Muscles hurt after training: what to do to help your own body

Everyone who starts playing sports and strives to become bigger, at some point begins to be interested in the question: why muscles don’t grow. I am sure that anyone who has visited the gym has been troubled at least once by the question: why do I work out but my muscles don’t grow? In this article I will try to highlight the main reasons for the lack of progress in training. I’ll also tell you how to make your muscles grow and increase mass.

Mistake 1: Constantly training with the same or small weights

In order for your muscles to grow, you need to increase your training weights, and not constantly work with the same weight. Muscles don't grow because they don't feel the need to get bigger and stronger. It is necessary to constantly progress in loads, so the muscles will feel stress, the result of the fight against which will be an increase in muscle mass. You can, for example, add 5 kg to the weight on the bar each workout.

But there are times when it is no longer possible to increase the working weight by 5 kg each workout, then you can add less weight or try to do more repetitions in each approach. But sooner or later the day comes when the weight has dropped or the strength has even waned.

How to continue to progress?

This problem can be solved by changing the training system, namely, you need to switch to cycles. With their help you will progress and make your muscles grow. By constructing the training process according to the principle of cycles, you can almost constantly increase training weights. Their essence is to systematically increase the weights on the barbell and, upon achieving the set goal, we go on vacation for two to three weeks to give the body a rest and recovery, because at the end of the cycle we must essentially do our maximum. That is, to raise, practically, a critical weight for us. Then we go to a new cycle, in which we roll back to the initial weight, plus another 5-10 kg and everything starts again. One cycle can last from 7 to 17 weeks. It all depends on the level of preparedness, the capabilities of your body and nutrition. You can switch to cycle training after 2-3 years of training in the gym. It is possible earlier, but it is better not to rush. In cycles we work only with basic, multi-joint exercises: deadlifts, squats with a barbell, bench press, bent-over barbell rows (less often), standing biceps curls.

Mistake 2: Training with too much weight prevents muscle growth

Often the cause of stagnation in muscle growth is training with excessively heavy weights. In pursuit of a huge 50 cm biceps (the most common example, since this is the most desired muscle among beginners), athletes lift weights significantly higher than the working weight in order to “even more stimulate” muscle growth. As a result, the exercise is performed in 2-3 repetitions. At the same time, the athlete is “pressed to death”; there is no talk of any concentration of load on the working muscle at all. All efforts are aimed at simply lifting the weight “somehow.” It may seem that in this way the condition described above is fulfilled, that is, there is a clear progression of loads, and therefore muscle growth. But this is not true, and here's why:

Firstly, with this approach, a large number of body muscles are involved in the work. And if the training group is not able to cope with the weight, then the assistant muscles do the work for them. But it's not that scary.
The second problem is the excessive load on the nervous system. When a muscle fails to cope, the brain, in an effort to help, gives a more powerful impulse to the nervous system. In this mode, the body’s nervous system functions at the limit of strain. So it’s not far from nervous exhaustion, and this is already a serious illness that does not go away on its own. And it will be difficult to continue training, since the nervous system in this state will produce the following phenomenon: if you pick up even very light muscles, it will seem that they weigh half a ton.

But you shouldn’t mistake every ordinary fatigue for nervous exhaustion, especially when you’ve definitely trained mentally. Here the place may be the usual fatigue caused by an excessive amount of stress, which is solved by a little longer rest, for example about a week.

How to solve a problem?

It is imperative to select a weight that will allow you to work out the working muscle group as efficiently as possible. That is, in each exercise the primary task is to comply with the technique of performing the exercise. And gaining weight is not such an important task compared to the correct technique. Based on this, if, for example, you need to do 8 repetitions in a set, and the selected weight allows you to do only 6 repetitions with ideal technique, then you need to reduce the weight of the barbell. Muscles do not grow when they do not receive a “quality load”, that is, each exercise must be performed with ideal technique.

Mistake 3: Not enough rest between workouts

To ensure good muscle growth, natural bodybuilders need to go to training three times a week. For those who want to visit the training room more often, there is a proposal to break up the main set of workouts, focusing on exercises with a large number of approaches and repetitions. That is, on additional days you will do exercises with fewer repetitions, that is, 2-3 exercises. It’s not enough if you say that such training doesn’t make muscles grow, and you’ll be wrong. The fact is that you cannot force the body to recover faster through willpower. And as you know, muscles grow during rest. And if you train a lot and rest little, shifting the rest-training balance, a state of overtraining will come and a “training plateau” will occur. Always take into account your overall workload: work, family problems, little sleep, and so on. Muscles do not grow when the body does not recover.

How to solve a problem?

Be sure to monitor the frequency and quality of your training. Watch your sleep: you need to sleep at least 8 hours a day. Be sure to eat well and often, preferably in small portions. If you lose your appetite or have trouble sleeping, these are the first signs of overtraining. If you become more nervous, aggressive, conflictual, these are again signs of overtraining. Having caught such signs, it is enough to take a break from training for one week. But it happens that a drop in immunity occurs. If you start to often get sick with the flu, acute respiratory infections, runny nose, etc., then consult a doctor. Put off training.

