Woman training on barbell to burn muscle

How much fat can you burn without losing muscle?

Many bodybuilders and strength athletes probably ask themselves this very question. How much pure fat can I lose per week without affecting my muscles? Because one thing is quite clear, it takes quite a long time to build muscle and the worse it is when you do a "classic" diet and at the end of this are the excess kilos of fat gone, but also some of the hard-earned muscle.

The basis to answer this question is quite simple. We all know that you need a calorie surplus to build mass and muscle. Likewise, you need a calorie deficit to lose weight. But how high can this deficit actually be and are there other important factors that influence this and what number is actually realistic... 0.5kg / week, 1Kg / week, 2 Kg / week or is it not possible at all without losing muscle? 

That's really a lot of questions that come up, although you just wanted a simple answer 😉.

Even if the whole thing may sound crazy complicated now, it is not at all! There is even a guideline, which you can / should follow to determine the best way for you.

1. nothing works without calorie deficit!

In order to get into the diet mode at all, you need a calorie deficit, i.e. more energy must be consumed / burned than is supplied. Only then do we draw energy from our body's own energy depots = fat depots. Don't worry, because that's what our fat depots have always been there for. The body deliberately stores them for "bad times", when we were not lucky on the hunt and the lion or the mammoth was faster than us, or it is not the time for berries and nuts. Because the body needs energy even in this time to move, so that the brain continues to function and simply to ensure all the functions that our body provides.

2. if you want to be properly defined, you can not lose weight too fast!

There is a very interesting case study (*1) from 2014, which examined 2 natural bodybuilders in competition preparation. Type 1 lost weight the fastest, with 1% body weight loss per week, and Type 2 lost weight the slowest, with 0.5% body weight loss per week. From the study, it appears that Type 1, who lost the most weight the fastest, unfortunately also lost the most lean mass = muscle mass. For example, if type 1 and type 2 had 100kg body weight, type 1 lost 1% = 1kg per week and type 2 lost 0.5% = 0.5kg. What does this tell us now?

Say goodbye to the idea that you have to lose 1 or 2 kg per week. Because unfortunately it doesn't work like that. However, this study also refers to natural bodybuilders in competition preparation, who already have quite little body fat at this point. 

In our eyes, a better and also proven approach is to look at what amount of body fat is present in the first place.

3. rule of thumb, with which you are on the safe side!

In another study (*2) from 2004, which we prefer, it was looked at, depending on the fat mass, which an athlete possesses, which deficit may be produced, so that one does not lose lean mass = muscle mass? The result of this study shows that approx. 70 kcal / kg of body fat is the ideal value that you can be in deficit without attacking your muscle mass too much.

For example, if you have 10kg of body fat (regardless of what you weigh) then you may be 700 kcal per day in deficit. The beauty of this study is that nothing was glossed over or artificially optimized. For example, by eating a balanced and protein-rich diet, as well as the use of various supplements such as BCAA, EAA, creatine, etc., you can still slightly increase the Kcal to about 80 kcal / kg, with which you could still extend the deficit a little. This study represents the upper limit if you want to be 100% sure.

4. now what is realistic for me to lose weight based on this formula?

The important thing here is not only what you can lose per week, but also to reduce the "stroke rate" somewhat, the closer you get to your personal goal.

If your KFA = body fat percentage is above 15%, you should lose about 1% body weight per week. If your KFA is 10-15%, you should lose 0.7-0.8% body weight per week, and if your KFA is less than 8%, you should lose only 0.5% body weight per week to ensure that you maintain your muscles.

To find out what your body fat percentage is, you should certainly find a qualified trainer or nutritionist at your gym who can calculate or measure it for you pretty quickly. If this is too much effort for you, here is also a graphic that you can use to orient yourself to where your current body fat percentage is. As always, it is important to be honest with yourself! Because it helps neither you nor your goals if you lie to yourself or cheat something 😉

More articles on the topic

Study Reprimand:

1 Kistler BM, Fitschen PJ, Ranadive SM, Fernhall B, Wilund KR. Case study: natural bodybuilding contest preparation. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2014 Dec;24(6):694-700. doi: 10.1123/ijsnem.2014-0016. Epub 2014 Jun 5. PMID: 24901578. https://pubmed. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24901578/

2 Schoenfeld BJ, Vigotsky A, Contreras B, Golden S, Alto A, Larson R, Winkelman N, Paoli A. Differential effects of attentional focus strategies during long-term resistance training. Eur J Sport Sci. 2018 Jun;18(5):705-712. doi: 10.1080/17461391.2018.1447020. Epub 2018 Mar 13. PMID: 29533715. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29533715/

Determined athletic woman having gym training with kettle bell in a gym. Her friends are in the background.

