A warm up is an essential part of your workout. In fact, racing into a workout before a proper warm up can leave you in agony and pain. By gently stretching your muscles before you exercise, you prepare them for higher intensity activity.

Warming up not only helps reduce muscle soreness after exercising, but can also improve your overall performance. A warmed muscle also contracts both more forcefully and relaxes more quickly, which in turn can enhance both speed and strength.

Signs of overdoing it at the gym

Overtraining can cause muscle aches and pains and can also suppress the body's immune system. Muscle stiffness, soreness or tenderness may last for several days after a workout.

Four steps to maximise recovery

People recover at different rates, and muscle soreness can vary depending on the intensity and injury. However, the following steps may help relieve some of the symptoms.

• Take a pain reliever. Try an over-the-counter pain-reliever in the days following your workout to relieve tenderness and pain. Your doctor will be able to suggest the most suitable product for your specific symptoms
• Try light exercises. While rest and relaxation can speed up the recovery process, low-impact aerobic activities like walking or swimming may also aid recovery from injuries
• Apply ice packs. Ice can help relieve pain, swelling, and inflammation from injuries
• Avoid heat, alcohol and strenuous exercise after an injury. These can aggravate the injury