Tom Nikkola | VIGOR Training

Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). It's that deep ache in your legs that makes it challenging to sit down without holding onto the arms of a chair, or the pain in your chest when you hug someone in the days following an intense workout.

The good news is, it means you did something in the gym that’ll help build muscle. The bad news is, you might need to endure the pain for a day or two.

In this blog post, I’ve outline what doesn’t work, what might work, and what does work to deal with sore muscles and speed recovery.

What Is Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness?

Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is the pain, stiffness, and slight swelling you feel in the hours or days following an intense exercise session.

DOMS is classified as a type I muscle strain injury and presents with tenderness or stiffness to palpation and/or movement."

Cheung K et al. Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. 2012

It is usually triggered by:

Starting a new training program after a layoff or for the first time

Higher-rep or higher-volume training

Eccentric or ballistic training (weights, downhill running, plyometrics, etc.)

Any other intense physical activity you might not be accustomed to (golf, moving furniture, gardening, etc.)

The soreness hits you 12-36 hours after your training session or physical activity.

What causes delayed onset muscle soreness?

According to the most current research, there are six possible causes of delayed onset muscle soreness:

Lactic acid accumulation: Lactate accumulation creates the burning sensation you feel when completing dozens of squats or pushups. Most people feel sore following these types of workouts, which led researchers to believe lactate accumulation contributes to DOMS. However, concentric-only exercise can create significant lactic acid buildup but rarely causes DOMS. Also, you metabolize lactic acid within an hour following training, and DOMS doesn't even show up for many hours after that.

Muscle spasm: The muscle spasm theory suggests that your muscles go into a minor spasm following intense training. The microscopic contractions are small, but significant enough to trigger nerves and cause pain, which causes the muscles to spasm even more. Research on this theory is inconclusive.

Connective tissue damage: Connective tissue wraps your muscle fibers. According to this theory, muscle contraction stretches the connective tissue enough to cause microscopic injury, triggering the soreness. This theory is difficult to prove.

Muscle damage: The muscle damage theory is the most-accepted of the six opinions, but it probably isn’t the only factor causing muscle soreness. Following intense muscle contraction, components of muscle fibers get damaged. The damage causes an immune response and an increase in enzymes like creatine kinase (CK).

Inflammation: Inflammation plays a role in any injury in the body, even a minor and beneficial injury like workout-related muscle tissue damage. Proteolytic enzymes break down the damaged tissue, while other inflammatory-related compounds, including bradykinin, histamine, prostaglandins, monocytes, and neutrophils, play other roles. All these inflammatory compounds draw fluid into the muscle, causing inflammation.

Enzyme efflux: Following damage to the muscle cell, calcium escapes from the damaged sarcoplasmic reticulum, which activates proteases and phospholipases, or proteolytic enzymes. This theory suggests the proteolytic enzymes cause further damage to the area and stimulate pain-related nerves.

In reality, it’s probably a combination of all these theories and then some.

What Doesn’t Reduce Muscle Soreness

Why do I include what doesn’t work?

Like anything else in health and fitness, there are many myths about how to reduce muscle soreness. Though the following offer other health benefits, they don't reduce muscle soreness according to the research. 

Cryotherapy: When it comes specifically to reducing dela...

Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). It's that deep ache in your legs that makes it challenging to sit down without holding onto the arms of a chair, or the pain in your chest when you hug someone in the days following an intense workout.

The good news is, it means you did something in the gym that’ll help build muscle. The bad news is, you might need to endure the pain for a day or two.

In this blog post, I’ve outline what doesn’t work, what might work, and what does work to deal with sore muscles and speed recovery.

What Is Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness?

Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is the pain, stiffness, and slight swelling you feel in the hours or days following an intense exercise session.

DOMS is classified as a type I muscle strain injury and presents with tenderness or stiffness to palpation and/or movement."Cheung K et al. Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. 2012

It is usually triggered by:

Starting a new training program after a layoff or for the first timeHigher-rep or higher-volume trainingEccentric or ballistic training (weights, downhill running, plyometrics, etc.)Any other intense physical activity you might not be accustomed to (golf, moving furniture, gardening, etc.)