Mistake 4: Fear of exercise

Often, beginners are afraid to use heavy basic exercises and turn their attention to one joint, believing that it is too early for them to squat or do deadlifts. And they make a big mistake, and then they can’t understand why the muscles don’t grow. The most effective exercises for gaining muscle mass are basic heavy exercises. They use large muscle groups, stimulating a greater release of the hormone testosterone into the blood, which stimulates muscle growth. Plus, the most effective period for gaining weight is the initial stage, when stress is most noticeable. Because it will be increasingly difficult to surprise the prepared muscles.

How to solve a problem?

It is imperative to create a training program with an abundance of basic exercises: squats, bench press, deadlift, and so on. Do each of them no more than once a week, and on different days. Don't chase the scales. First perfect your technique with light weights, then increase the weight on the bar. And remember (I checked it on myself) you only get disgust from the exercise when you don’t know how to do it.

Mistake 5: Not serious training without effort

Often, guys visiting the gym spend a lot of time talking. That is, they come to talk, not to train, and they wonder why their muscles don’t grow. Pay attention to motivational videos from professionals. There is, of course, a lot of acting on camera. But there are moments when guys with headphones on and a hood over their eyes walk around the hall and also do exercises. So this is not working on camera and a way to abstract yourself and focus on the exercises and your muscles. According to physiologists, psychological focus increases strength by 10-12%. Often in competitions there is a clash not of muscle mass, but of character strength. Anyone who chatters during training will never grow.

How to solve a problem?

When you come to the training room, you can simply put on headphones and a hood, just like in roller skates. And constantly think about the exercise that must be performed and the weight that must be lifted. And of course, concentrate on the muscle you are going to train. Practice self-discipline. She will not interfere not only in the hall.

Mistake 6: Paying too little attention to the role of health

Understand that being healthy is not just a fashionable slogan. Your body should always be in excellent condition. Otherwise, you won’t get much out of a sick body. A sick body recovers poorly and does not grow. Also, playing sports when you are sick, for example, the flu, places a heavy load on the endocrine and other systems of the body, which causes the body to wear out more. And again, there is no muscle growth.

How to solve a problem?

Monitor your health, if there are symptoms of the disease, identify them in the early stages and eliminate them. Take vitamins, especially during cold seasons and when viral epidemics intensify. Take glutamine, you can buy glutamic acid. Scientists believe that its deficiency leads to a decline in immunity. Once a year, be examined by a cardiologist, do a general blood test and fluorography.

Mistake 7: Training with the same program

Training according to the same scheme leads to stagnation in muscle growth. The fact is that our body gets used to constant stress. But if the weight can be increased, then the body performs the same exercises automatically and the brain sees no reason to increase the size of muscle mass. I repeat, for muscles to grow, you need constant stress. And the same type of exercise does not cause stress.

How to solve a problem?

You need to change your training program every 1.5-2 months. But this needs to be done when there is no more progress. To do this, you need to constantly keep a training diary in which you record your working weight and your own weight. Every two months, take photographs and compare the condition of the muscles before and after. Measure your subcutaneous fat level. You can use different methods or devices for this. The main thing is to always use one method or device, since each of them lies. And using one, you can always understand whether progress is being made or whether you are standing still. And you need to change not thoughtlessly, but move from phase to phase. First comes training to gain strength - 1-2 months. During this time, you try to develop as much strength as possible and gain as much raw mass as possible.

Then comes the masonry phase - 1-2 months. During which you increase body weight, but unlike the strength phase, you also develop the circulatory system. That is, you need to grow new capillaries and vessels to improve blood circulation in the new muscles. And then there is work on the relief - also 1.5-2 months. Here you are trying to give the gained mass a beautiful shape and burn fat so that the muscles stand out better and not hide under fat. Between each phase there should be 1-2 weeks of rest. To find your program, experiment a lot and write down all the results and achievements.

Mistake 8: Lack of a clear plan and goals

When you come to the gym, you can’t rely on “let’s see what happens.” Most amateurs just come to the training room and train for no reason. That is, at most they have a program that they carry out. And they just want muscles. Well, that is, they want big muscles, but they don’t know which ones, they don’t know what result they want to achieve now and what they can achieve now. You must definitely imagine what result you want to achieve: how much you need to weigh at the end of the training cycle, what volumes you need to get in one cycle.

How to solve a problem?

If you don’t know what you can expect, then you should choose a program and start training. And all this time, painstakingly record the results in a diary. This will give you an idea of what you can achieve in one cycle. Then you start planning your weight, muscle size. And look for options to further influence your results.

Mistake 9: The role of nutrition goes by the wayside

Inexperienced athletes believe that muscles grow from exercise and only from exercise. The fact is that for muscle growth they need a stimulus - hard, regular training, and building material - nutrients and microelements. Nutrition is one of the three most important factors in muscle growth: training, rest, nutrition. If you eat very well, you will already grow. You will grow if you eat poorly but exercise well. But each option in itself is not very tangible. Another thing is when training stimulates muscle growth, and good nutrition enhances this muscle growth. Exercising without good nutrition is like building a house with a constant lack of bricks. That is, walls appear, but very slowly.

