Abs are sore should i still work out

This is caused by lactic acid production. When you are training and your muscles are not getting enough oxygen anaerobic glycolysis , lactic acid builds up.

You can break down lactic acid by continuing to move and by doing light aerobic exercise such as walking after your workout. This is why cool-downs are so important , especially for beginners. The longer you cool down, the faster that lactic acid will leave the muscles typically within an hour.

The type of muscle soreness you are experiencing, up to a day or two and sometimes even three after your workout is known as DOMS Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. DOMS is caused by microscopic tears inside the muscles, resulting from weight-training or fully exhausting the muscles during cardio. This is normal. But if you experience sudden, sharp, or long-lasting pain, check with your doctor. As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content.

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In a perfect world, you could soak in a steamy bath until your soreness subsided. However, a hot water bottle or heat wrap can do the trick just as well. The goal here is to heat up your muscles to increase blood flow in and out of the damaged area, which also speeds up the delivery of healing nutrients and the removal of metabolic waste. Apply a warm compress or bottle for 15 to 20 minutes at a time to relax stiff muscles and improve healing circulation.

Also drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated; dehydration can make muscle soreness worse. Even though it may feel counterintuitive, a little motion is actually exactly what your cranky muscles need.

Research shows that active recovery —gently moving your muscles—helps relieve postexercise soreness, likely by stimulating circulation. Gently stretch your obliques by lying on your back, pulling your knees up toward your chest and then gently dropping your legs from side to side.

Slowly straighten your arms, lifting your head, shoulders, and torso off the ground as far as comfortably possible like an upward dog pose in yoga. Compression base layers like 2XU compression tops available on Amazon can support your sore muscles and improve circulation, so you feel better while your muscles recover.