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 Kickboxing
is a strenuous activitiy for the newcomer and even the seasoned
athlete. Those of you that have just started your quest
for your black belt will find your body not used to the
rigors of training. You could find yourself stiff and sore
for a while until your body gets used to the foreign movements.
Now, as you progress from belt to belt you will be introduced
to new and exciting techniques. These techniques will stress
your body in new ways. Knowing the difference between acceptable
soreness and unacceptable soreness is important in preventing
unnecessary discomfort and possible injury.
Types of muscle soreness
There are two general types of exercise related muscle soreness. The
first is immediate soreness often felt while exercising or soon after
exercise has stopped. I know from experience that by the time I get
home, I can pin point the areas on my body that received the most work,
as they are a little tender. By the next morning the actual soreness has
subsided but the stiffness has set in. I perform some cardio first thing
in the morning. Then a good stretch, so by the completion of my
activities I have loosened up and feel ready to tackle the day with
minimal soreness. The other type of soreness is delayed onset muscle
soreness [DOMS], which may persist anywhere from 1 to 3 days after
exercise.
Immediate soreness maybe the result
of a build up of lactic acid in the muscle that leaks out of the muscle
cells into the surrounding tissue, thereby stimulating sensitive nerve
endings. Immediate soreness may also be the result of very minor muscle
or connective tissue tears. None of the above is serious just a little
uncomfortable.
DOMS is relatively unnoticed during
exercise or activity but rears it's ugly head 1 to 3 days later. This
may be due to small tears in connective tissue that hold individual
fibers together as well as slight tearing of the cell membrane. If the
cell membrane is torn, then an enzyme called creatine kinase [CK] leaks
into the circulation causing irritation. This type of soreness can be
very painful and cause a brief hiatus in your training schedule. All of
you at some time will feel the effects, its just part of training and
/or beginning some new technique.
How is DOMS mechanically caused?
Research has determined that it is predominately caused by the negative
or eccentric movement which causes the lengthening of the muscle under
tension. That specifically applies to your strengthening program. As far
as your kickboxing goes, DOMS may be caused from the rapid deceleration
and contraction at high speed of the muscle. An example of this is the
delayed pain felt in the lat muscles after a heavy class involving lots
of punching and blocking at a fast pace. There is no resistance in the
form of weights but plenty of repetition and sharp deceleration and
contraction. This theory postulated above regarding the effects of
certain kickboxing activity comes from my own experience related to DOMS.
Limiting soreness…..Immediate
and DOMS
Limiting immediate soreness can be done by performing an adequate
warm-up and stretching routine before and after your class or
strengthening program. If you have just started kickboxing or a
strengthening program, be sure to begin with light weights and progress
gradually kickboxing activity.
For DOMS, again warm-up and stretch
both before and after activity. Try to avoid all out ballistic movements
and maximal lifting in your strength program. Fortunately DOMS is
usually apparent at the start of your kickboxing or strength program or
when there are significant changes in your existing program or, after a
long lay off so it does not last very long.
Resuming training after a bout of
DOMS
There are a number of opinions regarding what to do when resuming your
training after a bout of DOMS. Some suggest that you should let the
soreness abate before starting up again. Others suggest that the level
of pain should dictate the degree of training. Try a Very light work out
and if that still is too painful, wait another day or two. Finally, the
last group suggests that training lightly soon after will speed
recovery, even though pain is still present. The rationale behind this
suggestion is that by resuming low key limited training you are
increasing circulation to the damaged area, thereby boosting healing and
the removal of toxins.
The name of the game here is to try
to avoid the DOMS as it can be very painful and disruptive to your
progress. Sometimes it is unavoidable, but if you use common sense and
don't go crazy when you start your activity, you can definitely minimize
the nasty effects. Don't listen to those who live by the adage " no
pain, no gain ". That was the war cry of muscle heads that thought
and maybe still think more is better. Training smart is the way to go
nowadays. It's the intelligent trainer who has the edge on longevity and
with fewer injuries. Kickboxing is tough enough already and we all want
that black belt……..I know I do! So train smart.
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