How to solve a problem?

First, understand the basic concepts in nutrition. At least find out for yourself what exactly proteins, fats and carbohydrates are and what their role is. Which products contain each of them and in what quantities. Analyze your diet, make the necessary adjustments to alternately consume proteins, fats and carbohydrates. The number of calories in your daily diet. Buy food boxes at the store to take food with you. Cook for yourself. Start eating regularly, at least 6 times a day in small portions.

Today it is fashionable to be thin and slender. This is why gyms are crowded with people trying to stay in shape. There are also many who work on their figure at home. But often such training ends in pain. Thinking that this is good is not entirely reasonable.

Types of pain

If a person has it very immediately, this is the first type of pain that is caused by lactic acid accumulating in the muscles. It is worth noting that these are useful and safe sensations that do not cause harm to the body. And when this muscle enters the bloodstream, it generally has a tonic and rejuvenating effect. The second type of pain most often occurs about 24 hours after exercise. It's called "belated". It is experienced by people who sharply increase the load on their muscles, or by those who have just started training without properly calculating their strength. These sensations arise as a result of microcracks in the muscles, they disappear within a day, but can last a little longer. The third type is “bad” pain - throbbing, sharp, sharp. She may talk about damage that is harmful to health. Such sensations can occur if the delayed pain has not yet passed, and the person is already further loading his body with training.

Rest

If a person has to get rid of unpleasant sensations? The first and most important rule is rest. It will be especially needed by those people who want to gain weight: muscles grow while a person is either resting or sleeping. Therefore, after training there is no need to put even more stress on the body; you should just let it rest. Also, if there is pain the next day, you don’t need to knock it out with a wedge - go to the gym. It is better to wait until the unpleasant symptoms go away, and then continue training.

Sweets

If a person has muscle pain after training, what can he do to relieve the pain? You can try eating something sweet. Glucose can help the body remove lactic acid, which causes pain. Athletes are also recommended to eat Hematogen after training, but no more than two packs per day.

Bath

What if you do in such a situation? You can try taking a cool bath. This somewhat tones the body, lactic acid enters the blood faster and helps to cheer up. To do this, a 25-degree water temperature is enough, in which you only need to lie for 10-15 minutes.

Medicines

If a person has muscle pain after training, what can he do to relieve the pain? Certain medications can also help here. So, athletes are advised to start taking beta-alanine (an amino acid). Also, after training, you can take 1 gram of ascorbic acid or, in quite severe cases, the drug Ibuprofen, Ketanol, etc. If a person has a sprain and muscles hurt after training, ointment is what can help in this situation. The medicine "Lidocaine" and similar drugs will help.

conclusions

A very important point that cannot be kept silent about: each body is individual and can react differently not only to training, but also to methods of getting rid of pain. Therefore, if one of the options does not work, you can try something else.

I just returned from my training. I’m tired, but I still have the strength to write this article for you. I decided to write it because many athletes have a vague idea of why muscles grow and how to influence muscle growth.

Have you ever wondered why people with the same strength levels have different muscle volumes? Because muscle growth– this is not only strength training, but a whole system, which we will talk about now.

You've probably heard hundreds of times that muscles grow from heavy weights, that you need to eat right, someone recommends taking sports nutrition, and much more. I don’t know about you, but this has already set my teeth on edge and I won’t repeat it again. The article will be detailed, so be prepared to read it to the end to understand why muscles grow and what affects muscle growth.

Muscle growth ensures an increase in training intensity.

When they tell you that muscles grow only when your working weights increase, then know that they are telling you the absolute truth! Without increasing the weights, your muscle mass will not increase.

But what we mean by intensity is not how much weight you lift, but how hard you do it. I can bet that if you work with a weight of 50 kg for 10 reps, then I will make your arms ache in just 1-2 sets, despite the fact that the weight will only be 35 kg. And this will provide colossal muscle growth! How do you like this?

The thing is that ordinary athletes do repetitions quickly and the entire path from the bottom point of the amplitude to the top takes them no more than 2 seconds. You've probably noticed more than once that if you stay at one point longer than usual or do repetitions more slowly, the exercise becomes much more difficult to do. So why is this?

The whole secret is that by doing the exercise slowly (10 seconds up and 10 seconds down), you significantly increase the intensity of the training, thereby ensuring muscle growth and figure improvement.

You've probably already heard about this method; it's called “High Intensity Training (HIT).” I will not dissuade you from the effectiveness of other methods (I personally use others), but let the facts speak for themselves.

Main advantages of VIT:

Light weight – less risk of injury
With less weight, the likelihood of cheating (violation of technique) is significantly reduced, which means you are training exactly the muscles that you want to train
If you don’t have a large number of weights, then this is the best option, because you can train even at home, where not everyone has a 100-kilogram barbell!
More muscle fibers are involved in the work, because the muscle is under load for more than 30 seconds. Read more in the article

But we will go further! To provide incredible muscle growth, there is still something you can do! HIT is good, but strength training, why should we give it up? Of course not! I offer you the best option to combine these two approaches. This is what it looks like.

