We all have slightly different goals for working out. Whether it's to burn more calories so that you can lose weight and feel great, or to get stronger and have more endurance so that you can climb that mountain, or to just be pain free when walking around Greenlake with your grandkids. No matter what your specific motivation is, we all want to perform BETTER. One of the main things that can set us back is PAIN. Pain can have many causes, but the # 1 cause of pain and discomfort is soft tissue related. Meaning your tight muscles, tendons (all of your sliding surfaces) are getting in the way of your body's full range of motion, causing movement restriction/ compensation, and eventually pain.
If you want to take the power into your own hands and get the most out of your workouts you might start working on some of this tissue tightness on your own, so that when you go to workout, you can GET DOWN TO BUSINESS! Here are 3 of my favorite resources for dealing with pain from soft tissue issues.
Yoga Tune Up--"Pain and Stress Relief" short videos
Contrary to the name, you will not be doing any downward dogs or yoga movement (although I believe this is another great way to work out our tightness). Anyways, this site has anything from quick 2 minute videos to full on 8 hour trainings on how to use self massage on your entire body. I recommend going to the "Pain and Stress Relief" link and clicking the body part/area that is currently giving you the most trouble. From there you can select a short video for just a couple bucks that is going to focus on techniques you can use to relieve that specific area.The Mobility WOD (Workout of the Day) follow along 10 minute videos
I've been watching Physical Therapist, Kelly Starett's Mobility Workout Of the Day for years on Youtube. He is a coach, physical therapist, author, speaker, and owner of a physical therapy practice at San Francisco CrossFit, where he has helped elite athletes work through injuries so they can compete.
If you are serious about improving your performance and reducing pain, I recommend subscribing to his Mobility Workout Of the Day. The Daily MWOD is a 10-15 minute follow-along video where he prescribes mobility exercises for that day and mobilize along with you. If you are seeking specific mobilizations, you can also filter and search for the episodes you need most.- If you are more into having a book with lots of pictures and simple mobilization descriptions, that you can refer to over and over again, I recommend Kelly Starett's book:
Becoming a Supple Leopard 2nd Edition: The Ultimate Guide to Resolving Pain, Preventing Injury, and Optimizing Athletic Performance . It is simply amazing. Easy to Follow and put into practice.
Hope these suggestions help. Now get rolling!