Speed of repetitions really important in strength training?

Pretty much every athlete probably has the same goal, to get the most out of their workouts and maximize muscle growth. But what is the best way now when it comes to the speed of each repetition and does it make any significant difference at all?  

The beauty of this consideration is that we can actually only choose between 2 options. On the one hand we can do slow repetitions (Time under Intention) to maximize the time our muscle is under tension and on the other hand we can do the repetitions faster to have more total repetitions done at the end of the workout.

To get a clear picture here, we should first look at the study-based data. A meta-analysis (*2) (one study out of a large number of studies) by Brad Jon Schoenfeld shows that a range of 0.5 - 8 seconds is the ideal time for a repetition, which is still quite a large range. Unfortunately, what has not been taken into account in this study is the performance level of the athletes, as well as the execution of the repetition. So, how fast each part of the repetition was performed, that is, how the repetition is divided, has not been addressed. Whether a slow negative and a fast positive movement was made or a slow positive and a fast negative movement was made during the repetition or were both sequences even identical in time!?

Why are repetitions that are too slow not ideal?

This is due to the types of muscles we have = slow & fast muscle fibers. Fast muscle fibers can produce more growth compared to the slow muscle fibers. For this reason, it would already be smart to prioritize them. The disadvantage is that the fast muscle fibers are only addressed at very high loads, as is the case with strength training, and our body hardly uses them in everyday life, as there is often little reason to do so here.

Why are repetitions that are too fast not ideal?

Mind-Muscle-Connection = Mind-Muscle-Connection. Our muscles are connected to our brain via the central nervous system. This means that if a muscle is to be tensed, our brain must first send a signal to the corresponding muscle. So a connection is made. Many experienced athletes often speak here of the so-called muscle feeling. Another study (*2) refers exactly to this phenomenon of "just" moving the dumbbell upwards or concentrating on it and explicitly creating a tension. The result is amazing! The athletes who had properly concentrated on the exercising muscle during the execution could achieve a better muscle build-up!

In other words, if you do the exercise at a speed where the "mind-muscle connection" suffers, then you won't be able to get the maximum potential out of it. As a small guideline, anything less than 1-1.5 seconds is not optimal to get said "muscle feel" because that's the only way you can ensure your muscle is maximally stimulated and exercised. And that, after all, is what this is all about.

What's more, if you do a repetition too fast, in most cases the negative contraction is not controlled by you, but by gravity. This is also a factor why you could then build less muscle, since you are not doing all the work alone. So always remember that the negative execution is also concentrated and not too fast.

Conclusion - Not too slow - not too fast!

As is so often the case in weight training, it is important not to think in terms of right and wrong or black and white. If we now consider both studies in unison, we come to the conclusion that:

  1. the speed with which we perform a repetition is quite important.
  2. the speed should be neither too slow, nor too fast.
  3. it is equally important to pay attention to the negative contraction as well.
  4. the muscle-mind connection is often underestimated and is definitely very important.

 

All these factors determine how you should perform a repetition. If you would like us to give you a number, then we would say that depending on your performance level, a repetition period of 3-4 seconds is considered ideal.

More articles on the topic

Study Reprimand:

1 Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn DI, Krieger JW. Effect of repetition duration during resistance training on muscle hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Med. 2015 Apr;45(4):577-85. doi: 10.1007/s40279-015-0304-0. PMID: 25601394.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25601394/

2 Schoenfeld BJ, Vigotsky A, Contreras B, Golden S, Alto A, Larson R, Winkelman N, Paoli A. Differential effects of attentional focus strategies during long-term resistance training. Eur J Sport Sci. 2018 Jun;18(5):705-712. doi: 10.1080/17461391.2018.1447020. Epub 2018 Mar 13. PMID: 29533715. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29533715/

Woman measuring abdominal girth after sport and diet

Are extreme diets useful?

Surely everyone who has already gone through one or more diets or is planning to do so, knows this "phenomenon". You want to start a diet, but already know in advance that this project will be a really annoying and exhausting thing and, if you want to "do it right", will also drag on for a very long time.