First, you take your usual working weight, with which you can do 5-8 repetitions to failure without breaking the technique, and then take a smaller weight and continue doing repetitions. Having reached the next failure, lose weight again and finish the muscles to the end. These are called drop sets.

But where is VIT? Now I’ll explain: do repetitions with a lighter weight slowly (10 seconds for example) and at the end you can even add negatives, when you can barely move at all. That's exactly what I do.

Negatives this is the use of only the negative phase of the amplitude of movement, i.e. in our case, lowering the bar ().

You need to lower the weight very slowly over 10 seconds. This is one repetition. Do this 3-5 times and you will simply be amazed at how intense your training has become!

Physiology of muscle growth

Why do muscles grow? We have already discussed how to stimulate muscles to grow, now let’s talk about what remains behind the scenes, about what happens inside our body.

The process of muscle hypertrophy (growth) begins with an unusual load, i.e. you are stepping out of your comfort zone. You haven’t run before, but today you ran 5 km at once. Your muscles received a load higher than usual and you sent a signal to the body - grow, adapt to the load. But if this load is not repeated in the near future, then the rollback process begins and your muscles return to their original state, as if you had never trained.

The body is essentially very lazy and does not want to do anything until you force it! He always tries to get rid of what he doesn't use. Let you gain 10 kg of pure muscle mass through training, but if after some time (for example, a year) the body does not receive loads, your muscles will simply deflate! The body will eat them! He believes that since you don't use muscles, you don't need them.

This is called the catabolic process or the breakdown of muscle tissue. This is the reverse process of anabolic growth of muscle tissue.

There is an interesting pattern - the body willingly burns muscle, but is in no hurry to increase muscle mass. Therefore, after the first workout, even if your muscles hurt, do not expect that these actions are enough for noticeable muscle growth. To stimulate muscles to growth it is necessary to constantly stimulate them, give them regular, ever-increasing loads! Only then will your muscles begin to grow.

If there is no regularity of load, then, as you already know, a rollback begins and you return to the starting point. You shouldn’t be offended by your body and say that it doesn’t allow you to be big and strong. On the contrary, knowing these mechanisms, you will be able to consciously control your body and muscle growth!

Muscle growth process

As you know, muscle growth is always accompanied by pain. I always calm myself down with this, because my muscles hurt 7 days a week, sometimes one or the other, but at least one muscle group still hurts.

I often remember the words of my friend: “If it hurts, it means it grows!” And these words always support me. By the way, Pasha, if you are reading this article now, thank you!

Why do muscles hurt?

Let's move closer to the meat. Muscles are made up of fibers that contract – becoming thicker and shorter. Under the influence of load, some of the fibers are damaged and crack. These cracks in the muscles cause pain.

If you hit your foot and get a bruise, it means that you are bleeding inside your body and soft tissue is affected. Of course, this place hurts you.

It’s the same story with muscles, but you don’t have to hit them. By the way, you probably noticed that if you hit a muscle hard, the pain afterwards is almost the same as after physical activity.

Micro cracks must heal, only then will your muscle fully recover.

Due to the fact that muscles are damaged under heavy loads, they begin to hurt! Muscles do not hurt due to lactic acid. If someone tells you this, then don’t believe it, because it’s complete nonsense. Lactic acid is produced by the body during exercise and makes your muscles feel tired. It is responsible for muscle fatigue. After all, if you don’t feel tired, then you can continue the load and seriously damage your muscles, which will make you incapacitated and vulnerable.

The body protects you. After all, if you have damaged your muscles and cannot move, then someone can eat you. In the wild it is survival of the fittest. And if you haven’t forgotten yet, we are all from there.

Muscle growth and number of fibers involved

Have you ever noticed that the larger your muscles, the more they hurt? The thing is that not all muscle fibers are involved during exercise. The weakest and hardiest fibers work first, when they get tired, stronger fibers are connected to them and the main part of the muscle is turned on only at the very end.

This phenomenon takes its roots from our past. Let me remind you once again that we are just animals and by design we should be able to survive in nature. And if we once use up all our reserves of energy and strength, then what should we do in case of danger? It is for this reason that weak but hardy fibers work and only then the strength fibers are included in the work.

As you know, there are two types of muscle fibers in our body: fast and slow (endurance). Just as a prudent coach does not let all his strong players onto the field, our body keeps strong fibers in reserve. What if they are not needed? The body is very economical and if you can get by with less energy consumption, then why pay more?

When a muscle is under constant load, it has to involve increasingly stronger fibers in the work, otherwise the weaker fibers will not withstand. It is for this reason that I recommend doing all exercises slowly, so that the muscles are under load for more than 30 seconds. I wrote more about this

How long do muscles hurt?

Let's get back to muscle pain. If you have used all the muscle fibers, then your muscle will hurt completely or almost completely, and the larger the muscle, the larger the “damage” area. Therefore, after a good strength load, muscles ache from 3 days to a week in trained athletes. And if you lifted the barbell for the first time or after a long break, then up to 2 weeks!

