulated about the nasty effects of leg day, to the point that people were complaining that they knew that day was their leg day schedule. But on the other hand, there are also memes around the internet reminding you not to skip or forget about leg day, which people with messy uppers and lower bodies usually attend. So the question is, what is leg day like? How come it has become such a hot topic in the fitness scene? The super challenge will answer that question here.
In the fitness field, it is recommended that you have a planned training plan where each session focuses on specific muscle groups. For example, the front muscles (chest, biceps, abdomen) or the back muscles (back, triceps, shoulders). Well, one of the muscle groups to include in your training plan is the legs or lower body, which consists of the glutes, thighs, and calves. The day you train your leg muscles is called leg day. So there are no fixed regulations for the leg day since you determine the training plan according to the program you have also created for yourself. It becomes problematic when you have to make a balanced training plan that includes all muscle groups within a specific time, for example, a week.
To achieve a balanced schedule, you must put in leg days as this is the only session where you focus on training your lower body. Unfortunately, physical exercises are often neglected because they are less aesthetically attractive than the upper body. Proportion and balance are also significant for aesthetics, Superfriends. Try to imagine that there is someone who has a muscular and athletic body, but their legs are skinny and small like sticks. It sure doesn’t look natural! In addition to the aesthetic side, training the leg muscles also affects performance and health. A hard-trained upper body will experience an increasingly complex muscle buildup. It will also need strong support. Suppose your feet aren’t strong enough to support your body. In that case, it can lead to long-term injury or the inability to perform activities without resting your feet.
Why do so many people hate leg day if the benefits are so great? It’s easy because the pain is unbearable and annoying after leg day! If you practice hard, going up and down, stairs can be tricky. Even if you sit down, your legs will tremble! DOMS in your hamstrings and glutes can interfere with your daily activities, so rarely does anyone wish for a weekday leg day, and weekends are already so distracted by rest and play that there’s no time to hit the gym. Skipping leg day is dangerous in the long run! So, even though it’s harsh and painful, skip leg day as little as possible, Superfriends! Always remember, no hard work, no gain!
Have you ever felt pain when you first started exercising or after trying a new exercise pattern? Some people say post-workout muscle pain is due to lactic acid. That is correct, but only partially right. Pain due to the accumulation of lactic acid in the muscles disappears quickly. When the pain we experience occurs the day after a workout or exercise, it is not caused by lactic acid buildup in the muscles but rather by microscopic damage. The pain occurs for a while after the training. It is called delayed muscle soreness (DOMS).
Definition of DOMS
Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, often abbreviated as DOMS, is pain that occurs a few moments (delayed) after exercise. This pain is felt when we are active and will not hurt when resting. Anyone can experience DOMS, whether a beginner or even a professional athlete who may experience muscle pain after a workout.
Causes of DOMS
DOMS is caused by microscopic damage to the muscles. This damage can occur when you first perform or change the exercise pattern to become more complex. All types of exercise can cause DOMS, but exercises that cause longitudinal muscle shortening, such as push-ups, jogging, and lifting and lowering weights, are more likely to cause DOMS aches and pains.
Is DOMS dangerous?
Post-workout pain is not dangerous. It is a good sign because the muscles will recover and get bigger and stronger. But of course, we still have to be vigilant, mainly when an injured muscle causes pain.
How long do the sore Muscle Pain After Leg Day last?
Muscle pain appears after 1-3 days of exercise and disappears after 3-5 days.
Can we still train when the muscles hurt?
We can still practice when DOMS occurs. But if the pain bothers you, you can train other muscles that don’t feel the pain.
How to prevent Muscle Pain After Leg Day?
Train gradually to allow your muscles to adapt to avoid sore muscles after a workout. It minimizes the pain that occurs. Warm-up and cool down to reduce the risk of DOMS.
Can Muscle Pain After Leg Day be treated?
No drug can 100% treat post-workout muscle soreness. But we can ease the pain by using massage, ice packs, and anti-inflammatories. In addition, consuming vitamin E, glutamine, tea, and BCAA (Branched Chain Amino Acids) can reduce muscle soreness after a workout. Low-intensity cardio exercise, such as walking, can also reduce pain.