So what do you do? Sure, you look for a shortcut to speed things up. And you are also offered a variety of options here, such as the PSMF diet (low carb diet with a very high calorie deficit, where the calorie intake comes exclusively from the intake of calories through low-fat protein sources) or the Philosophy diet, just to name a few. 

The promise behind it is pretty much always the same, namely: to lose as much fat as possible in a fairly short time and to keep the muscle loss = muscle catabolism as low as possible. So far, however, it sounds great, short time, lose a lot of fat, no muscle breakdown, that's exactly what 99% of all athletes or people who want to start a diet.  

Whether this makes sense or not depends on several other factors. For example, if you have a very high body fat percentage (KFA) or very high overweight and are also untrained, then such a diet (high protein intake + high calorie deficit) can show quite quickly visible success, as long as of course it is ensured that the body is still supplied with sufficient vitamins, fiber and minerals during this time. This supply can be in the form of fruits and vegetables (be careful with the fruit because of "hidden" carbohydrates in the form of fructose) or by taking supplements. However, a "small" disadvantage is often also in this group of people that the weight loss is too fast and the skin does not follow. The consequence of this is also often referred to as "skinny fat" = sagging skin after an extreme diet.

Even if all this does not sound bad now, there is a problem here, and this arises just for athletes who are usually not overweight, moreover, they are already trained and the main focus is to keep the previously gained muscle despite diet.  

But why is that?

The key word here is energy balance! Even if the whole thing is much more complex, it should be explained once quite simply. If we consider our body as a kind of system, then this system has energy stores / energy reserves = fat! In addition, it has energy consumers, such as the brain, digestion or our muscles. If we now consume food, this is nothing else than energy that enters the system. Because the consumers, like our muscles, now need energy to work, this energy must be supplied by food. If we had no fat / fat depots and ate too little, then there would be, among other things, failures of the consumers and we could also no longer regenerate, repair, do any work and thus build muscles. But since we have fat / fat cells, the energy needed for the consumers (muscles, etc.) can still be compensated by the energy that is in the fat cells.

 

However, if you now have a very high fat content, then the willingness of our body to use this energy from the fat is much higher than if it is not so high.

However, the lower your body fat percentage is / becomes, the less the body is willing to release this energy for example to build or regenerate muscles!

For this reason, if you have less body fat, it will also be harder for you to regenerate or lose fat than a comparative person who has the same calorie deficit but significantly more fat. Our body is quite "smart" here and before risking that other consumers (like the brain) suffer, it goes into "risk off" mode and rather curbs the energy supply to the muscles.

This is also the reason why you often can't train as hard in a diet when your body fat drops and a too high deficit prevails. Regeneration suffers, muscle damage is no longer properly repaired after a hard workout, your performance drops and muscles are degraded.

Conclusion.

If you have a very high body fat content, then of course you can try such a diet. However, if you are an ambitious athlete and you want to protect your muscles in a diet, then this is the wrong way! Because even if you may hardly believe it, losing fat is much easier than building muscle and certainly no one, at least no athlete, wants all the hard work to be undone in just a short time. So you should always make sure that the calorie deficit is not too large and instead let time work for you.

More articles on the topic

woman eats low fat yogurt

Myth: Are low-fat products really healthy?

When it comes to a defined body, low-fat products are highly trendy and are making their way into the refrigerator of many fitness devotees. But how healthy are low-fat products really? And do they deliver what they promise? We've checked out the facts surrounding low-fat products and followed the trail for you to find out what the myths surrounding fat and its influence on an athletic and healthy body are all about.

What foods are considered low-fat options?

First things first: They really do exist - low-fat foods that also taste good. Ideally, they contain a good nutrient combination of plenty of protein and partly healthy carbohydrates, which have a positive effect on muscles and energy balance. The following foods are particularly low in fat:

  • Chicken or turkey breast
  • Veal
  • Cooked ham
  • Rice or also rice cakes
  • Protein
  • Oatmeal
  • Wholemeal bread
  • Low-fat curd cheese
  • White fish (e.g. cod)
  • Potatoes
  • Harz cheese
  • Whole wheat pasta
  • White beans
  • Peas
  • Lenses

Light products, reduced sugar and low fat: What the terms mean

In your search for healthier foods, you've probably come across terms like "light," "low-sugar" or "low-fat. But what do these terms actually mean and what are the differences between the various products? 