The soreness hits you 12-36 hours after your training session or physical activity.

What causes delayed onset muscle soreness?

According to the most current research, there are six possible causes of delayed onset muscle soreness:

Lactic acid accumulation: Lactate accumulation creates the burning sensation you feel when completing dozens of squats or pushups. Most people feel sore following these types of workouts, which led researchers to believe lactate accumulation contributes to DOMS. However, concentric-only exercise can create significant lactic acid buildup but rarely causes DOMS. Also, you metabolize lactic acid within an hour following training, and DOMS doesn't even show up for many hours after that.Muscle spasm: The muscle spasm theory suggests that your muscles go into a minor spasm following intense training. The microscopic contractions are small, but significant enough to trigger nerves and cause pain, which causes the muscles to spasm even more. Research on this theory is inconclusive.Connective tissue damage: Connective tissue wraps your muscle fibers. According to this theory, muscle contraction stretches the connective tissue enough to cause microscopic injury, triggering the soreness. This theory is difficult to prove.Muscle damage: The muscle damage theory is the most-accepted of the six opinions, but it probably isn’t the only factor causing muscle soreness. Following intense muscle contraction, components of muscle fibers get damaged. The damage causes an immune response and an increase in enzymes like creatine kinase (CK).Inflammation: Inflammation plays a role in any injury in the body, even a minor and beneficial injury like workout-related muscle tissue damage. Proteolytic enzymes break down the damaged tissue, while other inflammatory-related compounds, including bradykinin, histamine, prostaglandins, monocytes, and neutrophils, play other roles. All these inflammatory compounds draw fluid into the muscle, causing inflammation. Enzyme efflux: Following damage to the muscle cell, calcium escapes from the damaged sarcoplasmic reticulum, which activates proteases and phospholipases, or proteolytic enzymes. This theory suggests the proteolytic enzymes cause further damage to the area and stimulate pain-related nerves.

In reality, it’s probably a combination of all these theories and then some.

What Doesn’t Reduce Muscle Soreness

Why do I include what doesn’t work?

Like anything else in health and fitness, there are many myths about how to reduce muscle soreness. Though the following offer other health benefits, they don't reduce muscle soreness according to the research. 

Cryotherapy: When it comes specifically to reducing delayed onset muscle soreness,

When you supplement with most micronutrients, you don't feel a significant difference, even though they make a difference. That's not the case with magnesium. I've received numerous testimonials from clients and members after supplementing with it regularly.

Once you understand all it does for your metabolism, which forms make the most difference, and how much you should take, you can start experiencing the benefits as well.

At least two-thirds of adults get less than the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of magnesium: 400-420 mg for men and 310-320 mg for women. It is the second-most-common micronutrient deficiency, next to vitamin D.

Why is magnesium so important?

Magnesium plays a role in more than 600 enzymatic reactions, impacting almost every system in the body.

At any given time, you store about 25 grams, or a little less than an ounce. You store about half in your bones and half in your organs and tissues, while about one percent remains available in your blood.

Inflammation

Those with low levels of magnesium are more likely to have elevated C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), the main marker of systemic inflammation. Systemic inflammation contributes to everything from heart disease and degenerative disease to increased risk of infections, including COVID-19. Increasing levels back to normal reduces C-reactive protein levels.

Energy production

Magnesium aids in energy production by:

Assisting with the extraction of energy from food

Supporting proper utilization of amino acids, fat, and carbohydrates

Aiding in the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the energy currency of every cell in the body

Aiding in nerve impulse conduction

Assisting in the utilization of other micronutrients, including B-complex vitamins, and vitamins C and E

Blood sugar and insulin sensitivity

Magnesium supports normal blood sugar levels and is needed for proper insulin metabolism. Those with insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and/or metabolic syndrome are often deficient. As we've seen in 2020, insulin resistance and diabetes are risk factors for severe viral infections, including COVID-19.

