Preparing your body before a physical activity is essential to improve performance and prevent injuries. While stretching and warming up are well-known practices, an additional weapon that many overlook is the use of pre-workout creams for muscles . These creams help warm up muscle tissue and tendons, increase blood circulation and prevent pulled or contracted muscles during exercise.
Why use a cream to prepare muscles and tendons?
Muscle warming creams are designed to increase the temperature of the tissues, promoting better blood circulation and preparing the muscles and tendons for physical effort. Traditionally this type of product is formulated with active ingredients such as menthol, camphor or natural extracts such as chili pepper, which cause a more or less strong sensation of heat.
These creams have traditionally been associated with sports practice at low temperatures, but it has been shown that the regular application of a specific cream before training offers several benefits regardless of the external temperature:
- Injury Prevention : By preparing your muscles and tendons with a warming cream, you reduce the risk of strains and contractures, as the muscles are already warmed up and ready for effort.
- Greater muscle elasticity : A warmed-up muscle is more elastic and flexible, which helps improve performance during training.
- Reducing Post-Exercise Muscle Soreness : Warming creams can also reduce delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), which often occurs after intense workouts.
How to apply warming cream correctly
The application of the preparatory cream is simple but requires some precautions to obtain the maximum benefit:
- Pre-workout application : Spread an even layer of warming cream on the main muscles that will be worked during training (such as legs, arms, back).
- Deep Massage : Massage the cream into your skin in circular motions until completely absorbed. This further stimulates circulation.
- Wait a few minutes : Before starting the exercise, let the cream act for a few minutes, allowing the active ingredients to penetrate the muscle tissue.
- Be sure to wash your hands to avoid contact with your eyes or mucous membranes, as the more heating ingredients can cause irritation.
Key Ingredients in Muscle Warming Creams
Preparatory creams for muscles and tendons contain active ingredients that help improve circulation and reduce muscle tension. Among the main ones we find:
- Menthol : Known for its cooling and warming properties, menthol helps relieve muscle tension.
- Camphor : Often used for its pain-relieving properties, camphor is ideal for preparing muscles before intense exercise.
- Chili Pepper Extracts : Capsaicin, derived from chili peppers, is a powerful vasodilator that promotes muscle warming.
It is essential to use a cream with a balanced formula that acts by activating the subcutaneous microcirculation gradually, without creating a sensation of excessive immediate heat, which can be extremely annoying and superficially redden the skin, leading to reaction problems.
Long-term benefits
Consistent use of a warming muscle cream can lead to improvements in sports performance and recovery. In addition to reducing the risk of injury, these creams help your muscles prepare for intense workouts more quickly, allowing you to push yourself beyond your limits safely.
Conclusions
Consistent use of a warming muscle cream can lead to improvements in sports performance and recovery. In addition to reducing the risk of injury, these creams help your muscles prepare for intense workouts more quickly, allowing you to push yourself beyond your limits safely.