#cantrecoverafterexercise #feelingsore #inflammation #isometricexercises #regulateinflammation #antiinflammatory #sourcesofinlammation #musclepain #jointpain
Exercise, especially weight bearing exercise is crucial for women over 40 - it is one of the most powerful anti-inflammatory interventions. The higher the intensity of the exercise, the more antioxidants your body releases afterward to help reduce inflammation.
The intensity and duration of exercise should be anti-inflammatory versus pro-inflammatory. How intense your workout is, will impact things like hormone growth hormone production, natural opioids, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and also compounds that help regulate inflammation.
But what if you always feel sore after exercising and can’t seem to recover? Or maybe you just hit that painful shoulder or knee every time you do a new workout?
Does this mean you have to miss out on the benefits?
The short answer is that at the moment you may need to find a different routine until you are able again to feel great after you exercise.
Why are you having these issues? It’s because you have inflammation. Here are some possible sources of inflammation:
Unmanaged autoimmune or underlying chronic infections
Long-term elevated blood sugar (insulin resistance)
Hormone imbalances
Electrolyte imbalance (lack of minerals)
Lack of amino acids
Adrenal imbalances (steroid hormones mainly cortisol but also adrenaline, noradrenaline...)
Weak immunity
Obesity/Metabolic disorders
Endotoxemia - this is when some gut bacteria produce toxic byproducts that leak into the bloodstream.
Most likely, you’ll be affected by several things off this list as many of them affect each other.
With my severe muscle pains and aches (due to inflammation from mycotoxins, endotoxemia and chronic infections, I was exactly in this situation this year… I also started creatine to help boost my muscle growth just to realize that it was actually pushing me too far and left me feeling sore and not recovering well after working out.
So I cut down my exercise to more frequent and less intense sessions and further emphasized on helping my body move out toxins. Also, adding EAAs to my supplement regimen has helped a lot with better recovery.
So of course you need to heal your underlying sources of inflammation (contact me here to discuss how to do that), but there's something else you can do:
I just learnt about this technique to help lower muscle inflammation and wanted to share it with you: Isometric exercise!
What is isometric exercise?
Isometric exercise is a type of strength training where you contract your muscles and hold the position without moving. There’s no "up and down" or "back and forth" motion like when you’re doing squats or bicep curls. Instead, you stay still, focusing on holding tension in the muscles.
Studies also show that daily sessions of isometric exercises may even be more effective in lowering blood pressure than traditional aerobic exercises like running and walking. This is because they are thought to improve vascular function and decrease arterial stiffness. They can also enhance autonomic nervous system function, contributing to better blood pressure regulation.
How to do isometric exercises
As with all exercise, start small and build over time as strength builds.
Start slow: Begin with shorter holds (10-20 seconds) and gradually increase the time as you build strength. Don’t underestimate: they seem easy but they’re not!
As your strength improves, increase the time you hold the contraction. Aim for at least 10-15 minutes a day total. Here are some easy examples that you probably know already:
Wall squat
Stand with your back against a wall and slide down as if you're sitting in an invisible chair.
Keep your knees at a 90-degree angle and hold the position for 20-60 seconds.
Feel your thighs and core working!
Plank hold
Get into a push-up position but rest on your forearms instead of your hands.
Keep your body straight from head to heels, engaging your core muscles.
Hold for 15-60 seconds, or as long as you can.
Glute bridge hold
Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
Lift your hips toward the ceiling, squeezing your glutes.
Hold the position for 20-60 seconds.
Push-up hold
Start in a push-up position and lower yourself halfway down.
Stop and hold, keeping your body straight and your chest just above the ground.
Feel the burn in your arms, chest, and core!
Palm Press:
Sit or stand with your back straight.
Press your palms together in front of your chest and push them against each other as hard as you can.
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