We all know that the badge of honor on a job well done in the squat room is almost definitely the soreness that you experience the following day. You leave it all on the gym floor (very often the contents of your breakfast as well) and train with everything you have. That night, you are sure to consume a great deal of protein, and you get a good night’s sleep. The following morning, when you climb out of bed, you are immediately reminded of the previous day’s workout when you legs don’t work the way you want them to. They are sore, tight, and generally deliver a great deal of pain when attempt to move in any way. This is normal, and even preferable if you’re looking to add meaningful size to your quadriceps. The key is to manage this soreness in steps conducted both before and after your leg day.
 
Protein consumption

Immediately following your workout, consume 50 grams of high quality whey protein. An hour later, indulge in a meal containing 50 or more grams of protein for a high quality source. For the two days following your workout, consume 50 grams of protein every 3 hours as a rule. You’ll recover much faster from your workout!
 
Stretching

It should be common sense to stretch your legs following every leg workout. You may also benefit from a stretching session every two hours for the next two days following the workout. It may not always fit into your schedule, but when you can remember to do it, the benefits will be tremendous!
 
Cardiovascular exercise

Many bodybuilders believe cardiovascular exercise performed immediately following their leg workout is very beneficial. For one, their body is fairly devoid of glycogen after one or more hours of lifting heavy iron. Cardio conducted at this point in the workout will burn fat stores in the body, not carbohydrates. Secondly, your legs are already scorched from the weights, so cardio will help to etch in a new level of detail that you haven’t seen before.
 
Extracurricular

Do you routinely finish your squats, and then head out on the town for a night of drinking and dancing? If so, then you are probably hurting your gains. After a workout, especially a tough one, your body is a serious state of shock. You can help to lessen this shock, and recover faster by going home after your workout and taking it easy on your legs. Eat high protein meals, and avoid any activity you don’t need for the next 24 to 48 hours.
 
Speed & depth of repetition

Very often, the lower you go on repetitions, the more soreness you feel. This may occur if you are taking your squats all the way down, or “ass to grass”. Or, you may be seeing increased soreness due to the repetition speed you use. The faster your reps, the less sore you will be. However, you will also enjoy fewer results from our training day. The key is to find some happy medium in terms of speed and depth of repetition which will allow you to see optimum results but not feel that great level of soreness.

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