In addition, not just muscle cracks may occur, but partial disintegration of the muscle fiber. In this case, the “affected” muscle may swell and become very painful, stronger than usual. In this case, the muscles hurt for a very long time.

After aerobic exercise, for example, long running, the muscles do not hurt very much, since not all muscle fibers are involved and the pain is rather superficial. Strength training is another matter, especially if it is long-term and high-intensity, as I described above. In this case, many fibers are involved and the muscles hurt not only on the surface, but also deep inside! When the fiber partially disintegrates, you may notice that the muscle has become soft.

In order not to be unfounded, I will say that I checked these facts on my own skin and I can assure you that it is true! I was involved in running and football for several years and for me running 10 km every day was a regular activity. After running, muscles never hurt as much as after doing 20 reps of barbell squats.

What happens during muscle growth.

Muscles respond to stress by growing. When microcracks heal, each damaged fiber becomes thicker and stronger in order to continue to cope with such a load.

The number of fibers in a muscle can vary. Once as a child, after watching one program on TV, I decided that the number of muscle fibers is always the same, only their strength and thickness changes. It turns out that when adapting to a new load, new fibers can grow.

Your muscles also become thicker due to the storage of various substances in them. For example, glycogen and creatine phosphate.

The larger the muscle, the more it can store these substances in itself. It is believed that pumping (pumping) during training allows you to increase the space for storing nutrients, thereby increasing muscle volume.

Hormones and muscle growth

When researching the issue of muscle growth, one cannot ignore hormones. After all, they are the ones who shape our body. In women, muscles practically do not grow even with strength loads, while in men muscle growth normal phenomenon. It's the fault of hormones. Or rather testosterone.

In men, the level of the hormone testosterone is several times higher than in women. It was research on the production of synthetic testosterone that led to the emergence of anabolic steroids.

Since we are talking about growth, we cannot ignore growth hormone. It is these two hormones that allow our muscles to grow. The higher the level of these hormones in the blood, the faster the rate of growth of meat on your bones.

Hormonal explosion

After you have shocked your muscles with a monstrous training, the release of hubbub into the blood begins. The stronger the load, the more hormones and the faster your muscles grow.

But not any training allows you to get a hormonal explosion. Let's look at your workouts through your body's eyes.

First case. You did an exercise of 10 reps and got rejected. Two more such approaches. Your muscles have received a heavy load and you are really tired. Time under load 20 seconds.

Second case. You did the same 10 reps, but after failure, you took less weight and continued until the next failure, and then decreased the weight again and failed again. And two more such approaches. As a result, you have 15-20 reps and 40-60 seconds under load.

In which case do you think more fibers are involved? After which workout will your muscles hurt more? The second case is correct.

So, the more muscle fibers are involved, the stronger the release of hormones. But by the number of fibers I mean not only an individual muscle, but the entire body as a whole. Barbell squats use more muscles than barbell raises? Well, of course.

Only heavy multi-joint exercises allow you to achieve a hormonal explosion and, as a result, muscle growth. At least once a week you must do a heavy leg exercise: classic or straight-legged deadlifts, squats with a barbell, leg press or their equivalents. Without these exercises rapid muscle growth will never.

But in addition to the hormonal explosion, you can simply increase the level of hormones with the intensity of the training. I already mentioned this, see above. The main thing is to get as many fibers as possible involved in the work!

Results on muscle growth.

Muscles grow when they are subjected to force.
The load should be regular and constantly increase
It is necessary to use the largest number of muscle fibers
Do one basic multi-joint leg exercise at least once a week to get a hormonal burst.
If your muscles don't stop hurting, give them some more time. Never load sore muscles!

Now you know what it depends on muscle growth, how to make muscles grow, what exercises to do and the process of muscle growth itself from the inside.

If your muscles are growing well, you should have fun too. So watch this hard prank in a student dorm.

My respect, ladies and gentlemen! Today we are waiting for another note on the requests of workers, and in it we will talk about the topic - why do muscles deflate? The question is quite non-trivial and contains a lot of interesting information, so let's start covering it as soon as possible.

So, after reading the article, each of you will know what will happen if you stop lifting weights, how to maintain functionality and muscle volume without going to the gym, and much more, let's go.

Why muscles deflate: a fictional theory

Just the other day, the project email received a series of questions, the main leitmotif of which was the following: “...I noticed that as soon as there is a break in training, the shape immediately goes away and the muscles deflate, is this normal? Will all my muscles melt away when I stop going to the gym?” Often girls write that they have honed their butt so well during their stay in the gym that they themselves can’t get enough of it, but as soon as it’s a little tweaked, hung up the uniform on a nail, and that’s it, “Popenhagen” doesn’t look so tasty and expressive anymore. I received similar feedback signals more and more often from young ladies and realized that this topic worries them passionately, and therefore let’s not be nervous and slowly figure it out :).

Agree, it’s a rather unpleasant situation when you work in the gym, like Carlo’s dad or mom, and then bam, you stop walking, and the results are gone. What (or maybe someone) What is behind this and why this is happening, we’ll find out now.

