So yesterday you decided to take that second kickboxing class at the gym or run that extra 5 miles (uphill!) and now you’re hating life. Your whole body is sore and just the thought of getting out of bed to walk to the kitchen makes you cringe. Believe me, I feel your pain.
Dancers rehearse several hours a day and are constantly pushing their bodies to the limits. Which means…dancers rarely go a day without having sore, tight muscles. As you can imagine, a common topic of conversation in the dance studio is sore muscle remedies. Dancers love to swap remedies for all sorts of aches and pains that they experience frequently.
After talking it over with my fellow dancers, I have compiled a list of sore muscle remedies that we all use and swear by. Here are the top five holistic remedies:
1.) Tiger Balm- a natural alternative to IcyHot, this rub tingles and warms up those sore areas. Tiger Balm works wonders! I used it to get through an ankle injury last year..a must have that you can throw in a gym bag or purse.
2.) Arnica Gel- another natural rub that utilizes the power of herbs to soothe your muscles. I have friends that swear by Arnica and prefer it over Tiger Balm because it doesn’t have a strong smell.
3.) Epson Salt Bath- buy a big bag of this special salt and dump a few cups into your bath. It’s available in pretty much any convenience store and will have your muscles relaxed in no time.
4.) Move- moving and lightly stretching sore muscles is essential the day after a heavy workout, even though it might be the last thing you want to do. Otherwise the muscles will tighten up and feel super stiff the next time you hit the gym. Light stretching will help get rid of the lactic acid build up that causes the soreness and moving will get blood circulating to the muscles.
5.) Drink Water- drink plenty of water to keep your body hydrated. Avoid caffeine that will only dehydrate your muscles more.
To help prevent muscle soreness from the get go, always stretch before and after a workout.
When all else fails, schedule a massage! Oh Yeah!!
