Myth #1: A Muscle Should Be Hard. Muscles should always be soft, uniform and consistent. The only time a muscle should be hard is when it is in a contracted state (i.e. when it is actively flexed). If you feel the muscle fibers of a highly developed body builder, you'll notice that the muscle will actually feel soft.
Muscle stiffness is extremely common. Most people experience short-term (acute) muscle pain at some point in their lives. Up to 1 in 4 people experience long-lasting (chronic) muscle pain and stiffness.
Hard Muscles will make for better muscle armour and make it more difficult to hurt your body.
Common Causes
Muscle rigidity can occur due to muscle damage, nerve damage, or a disruption of neurotransmitter (chemicals that send messages between nerves and muscles) function. 4 Each condition that may lead to muscle rigidity has a different underlying physical process that affects the muscles.
Myth #1: A Muscle Should Be Hard.
The only time a muscle should be hard is when it is in a contracted state (i.e. when it is actively flexed). If you feel the muscle fibers of a highly developed body builder, you'll notice that the muscle will actually feel soft.
The short answer is no. While DOMS is a sign that your muscles are repairing and adapting, it doesn't necessarily mean you've achieved your fitness goals. Success in your workout is better measured by improvements in strength, endurance, or overall health – not soreness.
But my muscles are already tight, that must mean that they are already too strong/overactive? This train of thought is in the vast majority of cases, incorrect. Muscles that feel tight are generally short and weak. The common misconception surrounding strength training is that it will make your muscles really tight.
What we never want to feel is rock hard muscles. This is an indication of a muscle that is working too hard and is most likely compensating for other muscle groups, or protecting your body against something.
Magnesium. Magnesium plays a major role in muscle function and relaxation. Low levels of this vitamin make you prone to muscle cramps, stiffness, and spasms. This essential mineral helps your muscles absorb glucose, increasing your blood sugar availability for muscle use and repair.
Health: While dense, toned muscles are generally associated with better health and athletic performance, big soft muscles can help improve overall fitness and health.
Soreness is considered normal if it occurs between 24-72 hours after a workout, and if it does not prevent you from completing normal daily activities. If it lasts longer than this, or is so intense that it prevents you from functioning normally, it could be a sign of significant damage.
The most common cause of muscle stiffness is a sprain or strain, which can affect both the muscles and ligaments. A strain is when the muscle fibers are stretched or torn. Strains are particularly common in the legs and lower back. A sprain is when the ligaments have been stretched, twisted, or torn.
Some muscles become rock hard when the supply of blood is less available. Breaking up the physical knot and bringing oxygen in will gradually restore normal function.
Symptoms of muscle weakness include difficulty rising from a chair, brushing your hair, lifting an object off a high shelf, or dropping things. It might cause drooping of an eyelid or difficulty smiling, depending on which muscles are weak.
Tight and rigid muscles are often the result of injury. Sometimes, muscle tightness and rigidity can occur with other symptoms, such as muscle pain and spasms, or reduced mobility. Mild muscle tightness and rigidity is often benign and treatable.
Sitting too long can make your muscles and joints stiff, so when you try to walk afterward, they may take time to “wake up” and work properly.
But most people should aim for 1 to 3 rest days per week. You can use your rest days to support recovery by doing light exercise and working on mobility. Your workout schedule may not always go as planned. So listen to your body and take a rest day when you feel depleted or have unusual aches and pains.
Not feeling sore after a workout is actually a good thing.
Feeling ache-free following exercise typically means your body is already used to the workout you performed.
Muscle doesn't burn fat directly, but having more muscle mass means you burn more calories at the same body weight than if you had less muscle mass. Muscle is metabolically active tissue that requires energy to maintain, whereas fat tissue is not.