Reduce Muscle Soreness after Strength Training

 Doing squats is a great way to strengthen the gluts and hamstrings.  These muscles oppose the often over-used, and tightened hip flexors that fire when running or cycling.  

To test whether carbohydrate or branch-chain amino acids (BCAA) are effective in reducing the muscle soreness that occurs after the eccentric movement used during squats, researchers provided a drink with one or the other to untrained females and had them do 7 sets of 20 squats, resting 3 minutes in-between.  Delayed onset muscles soreness (DOMS) showed a peak at days 2 and 3 after the trial for both test drinks,  but the level was higher in the carbohydrate only group.  

 The  benefits of BCAA are seen at relatively low doses, 100 mg/kg body weight.  If you weigh a 154 pounds, that is about 70 kg.  Supplementation with 7 grams of BCAA prior to lifting may be sufficient to reduce muscle soreness and allow for faster recovery, based on these study results.

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