Training with laces seems to be an inhuman and barbaric thing, but nothing could be further from this because training with laces is beneficial and we are going to explain it to you.
Training with laces, but what are they?
The soreness is defined as muscle pain that appears after an unusual exercise. These are often associated with eccentric muscle contractions. In addition, it implies an increase in the concentration of calcium. This concentration leads to activation of proteolytic enzymes and muscle contraction without nerve activation. And they cause pain, with a peak of 24-48 hours after the effort. There is also a reduction in strength, swelling, and muscle shortening. This is a very frequent phenomenon in untrained subjects, but it is also present in those who, although trained, carry out unusual training that differs from the usual muscular involvement.
The characteristic symptoms of this syndrome are:
- Muscle pain – peak 48-72 h after activity
- Reduction in maximum isometric strength (15-55%)
- Reduced range of motion (ROM), that is, the extension of the joint at rest
- Muscle contraction induced by excess calcium -without EMG
- Increased muscle circumference
- Deficit in functional tests.
It must be made clear that the reduction of the stiffness does not affect the recovery mechanisms . These since these take place regardless of the presence of tissue damage. Reducing the soreness means reducing the waste substances present in the area so that they interrupt their nociceptive stimulus. That said, strategies can be adopted to better cope with days of pain.
I have soreness: do I train or not?
The first thought that comes to mind when you have soreness is probably to lie in bed and wait for the pain to go away. However, this is not the best option to choose .
The best solution is to arm yourself with courage and continue training despite muscle pain, that is, training with laces . If you decide not to train until the soreness is gone, there are more cons than pros. The time it takes to stop feeling pain is so long (3 or 4 days) that the adaptations produced as a result of training are wasted .
For a training session to produce the desired results, whatever they may be, it is necessary that the training stimuli are frequent. Therefore, waiting a long time before training again is counterproductive. This also explains why it is very often recommended to train 3 days a week.
In addition to the adaptations in terms of strength, hypertrophy, endurance, and others that training can bring about, there is a fundamental adaptation that concerns pain tolerance . The more we subject our body to long-term painful stress, the more the aforementioned pain threshold increases.
Therefore, if we want to gradually feel less soreness over time, the best solution, especially in the early stages, is to continue training despite the pain. However, soreness can be limited by treatment with massage, electrostimulation or the application of ice packs . At home, a helpful strategy is self-treatment with a ball. You can also read our article on effective remedies for shoelaces.
When should we not worry?
Although it is true that shoelaces should not worry us because they are totally physiological. It is also true that we must pay attention to the magnitude of the perceived pain . It is very easy to confuse muscle or tendon damage with a feeling of stiffness.
It is necessary to clarify that the soreness is presented as a pain spread throughout the muscle . A pain that makes us feel cramped every time we want to make big movements and that gives us the sensation of having heavy muscles. The perceived sensation varies from person to person, but these two are very common.
When the pain is felt in specific places of a muscle, tendon or joint, we will consider this sensation as an alarm signal . In this case, the damage may have extended well beyond muscle damage to the myofibrils. If you don’t pay attention to these warning signs, it’s easy to get hurt. Always keep in mind that the ultimate goal of training should not be a greater feeling of soreness .
When should we worry?
If the pain extends beyond the normal sensation of the soreness, it is best to stop training. If it almost persists, see a doctor. Soreness is a side effect of training that is essential for it to take effect. Hence the saying “NO PAIN NO GAIN”. The pain that is felt is mainly due to the micro lacerations that occur in the muscle fibers, hence the term muscle injury .
The soreness is not due to the production of lactic acid , since it does not cause muscle damage. And it is also eliminated quickly after training. This type of pain is perceived as mild or moderate and extends along the entire length of the muscle. It is important to know how to distinguish between muscle, tendon or joint pain. They are also related to excessive damage to the structures that cause injury .
However, asserting the saying “No pain no gain”, the training of a beginner athlete should not be oriented to look for more soreness. Doing so runs the risk of following a training pattern with such high volumes that it leads to injury.
If you have any questions, ask us and we will inform you . Be sure to visit our page and get an invitation to visit our gyms. Our page and get an invitation to visit our gyms.