Taking magnesium alone won’t bring blood sugar and insulin levels back to normal. It still requires a well-designed strength training program, a lower-carb or ketogenic diet, and possibly medication. But the research shows it's very difficult to maintain optimal blood sugar and improve insulin levels without addressing the need for magnesium.

Muscle function

Magnesium is essential for muscle contraction. Low levels compromise nerve conduction, which limits muscle contraction, reducing muscle strength and power. Opposite contraction, it is also necessary for muscle relaxation. Not surprisingly, supplementation often helps reduce cramps and restless leg syndrome. It may also help with normalizing high blood pressure.

Bone health

Osteoporosis risk jumps when levels decline. Though calcium plays a role in bone health, it's helpless without sufficient vitamin D and K, plus magnesium. Vitamin D alone isn't as helpful for health without magnesium either, as the mineral is necessary for vitamin D metabolism.

Depression and anxiety

Some believe the neural damage brought on by low magnesium diets can lead to feelings of depression.

Magnesium insufficiency lowers serotonin, which can also contribute to depression. This explains why many people experience a calming effect from magnesium.

Researchers found that taking 125-300 mg with each meal and at bedtime reversed symptoms of depression in those who have low-magnesium related depression.

It’s not just depression though.

Low magnesium, or even an excess intake of calcium, can lead to:

agitation

anxiety

irritability

confusion

sleeplessness

headaches (including migraines)

attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Learning and memory

Low magnesium may accelerate the progression of neurodegen...

When you supplement with most micronutrients, you don't feel a significant difference, even though they make a difference. That's not the case with magnesium. I've received numerous testimonials from clients and members after supplementing with it regularly.

Once you understand all it does for your metabolism, which forms make the most difference, and how much you should take, you can start experiencing the benefits as well.

At least two-thirds of adults get less than the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of magnesium: 400-420 mg for men and 310-320 mg for women. It is the second-most-common micronutrient deficiency, next to vitamin D.

Why is magnesium so important?

Magnesium plays a role in more than 600 enzymatic reactions, impacting almost every system in the body.

At any given time, you store about 25 grams, or a little less than an ounce. You store about half in your bones and half in your organs and tissues, while about one percent remains available in your blood.

Inflammation

Those with low levels of magnesium are more likely to have elevated C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), the main marker of systemic inflammation. Systemic inflammation contributes to everything from heart disease and degenerative disease to increased risk of infections, including COVID-19. Increasing levels back to normal reduces C-reactive protein levels.

Energy production

Magnesium aids in energy production by:

Assisting with the extraction of energy from foodSupporting proper utilization of amino acids, fat, and carbohydratesAiding in the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the energy currency of every cell in the bodyAiding in nerve impulse conductionAssisting in the utilization of other micronutrients, including B-complex vitamins, and vitamins C and E

Blood sugar and insulin sensitivity

Magnesium supports normal blood sugar levels and is needed for proper insulin metabolism. Those with insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and/or metabolic syndrome are often deficient. As we've seen in 2020, insulin resistance and diabetes are risk factors for severe viral infections, including COVID-19.

Taking magnesium alone won’t bring blood sugar and insulin levels back to normal. It still requires a well-designed strength training program, a lower-carb or ketogenic diet, and possibly medication. But the research shows it's very difficult to maintain optimal blood sugar and improve insulin levels without addressing the need for magnesium.

Muscle function

Magnesium is essential for muscle contraction. Low levels compromise nerve conduction, which limits muscle contraction, reducing muscle strength and power. Opposite contraction, it is also necessary for muscle relaxation. Not surprisingly, supplementation often helps reduce cramps and restless leg syndrome. It may also help with normalizing high blood pressure.