Well, I would like to start with a simple example of a difficult person, namely with the best bodybuilder on planet Earth - Arnold Schwarzenegger. For clarity, let's trace the change in his condition after completing his career in bodybuilding. We all know that after winning the Mr. Olympia title for the last time, 1980 , Arnie moved away from big-time sports and seriously immersed himself in show business and the film industry. As a result, he began to devote less time to developing his body and visiting the gym. Let's evaluate how its shape has changed since 1980 By 1982 of the year.

That's what he was like 1980 year (photo after the Mr. Olympia tournament).

His first film after his bodybuilding career was “Conan the Barbarian” (the premiere took place in 1982 year). By the time work began on him, he dropped 15 kg of mass and looked like this.

It must be said that the film itself obliged Schwarzenegger to be in shape, so he worked with iron, went swimming and mastered rock climbing. However, a completely different type of load, irregular training and non-compliance with the diet, as well as lack of motivation (since the dream body has already been built and the goal has been achieved), gave their results - his muscle mass fell.

Note:

In this article, we do not consider the use of pharmacology and the absence of its use by an athlete after retirement. This factor is not taken into account when assessing the effect on muscle mass, although, with a high degree of probability, it occurs.

The following photos may shock some, but this is the same Arnold, who is just pretty keen on the gym and leading the lifestyle of an ordinary person who watches his figure. In particular, this is what he looked like when recording the master class “Shape up with Arnold” (end 1982 of the year).

As you can see, the photos are strikingly different, but it only took 2 years since the best bodybuilder on the planet retired (completely). From here we conclude that yes, muscle mass really does go away, and the longer a person does not use his muscles, the more seriously they shrink. Therefore, to some extent, everyone who once came to the gym is obliged to go there constantly, even with breaks, to maintain shape. Otherwise, all the accumulated volumes will eventually deflate like a balloon, and you will be left simply dry and lean. However, you will not see constantly appetizing shapes, exciting curves of lines and large biceps without the walls of the gym, or rather, training.

Note:
For better assimilation of the material, all further narration will be divided into subchapters.

Why do muscles deflate after working out and lifting weights?

Many people who go to the gym, and especially beginners, like to increase their volume. Moreover, they most often do this unconsciously - taking measurements of their body (taking) immediately after training. This allows me to add a couple of centimeters in volume and, as a result, be amazed at how huge I have become and how well I am growing. However, such an aftertaste and euphoria from a super-fast increase in volume quickly passes when a person takes the same measurements the next morning and is convinced that the results are more than modest, and the muscles have gone somewhere.

This deception effect is called pumping, and it manifests itself in a short-term increase in the muscles of the trained muscle group. During muscle loading (for example, lifting a dumbbell for biceps) our body pumps more blood and nutrients to the target muscle area. At the end of the workout, the increased volumes fade away and the muscles return to “normal life”. This pumping technique is often used by athletes before going on stage to show themselves in all their glory. Going backstage, their muscles deflate to their usual size.

This overinflated state is caused by an increase in blood plasma in the muscles. It (returning muscles to normal) passes within 30 minutes after class or may take up to 5-7 days. Thus, it turns out that after stopping the load on the target muscle group, it no longer needs as much blood for its daily activities, and it drains from the limb. As a result, muscle volume decreases, i.e. the muscle deflates.

Next in line is...

How to avoid losing muscle after stopping training?

To answer this question, you need to decide what it means to stop training? And there can be two options:

there is no physical activity at all - no cardio, no strength training, no isometrics. You have decided to retire completely, give up proper nutrition, i.e. I wanted to lie low and live an infantile life;
you have suffered an injury to a specific muscle group (for example, they injured their pecs while doing a bench press), but you can work on other muscles by exercising them, continuing aerobic exercise, and dieting.

Loss of muscle mass (how much will be lost) largely depends on these scenarios. The first option is the most negative and implies the loss of muscle mass and an increase in fat mass in the shortest possible time (up to six months).

If you choose it, then you can say with confidence that all your work with hardware, the effort and money spent - it was all in vain. A person weakens very quickly even without the most mossy load. So hello cellulite, sides and beer belly!

The second option is the most humane and gentle regarding muscle loss. Many studies have been conducted in which people stopped going to the gym, but did not completely throw out physical activity from their lives, doing cardio, plyometric training, or just home exercises. So, the loss of muscle mass in these cases was significantly less than in the first case.

Also, the eternal “injuries” in the gym need to remember the phenomenon of carry-over effect, which consists in spreading the load to an untrained limb. In other words, training only, for example, the left hand, will give results (increasing mass and strength) and for the right hand, despite the absence of direct work on it. As for specific numbers, the untrained part receives about 10-15% gain from the trained part.

Nutrition plays a huge role in the “care” of muscle mass, if it is completely released (let it slide), then the muscle mass will quickly become swollen with fat.

By the way, here is a clear example of confirmation of my words, Arnie launched all the aspects that affect the figure at once and this is the result.

Note:
Each person is an individual and loses muscle mass differently. Someone can literally drive her away 4-6 months, while others manage to save it for years and for life.