  • A product is considered "light" if it contains 30 percent less sugar, fat or calories than the original product.
  • Reduced-sugar products, on the other hand, "only" contain less sugar than conventional products, but are not necessarily lower in calories. Reduced-sugar products may contain a maximum of five grams of sugar per 100 grams, and only 2.5 grams per 100 grams for beverages. Caution is also advised when referring to "no added sugar," as this simply means that no sweetening substances with calories, such as honey or syrup, may be added. Calorie-free sweetening alternatives are permitted, however.
  • Low-fat products, on the other hand, contain less fat than conventional products - more precisely, no more than three grams of fat per 100 grams. In the case of liquid foods such as milk or yogurt, the figure is as low as 1.5 grams of fat per 100 grams.

Why low fat does not always mean healthy

For a long time, low-fat was the magic word in the nutrition world and was considered the royal road to an athletic body. In the meantime, however, numerous studies have shown that a low-fat diet is not necessarily the best choice. Because: not all fat is the same. There are healthy and unhealthy fats that have different effects on the body. Let's take a look at what science has to report on the topic of low-fat versus high-fat diets.

The conclusion of science: Low-fat diet is not always the best choice

There are a large number of studies and investigations on the subject of "low-fat diets", some of which come to surprising results. For example, the comprehensive PURE study astonished with the result that a low-fat diet with a fat content of less than 30 percent of energy intake has no life-prolonging effect. Another result of the study was that an increased risk of death was due to an excessively high intake ofcarbohydrates1. Criticism of this came from the German Nutrition Society (DGE). They accused the evaluation of the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemioloy (PURE) as premature headlines and doubted the results due to methodological weaknesses2.

Healthy fats vs. unhealthy fats: What your body needs

Fat is not always "evil" and unhealthy. Because there are different types of fat: On the one hand, unsaturated fatty acids, such as omega-3 fatty acids, which not only provide us with energy, but also promote the absorption of important nutrients and vitamins. They are found mainly in marine fish and in small amounts in some vegetable fats. On the other hand, there are saturated fatty acids. They are mainly found in animal products, such as meat, cheese and other dairy products, and should only be consumed in moderation. This is because excessive consumption of saturated fatty acids is associated with increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease3. Overall, fats play an important role in a balanced lifestyle - it is not a matter of completely eliminating fat from the diet, but rather choosing the right fats and consuming them in moderation.

Low-fat, but full of additives: A healthy alternative by no means

It sounds tempting at first: Low-fat foods promise a healthier alternative to their high-fat counterparts. But beware: not all low-fat products are actually healthier. After all, fat is known to be a flavor carrier, so low-fat products are often enriched with flavor enhancers and other artificial additives to improve their taste and compensate for the fat content. However, these additives can also have negative effects on health.

Light product or regular variant: How to recognize which is really healthier

Just because a product is labeled "light" or "reduced fat" doesn't necessarily mean it's actually healthier. Often these products contain more sugar or artificial additives to compensate for the loss of taste. To find out which version is actually healthier, it's worth taking a close look at the ingredient list and nutritional information. Compare the values of light products with those of the regular variant and pay particular attention to the sugar content and the additives contained. 

It is important to note that healthy eating depends not only on the amount of fat, but also on other factors such as nutrient density and quality of ingredients. Therefore, always prefer fresh, unprocessed foods and take a look at the ingredient lists of processed products to see what is really the healthier choice.

Nutritious and delicious: healthy alternatives to light products

In the future, you can leave light products to the left, because there are numerous alternatives to low-sugar and low-fat products that are not only more nutritious, but also taste better. In order to stick to a healthy diet in the long term, the focus should not be on doing without and leaving out. Instead, focus on eating high-quality nutrients like unsaturated fats, fiber and protein. Below, we'll introduce you to several healthy alternatives that will enrich your diet and contribute to a healthier lifestyle.

Focus on healthy fats and unsaturated fatty acids

Healthy fats are important for a balanced and nutritious diet. They provide energy and help the body absorb and process important vitamins. Healthy fats are found in many foods. Here are some tips on how to incorporate healthy fats into your diet:
  • Avocados: Avocados are an excellent source of healthy fats. They can be used as a spread or in salads and offer a creamy texture and delicious taste.
  • Nuts and seeds: Nuts and seeds such as almonds, walnuts, cashews, chia seeds and flax seeds are rich in unsaturated fatty acids and can be used as a snack or topping for muesli and yogurt.
  • Fish: Fatty fish species such as salmon, mackerel and tuna are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, which have an anti-inflammatory effect4 and can reduce the risk of heart disease5.
  • Olive oil: Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids and can be used for frying, baking and dressing.