Bone health

Osteoporosis risk jumps when levels decline. Though calcium plays a role in bone health, it's helpless without sufficient vitamin D and K, plus magnesium. Vitamin D alone isn't as helpful for health without magnesium either, as the mineral is necessary for vitamin D metabolism.

Depression and anxiety

Some believe the neural damage brought on by low magnesium diets can lead to feelings of depression.

Magnesium insufficiency lowers serotonin, which can also contribute to depression. This explains why many people experience a calming effect from magnesium.

Researchers found that taking 125-300 mg with each meal and at bedtime reversed symptoms of depression in those who have low-magnesium related depression.

It’s not just depression though.

Low magnesium, or even an excess intake of calcium, can lead to:

agitationanxietyirritabilityconfusionsleeplessnessheadaches (including migraines)attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Learning and memory

Low magnesium may accelerate the progression of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Lewy B...

Over the past decade, research has shown what the Finns and other Scandinavians have known for millennia. The sauna is good for you!

I've outlined seven reasons you should sauna, and described how to sauna to get the most health benefit. I also included some of the most common questions people ask at the end.

How to Take a Sauna

Finnish saunas are hot. For those who've never experienced a sauna, the first few times will feel almost unbearable. But like anything else in life, you eventually adapt to the stress. And that's when you start to experience the health benefits of the sauna.

Set the temperature between 176° F (80° C) and 212° F (100° C). The hotter, the better. As you adapt to the lower end of this temperature range, work your way up, toward 212°.

After acclimating to the heat, toss a scoop of water on the rocks. If you use a sauna in a commercial space, this may not be allowed. Tossing the water onto the hot stones creates a quick blast of steam, which makes the temperature feel much higher. As the steam hits your skin, it feels like you're getting hit with thousands of tiny pinpricks.

Gently beat your skin with silver birch branches. This adds to the intensity of the sauna and may enhance the detoxification benefits.

Stay in the sauna for 15 minutes or more. You may need to work up to this duration if you've never used a sauna before.

Step out of the sauna, wipe off your sweat, and cool down. Wiping off the sweat helps ensure toxins you've released won't re-enter your skin as you cool off. Drink plenty of water to help replace what you've lost through perspiration. If your sauna happens to be near a lake, jump in. If not, you could take a quick, cool shower.

Re-enter the sauna for another 15+ minutes. You'll notice that the next time, you sweat sooner than the time before. If you have the time, you can do another cool-down session followed by another sauna session. Traditionally, people took up to two hours for their sauna practices.

Take a cold shower and cool down completely. If you do not cool down properly, you'll continue to sweat, which lowers blood volume, raises hematocrit and cortisol and thickens your blood. You may also feel fatigued or experience chest or joint pain, bruising, or even bloody stools.

Pro Tip: Use Essential Oils In The SaunaSipping water with peppermint essential oil may help you last longer, as it has a cooling effect on the body.

7 Sauna Health Benefits

A sauna is enjoyable, but not necessarily comfortable. It's the discomfort that causes the effects on your body, which is known as heat stress. Your body perceives the extreme heat as a threat and reacts accordingly.

You feel surprised by the initial blast of heat when you walk in the door, but it's five to fifteen minutes later, when your core temperature begins to rise, that alarms start going off in your body.

Blood flows away from your core and out to your skin, and blood vessels dilate, making it easier to get blood, and the heat it holds onto, out to your skin where the heat passes to the environment. Of course, it doesn't work so well, since it's hotter in the sauna than it is in your body.

You begin to sweat as another means of cooling the body. Your heart beats faster and pumps more blood with each stroke. You secrete stress-related hormones and neurotransmitters, and your brain starts talking you into stepping out of the sauna.

But if you wait a little longer, and get past the point of discomfort, you'll gain the health benefits described below. And with each sauna session, you learn to handle the heat a little better than before, allowing you to last longer, or handle it hotter. You adapt to the stress response as you adapt to any other stress.

