Feeling sore after a workout is a common reason not to exercise, but it’s also an area of confusion. Say you’re still sore a couple days after a hard workout. Should you train again or wait till the soreness subsides? Use a scale of 1 to 10 to rate your level of soreness and then use this chart to determine when to train and when to rest.
Level of Soreness
1 - 3: Train. You're fine.
4 - 6: Train, but with lower intensity. Use very light weight and move through the full range of motion for each movement with the goal of working on technique and stability.
7 - 10: Rest. Substitute some mobility and soft-tissue work until your soreness decreases. For instance, glide over your sore spots with a foam roll.
About the Author
Craig Friedman | Vice President of Innovative Team
Craig Friedman is the Vice President of the Innovation Team at Athletes' Performance. He designs and implements performance training systems for professional athletes in all sports as well as elite youth and college athletes.
Craig brings a variety of performance training experience to the Athletes' Performance staff, including work at the International Performance Institute, extensive time traveling on the WTA professional tennis tour, consulting with a variety of training centers across the country, and lecturing at conferences and in the classroom both nationally and internationally.
As Director of Methodology for Athletes' Performance, Craig designs and implements performance training systems for professional athletes of all sports as well as elite youth through college athletes. He also continues to specialize in MLB spring training preparation at the Arizona facility and served as a Performance Specialist for the German National Soccer Team during their run to a 3rd place finish at the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
He is also involved with numerous developmental initiatives integrating performance training and technology for both Athletes' Performance and Core Performance as a leader of the Performance Innovation Team at Athletes' Performance.
Craig received both his MS and BS degrees from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where he worked with the Women's Athletic Training Department. He gained additional experience as a graduate assistant at the University of Arizona as the Assistant Football Athletic Trainer, where he was responsible for the acute care, assessment, and rehabilitation of injured players before shifting his emphasis toward performance training.