Replace high-fat products with these low-fat alternatives

Fat is the number one flavor carrier, which is why high-fat foods are often the tastiest. Nevertheless, you should not always give them preference, because too much fat can lead to a higher risk of various diseases such as obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The good news is that there are naturally low-fat alternatives to many high-fat foods, aside from light products - here are a few everyday tips:

  • Instead of butter, try using cream cheese or avocado as a spread next time.
  • With dairy products, the supposed "light version" is allowed - here you can reach for low-fat alternatives such as yogurt and milk with 1.5 percent fat.
  • Instead of fatty meats like fatty ground beef or sausages, reach for lean protein sources like lean ground beef or filets of pork, beef, chicken or turkey.
  • Even when it comes to fish, it doesn't always have to be fatty species such as salmon. Put cod or haddock on the menu next time.
  • Replace fried side dishes such as French fries, fried potatoes or croquettes with baked or boiled alternatives such as baked or jacket potatoes.
  • You can snack low-fat with pretzel sticks or pretzels instead of salty nuts or potato chips.

As you can see, there are countless ways to make your everyday life naturally low-fat without having to resort to light products. And that doesn't have to be boring or tasteless - on the contrary - with the many delicious alternatives to high-fat products, you don't have to give up anything and can also eat a balanced and healthy diet.

More articles on the topic

Sources

1 Dehghan, M., Mente, A., Zhang, X., Swaminathan, S., Li, W., Mohan, V., ... & Mony, P. (2017). Associations of fats and carbohydrate intake with cardiovascular disease and mortality in 18 countries from five continents (PURE): a prospective cohort study. The Lancet, 390(10107), 2050-2062.

2 Richter, M., Egert, S., Watzl, B., & Lorkowski, S. (2018). The PURE disaster: premature headlines lead to unnecessary consumer and patient uncertainty. Current Nutritional Medicine, 43, 173 - 177.

3 Hooper, L., Martin, N., Jimoh, O. F., Kirk, C., Foster, E., & Abdelhamid, A. S. (2020). Reduction in saturated fat intake for cardiovascular disease. The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 8(8), CD011737. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD011737.pub3

4 Reifen R./ Karlinsky A. et al.: Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is an anti-inflammatory agent in inflammatory bowel disease. In: J. Nutr. Biochem. 2015;26:1632-1640.

5 Skeaff CM, Miller J: Dietary fat and coronary heart disease: summary of evidence from prospective cohort and randomised controlled trials. Ann Nutr Metab 2009; 55: 173-201.

man uses blackroll against sore muscles

10 effective tips against muscle soreness after your workout

Are you a real fitness fan and do you push your body to the max in the gym or during other sports? Then you've probably experienced some muscle soreness that limits your mobility and is accompanied by pain, swelling and stiffness. We tell you the 10 best tips to prevent and relieve your discomfort from sore muscles - inform yourself now and learn,

The cause of sore muscles after your workout

You work out regularly and still you are plagued by aching muscles? Intense physical activity and overuse can cause tiny tears in the muscle fibers. These trigger an inflammatory reaction in the body in which water enters the muscle and causes it to swell. This causes pain and stiffness, which we call muscle soreness. As a rule, the symptoms appear within one to two days after exercise and can last for several days.

Bye-bye sore muscles: 10 effective tips for fast recovery

Have you been "bitten" by sore muscles again? A sore muscle is usually harmless, but you should consult your doctor if your sore muscle lasts longer than 10 days or if you have no explanation for your symptoms.

But you don't have to put up with "normal", harmless muscle soreness. The following effective tips can help you stimulate your body's regeneration processes and alleviate your discomfort:

1. give yourself a break: your muscles will thank you for it

Physical rest and relaxation relax your muscles and can improve the symptoms of your sore muscles. For example, treat yourself to a spa day and enjoy a warming full bath with rosemary, spruce needles or lavender. A visit to the spa or sauna or an intensive peeling to stimulate the blood circulation can also contribute to an effective relief of your sore muscles.