1. Increases growth hormone and norepinephrine

Growth hormone-releasing hormone (the hormone that tells your pituitary to release growth hormone) can rise to four times its normal level,

Over the past decade, research has shown what the Finns and other Scandinavians have known for millennia. The sauna is good for you!

I've outlined seven reasons you should sauna, and described how to sauna to get the most health benefit. I also included some of the most common questions people ask at the end.

How to Take a Sauna

Finnish saunas are hot. For those who've never experienced a sauna, the first few times will feel almost unbearable. But like anything else in life, you eventually adapt to the stress. And that's when you start to experience the health benefits of the sauna.

Set the temperature between 176° F (80° C) and 212° F (100° C). The hotter, the better. As you adapt to the lower end of this temperature range, work your way up, toward 212°.After acclimating to the heat, toss a scoop of water on the rocks. If you use a sauna in a commercial space, this may not be allowed. Tossing the water onto the hot stones creates a quick blast of steam, which makes the temperature feel much higher. As the steam hits your skin, it feels like you're getting hit with thousands of tiny pinpricks.Gently beat your skin with silver birch branches. This adds to the intensity of the sauna and may enhance the detoxification benefits.Stay in the sauna for 15 minutes or more. You may need to work up to this duration if you've never used a sauna before.Step out of the sauna, wipe off your sweat, and cool down. Wiping off the sweat helps ensure toxins you've released won't re-enter your skin as you cool off. Drink plenty of water to help replace what you've lost through perspiration. If your sauna happens to be near a lake, jump in. If not, you could take a quick, cool shower.Re-enter the sauna for another 15+ minutes. You'll notice that the next time, you sweat sooner than the time before. If you have the time, you can do another cool-down session followed by another sauna session. Traditionally, people took up to two hours for their sauna practices.Take a cold shower and cool down completely. If you do not cool down properly, you'll continue to sweat, which lowers blood volume, raises hematocrit and cortisol and thickens your blood. You may also feel fatigued or experience chest or joint pain, bruising, or even bloody stools.

Pro Tip: Use Essential Oils In The SaunaSipping water with peppermint essential oil may help you last longer, as it has a cooling effect on the body.

7 Sauna Health Benefits

A sauna is enjoyable, but not necessarily comfortable. It's the discomfort that causes the effects on your body, which is known as heat stress. Your body perceives the extreme heat as a threat and reacts accordingly.

You feel surprised by the initial blast of heat when you walk in the door, but it's five to fifteen minutes later, when your core temperature begins to rise, that alarms start going off in your body.

Blood flows away from your core and out to your skin, and blood vessels dilate, making it easier to get blood, and the heat it holds onto, out to your skin where the heat passes to the environment. Of course, it doesn't work so well, since it's hotter in the sauna than it is in your body.

You begin to sweat as another means of cooling the body. Your heart beats faster and pumps more blood with each stroke. You secrete stress-related hormones and neurotransmitters, and your brain starts talking you into stepping out of the sauna.

But if you wait a little longer, and get past the point of discomfort, you'll gain the health benefits described below. And with each sauna session, you learn to handle the heat a little better than before, allowing you to last longer, or handle it hotter. You adapt to the stress response as you adapt to any other stress.

1. Increases growth hormone and norepinephrine

Growth hormone-releasing hormone (the hormone that tells your pituitary to release growth hormone) can rise to four times its normal level, while growth hormone itself can increase two to five times norma...

Could wearing masks do more harm than good? Is it possible they could negatively impact physical health, mental wellbeing, or even our society's civility?

I realize that opening this blog post with those questions will cause some people to question me. Who am I to question public health experts and politicians? 

We’re not supposed to question the “experts,” are we? They know what they’re doing, right?

After all, they:

Came up with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which promote a diet known to exacerbate diabetes and obesity

Decided vaccine makers cannot be held liable for damages caused by vaccines

Approved Phen-Fen to combat the obesity epidemic which caused heart valve problems and other major health issues

Approved the use of Olestra in foods which caused micronutrient depletion and anal leakage

Remain silent about the impact food and supplements could have on reducing the risk of the coronavirus

The list goes on, but I think you get the point.

