Your EXPERIENCE with nutrition for muscle stiffness

thewallylama

thewallylama

New User
I am having more muscle stiffness after tennis (and other physical activity) than I ever have had, and in recent weeks it has really lingered, for days afterward. I am great about warm ups and stretching and have read a lot of the talk on the forums--I really don't want advice on that. Recently I have found that in spite of the stretching, yoga and warmups that used to work decently, I am just a much stiffer guy (and a middle aged guy now, too). I am thinking that there is a changing body chemistry thing going on in me that nutrition (as in supplements, maybe some diet, too) would help. There is so much nutritional theory out there it is overwhelming. So... I am really not asking for more theory. But do any of you have any actual EXPERIENCE of benefit from nutrition/supplements in regard to muscle stiffness (either your own or direct observation of someone)? Thanks!
 
Congrats on making it to middle age with only some minor stiffness to worry about! I wish you the greatest of luck in finding some nutritional way of eliminating this symptom, although I have my doubts.

Myself? I take 600 of Motrin before I ever step onto any court. I don't have muscle aches from tennis anymore...
 
I have been known to take that, too. I still hold out hope for some alternatives! So, anybody... chime in if you've found some other kind of elixir...
 
um dunno if this helps but 2 ibuprofen (sp?) 2 bananas and a litre of water helps me releave stiffness... after this i go for a walk for 20 mins with my dog then do some stretching and goto bed... i wake up much better the next day
 
Recently, I have been taking fish oil supplements for a variety of reasons,but have noticed that I am less sore after workouts. Fish oils are acclaimed for their anti-inflammatory properties! Any weight gain will make you more sore. Are you stretching after you play and not just before? Also, its very important to warm your core body temp(light sweat) before you stretch . Stretching cold muscles/tendons will make you more sore, particularly if you don't stretch after you play. Do you do weekly weight training so your muscles, tendons, and ligaments can handle the stresses of playing tennis. Are you playing more tennis-increase work load will lead to more soreness, particularly if you are not weight training or stretching after play. Hows your water and protein intake? You should minimally drink half your body weight in ounces and take .8-1 g of protein x your body weight. Remember, protein helps your body recover and restore itself after strenuous workouts. Also, if the budget allows , a weekly massage along with daily stretching will help alot. Whirlpools can provide immediate relief, along with ice baths if your brave.
 
Japanese Maple said:
Recently, I have been taking fish oil supplements for a variety of reasons,but have noticed that I am less sore after workouts. Fish oils are acclaimed for their anti-inflammatory properties! Any weight gain will make you more sore. Are you stretching after you play and not just before? Also, its very important to warm your core body temp(light sweat) before you stretch . Stretching cold muscles/tendons will make you more sore, particularly if you don't stretch after you play. Do you do weekly weight training so your muscles, tendons, and ligaments can handle the stresses of playing tennis. Are you playing more tennis-increase work load will lead to more soreness, particularly if you are not weight training or stretching after play. Hows your water and protein intake? You should minimally drink half your body weight in ounces and take .8-1 g of protein x your body weight. Remember, protein helps your body recover and restore itself after strenuous workouts. Also, if the budget allows , a weekly massage along with daily stretching will help alot. Whirlpools can provide immediate relief, along with ice baths if your brave.
Click to expand...

Great advice, very balanced. What type of fish oil supplement do you take?
 
thewallylama said:
I am having more muscle stiffness after tennis (and other physical activity) than I ever have had, and in recent weeks it has really lingered, for days afterward. I am great about warm ups and stretching and have read a lot of the talk on the forums--I really don't want advice on that. Recently I have found that in spite of the stretching, yoga and warmups that used to work decently, I am just a much stiffer guy (and a middle aged guy now, too). I am thinking that there is a changing body chemistry thing going on in me that nutrition (as in supplements, maybe some diet, too) would help. There is so much nutritional theory out there it is overwhelming. So... I am really not asking for more theory. But do any of you have any actual EXPERIENCE of benefit from nutrition/supplements in regard to muscle stiffness (either your own or direct observation of someone)? Thanks!
Click to expand...

There is a product called Endurox and I wish TW would carry it. It is a mix you put in water not only is it a good mix of carbs to protein, it has antioxidants, electrolytes and glutamine.

Helps recover faster:
-replenishes muscle glycogen levels 128% more than a carbohydrate drink.
-carb/probein forumla rebuilds muscle protein 38% more than a protein drink.

Rever better:
-reduces post-exercise muscle damage up to 36%.

Extends endurance up to 55% in subsequent workout.