2. hot springs: Heat as a secret weapon against the muscle pain

In the case of severe muscle soreness, some sports physicians advise loosening the muscles with heat from the second day onwards. Whether you use a hot water bottle, a cherry pit cushion, a special ointment or a heat patch - these aids stimulate blood circulation and relax the cramped muscles.

3. foam roller instead of painkillers: this is how you relieve your muscle tension

You don't have to shoot cannons at sparrows when your muscles are sore: instead of taking painkillers, a fascia roller or foam roller can stimulate blood circulation in the skin and muscles and the removal of inflammatory substances, which can relieve your muscle tension. Instead of a fascia roller, you can also use a rolling pin or a water bottle.

When using the fascia roller to treat your sore muscles, you should proceed slowly and gently to avoid injury. Be careful not to roll over your joints. You can watch numerous video tutorials on the web that explain exactly how to use the fascia roller.

4. power food for the muscles: Supply your body with nutrients and proteins

When you exercise, your body excretes fluid and important nutrients such as sodium, calcium, zinc and magnesium through sweating. A balanced diet is therefore crucial for muscle recovery after exercise. The mineral magnesium, which is found in whole grains and dairy products, contributes to normal muscle function and is particularly important for athletes. 

If you want to support the muscle regeneration of your body in a natural way, you should eat more carbohydrates in combination with proteins in a 3:1 or 5:1 ratio after a strenuous workout. 

Sounds unusual, but it's worth a try: many sports freaks swear by drinking the brine from pickled cucumbers to reduce sore muscles and muscle cramps. The sour taste is said to help curb the activity of nerve cells.

5. why drinking enough is the key against sore muscles

Our muscles consist of up to 80 percent water - similar to the intervertebral disc tissue. If the "bad" muscle soreness has "bitten" you again after an intensive training session, you should drink plenty of water to support the healing of your muscles. We recommend drinking between 2.5 and 3 liters per day. This "water cure" supports you with many minerals and helps your body to flush out toxins and to supply the muscles with sufficient fluid. 

If you prefer to drink something with flavor, you can prepare a refreshing fruit spritzer, e.g. with apple or cherry juice - preferably in a 1:1 ratio with mineral water.

6. more movement, less pain: choose your activities carefully

It may sound unusual, but light exercise can help ease the discomfort of sore muscles, such as a nice walk in the fresh air or a yoga session. Moderate exercise stimulates blood circulation, allows important nutrients to be transported to damaged muscles , and supports the healing process so you can get back to your workout soon. 

7. cardio with a difference: regenerative training for fast muscle recovery

Exercise and regenerative cardio training are healthy - even if you have sore muscles! However, that doesn't mean you should go all out on the bike, cross trainer or treadmill. Opt for a light restorative cardio workout without a lot of effort to overcome your sore muscles. For example, get on your bike, go for a relaxed jog in the woods or do some yoga exercises.

8. pain relief in a natural way: rubbing the muscles.

Gentle massage-like hand movements and rubbing the affected muscles can help you relieve your sore muscles. Many people use essential oils such as peppermint, eucalyptus or frankincense oil for this purpose. Rubbing alcohol or ointments with arnica are also very popular. Rubbing them in stimulates blood circulation in the muscles and enables better removal of tissue fluid.

9. close your eyes and get through: Good sleep regenerates your muscles

Adequate and good sleep can help you recover your body and muscles. While you sleep, your muscles are loosened and your body releases certain hormones (growth hormones) that can reduce inflammation and aid the healing process.

10. gentle finger pressure against sore muscles: Do you already know these acupressure techniques?

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM for short) assumes that the body's self-healing powers are stimulated by activating certain points (trigger points) and can thus contribute to pain relief. However, you don't have to use needles for this as with acupuncture, but can activate the trigger points comfortably with your fingers via acupressure. 

You can perform acupressure with your fingertips, thumb, or with assistive devices by rubbing or pressing. Typically, trigger points run along the bones and tendons or are embedded in the muscles. On the Internet or in books on the subject, their location is described in detail. Alternatively, you can locate the trigger points yourself, because they are usually located in a depression and react sensitively to pressure. 

How to use acupressure correctly: 

  • Massage the trigger points gently in a circular motion until the pressure sensitivity decreases after a few seconds or a few minutes.
  • You can alternatively hold the trigger points for a few seconds or gently tap them with your fingers (about 20 to 30 times). 

We are convinced: With these tips you will quickly get your sore muscles under control again and wish you good luck!

More articles on the topic