I'm sure by questioning whether we should "mask up" or not, some people will say I'm selfish.

"You're supposed to wear a mask to protect others." "You don't do it for yourself." "To not wear a mask is an act of selfishness." Or to quote Biden recently, "It's not about your rights. It's about your responsibility."

Those are some of the lines we've been conditioned to believe in the past few months. Before virtue signaling the unmasked, consider this: Many people who choose not to wear a face covering are the most selfless, caring, health-promoting people I know.

I'm also among the unmasked. I don't avoid wearing one out of defiance or disregard for others.

I'm not convinced the long-term risks of wearing masks outweigh the minor benefit they might provide.

In my opinion, the following issues need to be discussed and vetted by unbiased healthcare practitioners and psychologists and require close observation in those who choose to mask up. Without confidence about these issues, I choose not to wear a mask, and wouldn't encourage friends or family members to wear one either.

Could mask-wearing increase social disconnection?

For more than six months, "experts" have told us to stay at least six feet apart. No hugs, handshakes, or other physical touch. Physical touch helps us bond with others. It helps us feel good, too.

Now, we're not only supposed to be six feet apart, but we're also supposed to cover our faces. In fact, one of the Wisconsin state agencies expects employees to wear masks even when alone, on Zoom calls.

Facial gestures play an essential role in human communication.

We use 43 muscles to create 21 distinct facial gestures. Those gestures often tell more of the truth in communication than people's words do.

Thanks to our mirror neurons, when we see others' facial gestures, we mirror their gestures to help us feel what they feel. That's the foundation for empathy.

The MNS (Mirror Neuron System) is considered to be related not only with motor imitation and reading intention of other agents, but also with concepts in social interaction, such as emotion, empathy, and ToM (Theory of Mind). Hence, it is speculated that the cause of psychiatric disorders such as ASD may be strongly associated with dysfunctions of the MNS.

Hyeonjin Jeon and Seung-Hwan Lee.

To believe that covering people’s faces won’t affect our interactions with others is ridiculous.

If others can’t see our facial gestures, and we can't see theirs, we miss out on a large part of the emotional aspect of our interaction. On top of that, we shouldn’t hug, shake hands or rub shoulders?

During a time of significant social tension across the country, we need clear and compassionate communication. Covering our faces compromises communication and reduces empathy. Couldn't it lead to even more social stress than we already see today?

Couldn't masks reinforce danger and deceit?

You wear a mask to protect yourself from danger,

Could wearing masks do more harm than good? Is it possible they could negatively impact physical health, mental wellbeing, or even our society's civility?

I realize that opening this blog post with those questions will cause some people to question me. Who am I to question public health experts and politicians? 

We’re not supposed to question the “experts,” are we? They know what they’re doing, right?

After all, they:

Came up with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which promote a diet known to exacerbate diabetes and obesityDecided vaccine makers cannot be held liable for damages caused by vaccinesApproved Phen-Fen to combat the obesity epidemic which caused heart valve problems and other major health issuesApproved the use of Olestra in foods which caused micronutrient depletion and anal leakageRemain silent about the impact food and supplements could have on reducing the risk of the coronavirus

The list goes on, but I think you get the point.

I'm sure by questioning whether we should "mask up" or not, some people will say I'm selfish.

"You're supposed to wear a mask to protect others." "You don't do it for yourself." "To not wear a mask is an act of selfishness." Or to quote Biden recently, "It's not about your rights. It's about your responsibility."

Those are some of the lines we've been conditioned to believe in the past few months. Before virtue signaling the unmasked, consider this: Many people who choose not to wear a face covering are the most selfless, caring, health-promoting people I know.

I'm also among the unmasked. I don't avoid wearing one out of defiance or disregard for others.

I'm not convinced the long-term risks of wearing masks outweigh the minor benefit they might provide.