It is not a drink you take prior to exercise--you take it after the event and helps you recover post-exercise. I can tell tremendously when I fail to take it after a long afternoon on the courts. It's pretty amazing stuff.
 
thewallylama said:
Great advice, very balanced. What type of fish oil supplement do you take?
Click to expand...
Sams club sells fish oil that is pretty good. They recommend taking 3 pills per day for a total of 900 mg of DHA and EPA combined. Based on nutritionist recommendations I take 6 pills per day for a total of 1,800 mg of DHA and EPA. I definitely feel less sore since I have been taking the pills, but there are numerous other benefits as to why I take the pills. Overall, I would spend more time stretching with a proper warm-up, and not a cursory stretch. When I play tournaments, I stretch 3 times per day. Heating pads and ice work wonders along with whirlpools. If you take a sports massage you won't believe how many knots they will fine. Also, consider stretching with a foam tube for a deeper tissue stretch.
 
Japanese Maple said:
Sams club sells fish oil that is pretty good. They recommend taking 3 pills per day for a total of 900 mg of DHA and EPA combined. Based on nutritionist recommendations I take 6 pills per day for a total of 1,800 mg of DHA and EPA. I definitely feel less sore since I have been taking the pills, but there are numerous other benefits as to why I take the pills. Overall, I would spend more time stretching with a proper warm-up, and not a cursory stretch. When I play tournaments, I stretch 3 times per day. Heating pads and ice work wonders along with whirlpools. If you take a sports massage you won't believe how many knots they will fine. Also, consider stretching with a foam tube for a deeper tissue stretch.
Click to expand...


I'm taking about the same amount. I feel much better on the high doses of fish oil. It isn't that expensive either. I rarely take anti-inflammatories now.

-Robert
 
In my experience oxygen intake has alot to do with muscle stiffness as well.

You can see these results in djokovic who has lots of muscles cramps.
 
Last edited:
One other thing I forgot-how old are your tennis shoes? If you workout or play tennis 3/4 times per week, long before your soles wear out your mid-soles will breakdown. You should buy new shoes every 6 months, and also put in a full sole insert like SofSol or Spendco-make a big difference in absorbing shock and not letting the force transfer up to your ankle, knee, hip, ect., causing aches and pain. You can tell if your mid-soles are shot if one day for know apparent reason your feet and ankles hurt like you just walked across a bed of rocks-note how long you had them and throw them out. Its even better to have two pairs and rotate them throughout the week. Don't brag how long your soles last-be smart and sensitive to when the mid-soles wear out!
 
I was thinking about the shoes today.... and you're right... time for new ones. Just picked up some fish oil--can the Endurox be far behind?
 
Does fish oil have any bad properties to it?
Click to expand...

You can get gastric distress (i.e. gas, the runs) if you choose a low-quality source. You want to make sure there's no Vitamin A or cholesterol in it, because that means the fish oil went through at least molecular distillation.

Higher dosages (usually higher than what Maple is doing) do thin the blood, so you may want to look for nose bleeds and such.

Fish oil has a depressive effect on PGE3 production, and so you may want to supplement with some Evening Primrose Oil. Usually when your skin feels soft and moisturized, you found a good balance. This varies strongly person to person.

If this were a BB forum (where pretty much everybody has had experience with fish oil), I would probably working with higher dosages of fish oil. Poliquin has his client super-dosing the amount, because he puts them through extremely rigorous routines, and it gives them the ability to recover much, much faster. If I do a flux routine, which essentially is a variation of 2-a-days, I can handle the workload if I increase the fish oil (as well as overall food.)
 
include green tea, cherry juice (& cherries), turmeric, ginger root, holy basil

I prefer to get my omega-3s from eating fish, particularly salmon and sardines. Every once in a while, I'll eat albacore as well. Note that it does take quite few fish oil caps to derive a sufficient amount of DHA and EPA. Altho' vegetable sources of omega-3 fatty acids are not quite as effective as fish sources, it's not a bad idea to supplement the fish with ground flax seeds.

If it really is inflammation that you are dealing with, there are quite a few other foods and spices/herbs that can be of benefit. These include green tea, cherry juice (& cherries), turmeric, ginger root, holy basil, & rosemary to name a few. For more info:

badmintoncentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=707662
 
SystemicAnomaly said:
I prefer to get my omega-3s from eating fish, particularly salmon and sardines. Every once in a while, I'll eat albacore as well. Note that it does take quite few fish oil caps to derive a sufficient amount of DHA and EPA. Altho' vegetable sources of omega-3 fatty acids are not quite as effective as fish sources, it's not a bad idea to supplement the fish with ground flax seeds.

If it really is inflammation that you are dealing with, there are quite a few other foods and spices/herbs that can be of benefit. These include green tea, cherry juice (& cherries), turmeric, ginger root, holy basil, & rosemary to name a few. For more info:

badmintoncentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=707662
Click to expand...