Why muscles deflate: physiology and the scientific side of the issue

With age, strength and muscle mass decrease, on average by 3-5% in year every decade after 30 years (for physically inactive people). Therefore, by retirement age a person may lose 10 before 15% the muscle mass he had in his youth.

In addition, every person visiting the gym needs to remember that muscle fibers come in two types:

white – fast-twitch (type II);
red – slow-twitch (type I);

If we consider the average person’s body as a whole, then the ratio of “red-white” fibers is approximately 55 To 45% . Professional athletes have a higher percentage of white fibers. Therefore, the conclusion suggests itself in order for the loss of muscle mass with “retirement” to be as small as possible, it is necessary to train both types of muscle fibers.

As for the change, researchers at the South Shore YMCA Sports Medicine University (Queens, Massachusetts) determined that two months of resistance training allowed subjects to increase their strength by 47% . Two months of complete training inactivity reduced the strength level by 23% .

Note:
Recent studies have shown that after 48 -and hours after training, the body reduces the rate of protein synthesis and begins to slow down the processes of building and repairing damaged muscle structures.

Detraining is a technical term that characterizes the loss of muscle mass after stopping active exercise in the gym/fitness room. The body, with constant physical activity, increases the production of enzymes that help build muscles and keep muscles strong. When is there a break from classes? (more 1,5-2 months) or they stop completely, the body stops producing muscle-supporting enzymes, and the muscles react with atrophy.

Two factors that influence how quickly and strongly (quantitative characteristics) Your muscles will deflate, these are:

general level of physical activity;
cumulative training experience – i.e. how long have you been lifting weights/going to the gym?

Note:
The age factor is not taken into account because Everything is clear with him: the older a person is, the faster his muscles merge.

It turns out that the better (higher) these factors are, the weaker the process of muscle deflation will hit you after stopping training.

Beginners, whose training experience is up to a year and who, in principle, were far from sports before the gym, are capable of losing up to 65-80% its “pumped up” shape. If you are an experienced athlete, then losing shape can take anywhere from 5 before 6 months and it will be about 35-40% (According to ACE Fitness). If you started training again (for example, after injury/surgery, i.e. serious lull), then your muscles will remember (effect) where they left off, and the process of getting back into shape will happen much faster than if you simply started with a new program. Not many people know that short periods of determination (going to rest) strengthen muscle fibers and subsequent training (return to the process of classes) allows you to bring the body to a higher level of physical fitness than if it did not take such rest.

Global conclusion: in any case, muscle mass is lost when you stop training, and the process of “deflating” muscles proceeds much faster (in a shorter period of time) the process of their construction. So to stay strong and keep muscle loss to a minimum, follow these guidelines.

Stopping training: how to preserve muscles? Practical advice

So, you have decided to stop training for some reason for a long period of time, but you don’t really want to lose muscle mass. In this situation, you must adhere to the following tips, and then you will not have a question why the muscles are deflated:

No. 1. Proper nutrition

Having given up on the gym, under no circumstances should you let your nutrition take its course. Reduce your caloric intake, but maintain the frequency and schedule of your meals.

No. 2. Drink more water

Muscles are mostly made up of water and protein, so they always need these two nutrients. They keep them full and prevent them from deflating ahead of time. A man of average build should consume up to 3 liters of clean water per day, a woman - up to 2-2,5 liters Don't let your body become dehydrated, or your muscles will soon look like a deflated balloon.

No. 3. Eat enough carbohydrates and proteins

Carbohydrates from food replenish glycogen stores in the liver and muscles. Muscle glycogen is one of the largest donors responsible for the volume, size and weight of human muscles. Glycogen draws even more water into the muscles making them fuller, which not only makes them look bigger and stronger. Carbohydrates should be long and medium (GI) so that peak increases in blood sugar levels are not created. Another important nutrient for maintaining muscle mass is protein. Despite the temporary lack of physical activity, its consumption should not be kept to a minimum; on the contrary, your diet should be rich in protein foods. You can only reduce the number of grams of its consumption per 1 kg body weight, in particular with 2 before 1,5 .

No. 4. Take creatine

Creatine also helps muscles look fuller by attracting additional water. In addition to filling, creatine helps increase muscle strength and is advisable to take it immediately after a long break from training. It is worth understanding that creatine is an artificial temporary muscle enhancer, i.e. as soon as its use is stopped, the strength results subside somewhat.

No. 5. Take nitrogen (NO) donors

Nitric oxide is a popular sports supplement that aims to increase blood flow throughout the body and especially into the muscles. Blood flow provides better nutrition to the muscles and their pumping effect.

No. 6. Stay under as little stress as possible

Exercise is a great therapeutic stress reliever. When you throw them, the level may rise (because there is nowhere to throw out all the negativity), which is responsible (including) for the destruction of muscle tissue. Therefore, you must have positive emotions most of the time, otherwise cortisol will burn your muscles.

No. 7. Show any kind of activity

Yes, the gym is abandoned, but outside its walls you can find exercise for your muscles. In particular, any home exercises, everyday active body movements, walks and jogging - all this will allow you to use your muscles and maintain their tone.

