No pain, no gain.

We’ve all heard it, and the thought of pain is enough for some of us to decide that exercise is just not worth it.

Here’s another one for you — work smart, not hard. With a little forethought, you can shield yourself from some pain, while receiving all the gain.

I say ‘some pain’ because any time you’re actually working out, there is potential for some Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) to set in once you halt your workout. If you’re doing anything above a recovery-type workout, you’re involved in the act of tearing muscle, which allows it to eventually reheal as a stronger, more flexible unit.

DOMS occurs most often when you either introduce a new workout routine, or perform an old one while your muscles are no longer accustomed to the stresses required to carry out that workout.

Really, in simple terms, a moderate-to-heavy workout will require some time and effort to adapt to, if you want to avoid as much soreness as possible.

I have to admit, I’ve done my share of sore-muscle-inducing workouts. While growing up, I’d tell myself I’d prepare for football season in the fall by doing some relevant workouts during the summer, so my muscles wouldn’t lock up for a week to 10 days once practice began. While I managed a run here or there, and maybe a small weight workout, I could never convince myself to devote the time and effort needed to make sure I wasn’t a stiff-walking clump of tightness.

Most people learn from mistakes like these and utilize the results when they mature in age.

I’ve had foam rollers around for more than four years now, and a quick, 15-minute session after a workout really helps me ward off soreness, and allows to muscle healing process to commence.

I often will guzzle some chocolate milk after a strenuous workout, since that is an easy way to replenish your system with protein and nutrients to start the healing process. I’ve heard the quicker you can re-introduce something like this, the quicker it is absorbed into your muscles, aiding in rapid repair.

One key variable to avoiding muscle soreness is cross training. It’s logical that the more muscles groups you use regularly, the better tuned they will be to adapt and accept a slightly higher workload, in either volume or intensity (and eventually both).

Also, there is research that states genetics can have much to do when it comes to your level of soreness after a given workout. Some are no-responders, some low-responders and some high-responders to soreness. You might be lucky and be a no-responder, which means you can work out and your nervous system won’t be sending you distress signals for days after, or you are like the rest of us who reside in one of the other two categories.

While fitness in and of itself in no indicator of who’ll get DOMS, someone who is fresh off the couch has a much better chance of suffering (depending on the workout) from DOMS than an athlete who has a higher all-around level of fitness. That being said, even pro athletes can suffer from DOMS if they happen to overdo it.

Ever hear someone say, “Yes, I overdid it, but it was because I didn’t stretch.”

While this may be a great scapegoat, it’s also fiction. Stretching in and of itself has no bearing on muscle soreness. Warm-up routines allow for muscles to get up to “operating temperature.”

On the contrary, some research is now leaning toward pre-workout stretching as a hindrance to power, in some instances.

Really, the key to beginning to get fit is always to slowly build up the duration and intensity of workouts over the course of a couple months. By then, you’ll know what works and what is not tolerable. Results are slow in coming this way, but in the long run, you’ll be running long, so to speak.

So anyway, despite all this advice above, you’ve gone out and done it. You are now so sore, the thought of moving your arms or legs (heck, even breathing) is met with a stinging spike of pain through your nervous system. What to do?

First, get a massage. If you don’t know anyone that is qualified, you can do a lot with a foam roller, by concentrating on the muscle groups that are causing the discomfort. Massage (and rolling) moves fluid around in your body, allowing the microtrauma to heal quicker.

Next, contrast showers (hot, then quickly switched to cold, repeated for at least two minutes) can also aid in the healing process and make the muscles work. I always compared this to oiling a rusty hinge, as it slowing returns to working order. Contrast showers take a bit to get used to, but just gradually work the temp back and forth, and soon your body will adapt to quicker transitions.

Epsom salt baths, a higher protein intake and the consumption of Omega-3 fatty acids will further aid in reducing inflammation and protein synthesis.

Also, a well-balanced diet will ensure your body gets the required nutrients it needs to fully heal.

If you’ve really overdone it and three days later, you haven’t improved, then it’s time to call your doctor.

Within reason, your body can adapt to a range of exercise. It’s up to you to decide if you tackle it smartly, or recklessly.

•••

Jerry Hitchcock can be reached at 664-8176, Ext. 2017, via email at jhitchcock@cdapress.com, or follow him on Twitter at HitchTheWriter.