Systemic-how do you eat your sardines-as a snack with crackers? Do you stay away from farm raised salmon and eat only wild salmon? Is albacore tuna better for you than regular can tuna? I have been adding flaxseed to my protein/carb shakes at times, but less often now that I am taking fish oil capsules. I also just started drinking 4 cups of green tea per day.
 
tricky said:
You can get gastric distress (i.e. gas, the runs) if you choose a low-quality source. You want to make sure there's no Vitamin A or cholesterol in it, because that means the fish oil went through at least molecular distillation.

Higher dosages (usually higher than what Maple is doing) do thin the blood, so you may want to look for nose bleeds and such.

Fish oil has a depressive effect on PGE3 production, and so you may want to supplement with some Evening Primrose Oil. Usually when your skin feels soft and moisturized, you found a good balance. This varies strongly person to person.

If this were a BB forum (where pretty much everybody has had experience with fish oil), I would probably working with higher dosages of fish oil. Poliquin has his client super-dosing the amount, because he puts them through extremely rigorous routines, and it gives them the ability to recover much, much faster. If I do a flux routine, which essentially is a variation of 2-a-days, I can handle the workload if I increase the fish oil (as well as overall food.)
Click to expand...

Tricky-what is PDE3 and primrose oil? How much primrose oil do you recommend to take?
 
saram said:
There is a product called Endurox and I wish TW would carry it. It is a mix you put in water not only is it a good mix of carbs to protein, it has antioxidants, electrolytes and glutamine.

Helps recover faster:
-replenishes muscle glycogen levels 128% more than a carbohydrate drink.
-carb/probein forumla rebuilds muscle protein 38% more than a protein drink.

Rever better:
-reduces post-exercise muscle damage up to 36%.

Extends endurance up to 55% in subsequent workout.

It is not a drink you take prior to exercise--you take it after the event and helps you recover post-exercise. I can tell tremendously when I fail to take it after a long afternoon on the courts. It's pretty amazing stuff.
Click to expand...

Saram-how did you hear about Endurox and who is their target market. How come I have never seen them advertise, particularly tennis magazine? Where can you get it and does it come in a variety of flavours?
 
Last edited:
Japanese Maple said:
Tricky-what is PDE3 and primrose oil? How much primrose oil do you recommend to take?
Click to expand...

It's actually PGE3. This is a Series 3 prostaglandin that is derived from EPA, one of the omega-3 fatty acids. Prostaglendins (PGs) are very powerful chemicals in the body that posses hormone-like qualities. PGE3 is responsible for producing an anti-inflammatory response.

Evening primrose oil (EPO) contains mostly omega-6 fatty acids -- something like 80% of its fatty acid content. Using EPO is supposed to balance out the omega-3 s we get from fish (& flax) by generating Series 1 and Series 2 (pro-inflammatory) PGs.

One problem with this is that the average North American diet is already way too high in omega-6 fatty acids because of the vegetable oils we use and the oils in the processed foods that many of us eat.

Probably the greatest benefit of EPO is that it provide GLA, which some people have difficulty producing on their own. It comprises about 9% of EPOs fatty acid content. GLA is responsible for generating Series 1 PGs (good guy PGs). However, some of it also gets converted into AA from which is derived Series 2 PGs (kinda' the bad guys).

GLA can also be found in hemp, borage, & black currant oils.
.
 
Last edited:
Japanese Maple said:
Systemic-how do you eat your sardines-as a snack with crackers? Do you stay away from farm raised salmon and eat only wild salmon? Is albacore tuna better for you than regular can tuna? I have been adding flaxseed to my protein/carb shakes at times, but less often now that I am taking fish oil capsules. I also just started drinking 4 cups of green tea per day.
Click to expand...

Sardines and crackers! Sounds like a good idea. I usually just eat them as is. I'll buy them packed in water, olive oil, salmon oil, tomato sauce, or sometimes, mustard. I don't bother w/ the ones packed in soybean oil.

Most of the salmon we get from the Pacific, farm or wild, is relatively free of mercury and PCBs. It's the Atlantic salmon you've really gotta watch out for. Some experts say that the generous amount of selenium in salmon and other fish is more than enough to counteract the amount mercury found in these fish.

Albacore has significantly more omega-3s than regular light tuna. On the downside, it generally has more contaminants as well since these tend to be very large predator fish. Again, there is plenty of selenium in albacore to offset the potential mercury hazard.

How much fish oil are you taking? If you are only taking a couple a day then you might want to eat more fish or grind more flax seeds.
 