In my opinion, the following issues need to be discussed and vetted by unbiased healthcare practitioners and psychologists and require close observation in those who choose to mask up. Without confidence about these issues, I choose not to wear a mask, and wouldn't encourage friends or family members to wear one either.

Could mask-wearing increase social disconnection?

For more than six months, "experts" have told us to stay at least six feet apart. No hugs, handshakes, or other physical touch. Physical touch helps us bond with others. It helps us feel good, too.

Now, we're not only supposed to be six feet apart, but we're also supposed to cover our faces. In fact, one of the Wisconsin state agencies expects employees to wear masks even when alone, on Zoom calls.

Facial gestures play an essential role in human communication.

We use 43 muscles to create 21 distinct facial gestures. Those gestures often tell more of the truth in communication than people's words do.

Thanks to our mirror neurons, when we see others' facial gestures, we mirror their gestures to help us feel what they feel. That's the foundation for empathy.

The MNS (Mirror Neuron System) is considered to be related not only with motor imitation and reading intention of other agents, but also with concepts in social interaction, such as emotion, empathy, and ToM (Theory of Mind). Hence, it is speculated that the cause of psychiatric disorders such as ASD may be strongly associated with dysfunctions of the MNS.Hyeonjin Jeon and Seung-Hwan Lee.

To believe that covering people’s faces won’t affect our interactions with others is ridiculous.

If others can’t see our facial gestures, and we can't see theirs, we miss out on a large part of the emotional aspect of our interaction. On top of that, we shouldn’t hug, shake hands or rub shoulders?

During a time of significant social tension across the country, we need clear and compassionate communication. Covering our faces compromises communication and reduces empathy. Couldn't it lead to even more social stress than we already see today?

Couldn't masks reinforce danger and deceit?

You wear a mask to protect yourself from danger,

While working out at a gym is always ideal, it isn't possible for everyone right now. Next-best would be to set up a complete home gym. And if that doesn't work, you might need to make do with a small amount of fitness gear and your bodyweight.

If you don't have access to a gym and cannot set up a home gym with the basics, this blog post is for you.

Train on a schedule.

This tip might seem so obvious you overlook it. Or, maybe you think, "I don't need to follow a schedule. I have all day to get it in."

In March, when the gyms closed and my wife and I had to start working out at home, I thought the same thing. Not surprisingly, if I didn't schedule my workout, I'd get to the end of the day and end up doing "half-assed" and rushed training session.

Put your workout on the calendar and treat it like any other appointment.

Try this mental hack: Drive your car out of the garage and around the block. Then, drive up to your gym, which looks like your house, and complete your training session. That might sound extreme, but it works for some people.

And remember to tell the rest of your family when you'll workout too. Treat that time as sacred, and make it nonnegotiable.

One other thing. If it's possible, schedule your training session when you feel the most energetic. Some people feel their best in the mornings. Others feel best at noon and still others in the evening.

When that's not an option, schedule your training sessions at the same time each day. Eventually, your ebbs and flows of energy will work with your workout time, and you'll have more energy at the time you need to train.

Separate workouts from recreational activities.

Let's say you're supposed to do a lower body strength training session. You get to the end of the day when you scheduled your workout, but it sounds more fun to go for a bike ride.

The bike ride isn't a lower body strength training session. It's a recreational activity. By all means, include plenty of recreational activities in your lifestyle, but don't pretend they're training sessions.

It's tempting to tell ourselves it's the same thing, but it's not.

Follow a program. Don't do random workouts.

Since the COVID Circus began, the internet search traffic for home-based workouts has exploded.

Yet, doing random workouts you find on YouTube isn't any more effective than finding random shows on Netflix is entertaining.

People get drawn into a series because each episode builds on the previous.

People get results from training programs because each workout builds on the previous.

Fitness professionals design periodized programs because programs are progressive. Follow a program.

Focus on your technique over heart rate or reps completed.

