On Sunday, September 21, I paddled a canoe solo for 4 hours. I was going with the current on the Mazon River and covered about 6.5 miles. Even though anaerobic bursts were few and brief, and even though I paddled rather leisurely, I was still exhausted after the trip and my muscles were starting to tighten up and give me signs that I might be in for some DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness). Fortunately the soreness in my “lats” never came and here are some possible reasons why:
- I performed steady light activity all afternoon and evening. Some people have suggested that movement and increased blood flow helps the muscles recover without the pain. If I would have sat in my recliner chair in the afternoon and evening, I think I would have had some significant muscle-tightness; instead I was fairly flexible and pain-free in the evening.
- I took a cold shower in the evening. I think a blast of cold exposure does something positive to the muscles. Some athletes dip themselves in cold baths after extremely hard workouts to prevent DOMS; maybe my cold shower helped to nip it in the bud. (Previously when I have had a case of DOMS, I found that although a cold shower temporarily helps, it does not eliminate DOMS; maybe the cold exposure is necessary before DOMS starts.)
- I stretched before going to bed. Maybe the stretching helped to nip it in the bud. (I have previously found that stretching temporarily helps a DOMS case that is under way, but it does not eliminate DOMS.)