SystemicAnomaly said:
Sardines and crackers! Sounds like a good idea. I usually just eat them as is. I'll buy them packed in water, olive oil, salmon oil, tomato sauce, or sometimes, mustard. I don't bother w/ the ones packed in soybean oil.

Most of the salmon we get from the Pacific, farm or wild, is relatively free of mercury and PCBs. It's the Atlantic salmon you've really gotta watch out for. Some experts say that the generous amount of selenium in salmon and other fish is more than enough to counteract the amount mercury found in these fish.

Albacore has significantly more omega-3s than regular light tuna. On the downside, it generally has more contaminants as well since these tend to be very large predator fish. Again, there is plenty of selenium in albacore to offset the potential mercury hazard.

How much fish oil are you taking? If you are only taking a couple a day then you might want to eat more fish or grind more flax seeds.
Click to expand...

SystemicAnomaly-thanks for your input. Are you a trainer or nutritionist-you provide good info-thanks.
 
SystemicAnomaly said:
... PGE3. This is a Series 3 prostaglandin that is derived from EPA, one of the omega-3 fatty acids. Prostaglendins (PGs) are very powerful chemicals in the body that posses hormone-like qualities. PGE3 is responsible for producing an anti-inflammatory response.

Evening primrose oil (EPO) contains mostly omega-6 fatty acids -- something like 80% of its fatty acid content. Using EPO is supposed to balance out the omega-3 s we get from fish (& flax) by generating Series 1 and Series 2 (pro-inflammatory) PGs.

...

Probably the greatest benefit of EPO is that it provide GLA, which some people have difficulty producing on their own. It comprises about 9% of EPOs fatty acid content. GLA is responsible for generating Series 1 PGs (good guy PGs). However, some of it also gets converted into AA from which is derived Series 2 PGs (something of the bad guys)...
Click to expand...

Correction: near the end of post #20, I mistakenly designated Series 3 prostaglandins (PGs) as the 'bad guys'. I've corrected it to say that Series 2 PGs are regarded as the 'bad guys'. These 'bad guy' PGs actually do have some benefits under special circumstances. However, when inflammation gets out of hand, PGE2 becomes the 'bad guy'.
 
LuckyR said:
Congrats on making it to middle age with only some minor stiffness to worry about! I wish you the greatest of luck in finding some nutritional way of eliminating this symptom, although I have my doubts.

Myself? I take 600 of Motrin before I ever step onto any court. I don't have muscle aches from tennis anymore...
Click to expand...

Yep, me too. It's only a partial solution, though. I get sore from other workouts also, so I can't possibly take 3 advil before every workout (every day).

I guess it's just a part of aging. Perhaps I'll eat more fish . . .
 
Cindysphinx said:
Yep, me too. It's only a partial solution, though. I get sore from other workouts also, so I can't possibly take 3 advil before every workout (every day).

I guess it's just a part of aging. Perhaps I'll eat more fish . . .
Click to expand...

I like the idea of using nutrition to address soreness and stiffness as much as possible--at any age. It nice that an anti-inflammatory can help us continue to get out there and play this fantastic sport, but for me, the idea of doing this on a regular basis for the rest of my life (and conceivably needing to increase it with age) is not a happy one! There has got to be a lot that can be done nutritionally to deal with changing body chemistry, and these posts have some great information.
 
Japanese Maple said:
Saram-how did you hear about Endurox and who is their target market. How come I have never seen them advertise, particularly tennis magazine? Where can you get it and does it come in a variety of flavours?
Click to expand...

I was a cyclist for several years. I used to drink Exceed in various formula's when racing as a cyclist as we were sponsored by them. My father still competes on the bike and found Endurox via the cycling sites that sell performance enhancing drinks. I'm not sure if I would get banned or not for posting a site as to where you can get it or not.

take a word like performance and add it with a word like bike and you'll find it on the web. Then search for 'endurox' and you'll find it.
 
johnny ballgame said:
I have a mountain biking buddy who swears by sportlegs (no 's' after sport). Do you use it before a tennis match? I might like to try that.
Click to expand...

I do use it before I know I'm going to do something grueling and/or strenuous, but most frequently I pop a couple after working out or doing whatever, any time I know I've pushed a little too hard--like played hours longer than I really should. I do a lot of backpacking, and it's indispensable on the mountain.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

F
Nutrition plans....
Replies
33
Views
2K
ollinger
ollinger
W
Deep muscle soreness that won't go away
Replies
9
Views
11K
RogueFLIP
R
K
Few facts for Supplements/Muscle
Replies
3
Views
1K
ollinger
ollinger
ogruskie
I need whey protein. Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard or Muscle Milk?
Replies
49
Views
30K
Vyse
Vyse
S
Calf muscle tear - what causes?
Replies
25
Views
4K
luckyvenkat
L
Back
Top