I'd always prefer that you complete five perfect reps of an exercise over 50 reps done wrong.

You workout to make your body better. To make it stronger, more mobile, and less fragile.

But if you consistently perform a movement incorrectly, at best, it'll slow your progress. At worst, it'll cause an injury.

I rarely design training sessions based on completing a certain number of reps in a specific time or doing as many reps as possible (unless I've been explicit that it's "perfect reps").

When your attention is on completing your reps with speed or doing as many as possible, you're more likely to use sloppy technique. In my opinion, this kind of programming should only be used with advanced clients and athletes.

By the way, I have a collection of training tip videos in the VIGOR Training Facebook group. Check them out.

And just as a reminder for those of you who are VIGOR Training members…as part of your membership, I encourage you to post videos of yourself doing the movements you're most uncertain about. I'm happy to offer advice on how to improve.

Invest in a little fitness gear

For a small investment, you can add a lot of variety to your at-home training program.

While working out at a gym is always ideal, it isn't possible for everyone right now. Next-best would be to set up a complete home gym. And if that doesn't work, you might need to make do with a small amount of fitness gear and your bodyweight.

If you don't have access to a gym and cannot set up a home gym with the basics, this blog post is for you.

Train on a schedule.

This tip might seem so obvious you overlook it. Or, maybe you think, "I don't need to follow a schedule. I have all day to get it in."

In March, when the gyms closed and my wife and I had to start working out at home, I thought the same thing. Not surprisingly, if I didn't schedule my workout, I'd get to the end of the day and end up doing "half-assed" and rushed training session.

Put your workout on the calendar and treat it like any other appointment.

Try this mental hack: Drive your car out of the garage and around the block. Then, drive up to your gym, which looks like your house, and complete your training session. That might sound extreme, but it works for some people.

And remember to tell the rest of your family when you'll workout too. Treat that time as sacred, and make it nonnegotiable.

One other thing. If it's possible, schedule your training session when you feel the most energetic. Some people feel their best in the mornings. Others feel best at noon and still others in the evening.

When that's not an option, schedule your training sessions at the same time each day. Eventually, your ebbs and flows of energy will work with your workout time, and you'll have more energy at the time you need to train.

Separate workouts from recreational activities.

Let's say you're supposed to do a lower body strength training session. You get to the end of the day when you scheduled your workout, but it sounds more fun to go for a bike ride.

The bike ride isn't a lower body strength training session. It's a recreational activity. By all means, include plenty of recreational activities in your lifestyle, but don't pretend they're training sessions.

It's tempting to tell ourselves it's the same thing, but it's not.

Follow a program. Don't do random workouts.

Since the COVID Circus began, the internet search traffic for home-based workouts has exploded.

Yet, doing random workouts you find on YouTube isn't any more effective than finding random shows on Netflix is entertaining.

People get drawn into a series because each episode builds on the previous.

People get results from training programs because each workout builds on the previous.

Fitness professionals design periodized programs because programs are progressive. Follow a program.

Focus on your technique over heart rate or reps completed.

I'd always prefer that you complete five perfect reps of an exercise over 50 reps done wrong.

You workout to make your body better. To make it stronger, more mobile, and less fragile.

But if you consistently perform a movement incorrectly, at best, it'll slow your progress. At worst, it'll cause an injury.

I rarely design training sessions based on completing a certain number of reps in a specific time or doing as many reps as possible (unless I've been explicit that it's "perfect reps").

When your attention is on completing your reps with speed or doing as many as possible, you're more likely to use sloppy technique. In my opinion, this kind of programming should only be used with advanced clients and athletes.

By the way, I have a collection of training tip videos in the VIGOR Training Facebook group. Check them out.

And just as a reminder for those of you who are VIGOR Training members…as part of your membership, I encourage you to post videos of yourself doing the movements you're most uncertain about. I'm happy to offer advice on how to improve.

Invest in a little fitness gear

For a small investment, you can add a lot of variety to your at-home training program.