Well, that’s probably all the advice that will allow you to maintain muscle mass after stopping training in the gym. Now let's sum it up and say goodbye :).

Afterword

Today we answered the question - why do muscles deflate? As you understand, this cannot be avoided, and the mass gained with such difficulty will inexorably creep down as soon as you give up on training. However, these losses can be minimized if you use your head and follow the advice. Which one? Well, I don’t know, maybe those written above).

That's all, I was glad to see everyone, see you again!

PS. Friends, are you familiar with the process of deflating muscles?

P.P.S. Did the project help? Then leave a link to it in your social network status - plus 100 points to karma, guaranteed).

With respect and gratitude, Dmitry Protasov.

Delayed onset muscle soreness, or sore throat, can seriously interfere with strength training and recovery. Let's figure out why muscles hurt after training, what to do and how to recover for your next trip to the gym.

For many, muscle pain after a workout is an unpleasant pleasure, without which not a single trip to the gym is complete. After it, you can neither sit nor stand, nor go up or down stairs, nor scratch your head or put on a jacket. But don't forget, at least you did a great job!

Sore muscles - is it good or bad?

Outside the gym, muscle pain is a hotly debated topic. On the one hand, most trainers do not consider it an indicator of effective training, but many think differently. On the other hand, researchers have not fully answered the question of why muscles hurt after exercise.

Some people have a theory that the lactic acid produced by muscles during intense exercise causes changes in the acidity levels of muscle tissue, which inhibits the transmission of nerve impulses in the muscles and causes pain during movement or strain. Another theory considers muscle microdamage as the root cause of soreness, as evidenced by changes in muscle structure visible under a microscope.

Regardless of the anatomical cause, it is relatively easy to predict when pain will occur. When trainees try new exercises, lift heavy weights, or experience metabolic stress, such as during prolonged exercise, their muscles are bound to become sore after their first workouts.

High-level professional athletes seem to be able to reach a point where they experience no specific pain even after intense training twice a day. But, unfortunately, others are not able to completely overcome muscle pain. What to do?

Muscles hurt after training - do it

Severe muscle pain can be managed with a few simple techniques. Some of them may be familiar to you because these techniques are well known as a way to speed up the body's recovery. However, they are often overlooked. Here's something to help you avoid a long recovery process after your next hard workout.

Foam roller for massage

A foam roller helps a lot. It is much more effective than a regular warm-up. Foam rolling exercises stimulate fluid movement and recovery, which improves muscle flexibility. It will hurt, but it really works.

Rules for using a foam roller:

Pay more attention to hard-to-reach places
Be careful when massaging sensitive areas
Don't forget to breathe while doing the exercise

Eat after your workout

Muscles need nutrients to recover. It seems that everything is obvious, but how many people do not take it seriously. In many cases, pain can be alleviated by eating protein-rich foods, which reduce inflammation and the possibility of digestive distress.

Consume a quality meal consisting of protein and slow-absorbing carbohydrates 30-40 minutes after exercise. Repeat after a few hours. Products should contain significant amounts of protein and fat. To prevent muscle pain after training, use.

A hot bath is a fantastic way to relax post-workout muscles and relieve soreness at home. A hot bath with Epsom salts is even better because the magnesium in it is absorbed through the skin, reducing pain and normalizing muscle function. A hot bath will improve blood circulation, which will help you relax and give you healthy sleep.

Dissolve 3/4 cup of Epsom salts per bath of water. Stir the water to make sure the salt has dissolved. Soak in the bath for about 30 minutes.

Sleep more

Often overlooked for recovery. Most average weightlifters, like ordinary people, require 7-8 hours of sleep per night. However, hard-training strength athletes may need as much as 10 hours of sleep per night to recover.

Checking your heart rate in the morning when you have just woken up will help assess your recovery process. A heart rate of 60-80 beats per minute is a good indicator, if less is even better, and a higher heart rate may indicate that you need more sleep.

How to improve your sleep:

Breathe deeply and slowly
Turn off all electronics an hour before bed
Take an Epsom salt bath

Low-intensity cardio exercise

Heavy cardio is very popular, but the fact is that low-intensity, steady-state cardio can have a huge impact on muscle recovery. They won't have the same effect as long distance running, but they still have a number of benefits.

They stimulate blood flow, delivery of nutrients to the body’s cells, removal of “waste” from the body, lymph flow and improve muscle function. Low-intensity exercise can help reduce pain after strength training, increase mobility, and awaken your nervous system for more effective exercise later on.

Those who understand the importance of low-intensity cardio exercises know that the heart rate should not exceed 120 beats per minute. Exercise for up to 30 minutes maximum. After training, you will be fresh and energized, not tired. You can use treadmills and exercise bikes, but a brisk walk outside is also great.

Active recovery training

If my muscles hurt after training, can I continue exercising? Certainly! The recovery exercises and their intensity will be completely different. If everything is done correctly, the effect will be amazing and the pain will subside. Active restorative activities may include yoga, tai chi, and Pilates.

Perform the following exercises without resting, but do not rush. Then rest for two minutes and repeat the exercises again. It won't take more than 15 minutes.