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A recent rat study clearly illustrates what happens when you get a bit overenthusiastic about your training. The authors note that muscle gains result when exercise activates certain hormonal and signaling factors in muscle. If all goes well, muscle protein synthesis is increased, leading to muscle gains. The initial recovery of trained muscle also has an inflammatory component, however, and while inflammation is initially necessary to clear out muscle debris and so on, it can be counterproductive if it persists for an extended time. Indeed, a major component of the loss of muscle with age is out-of-control inflammation, setting the stage for catabolic processes that lead to a loss of muscular size and strength.
Adam
Workout Routines

So do what I do: take 800mg of ibuprofen before an intense workout, and if you're workout was really intense, take a 20-minute ice bath afterwards. These 2 items work wonders.

I have taken so many ice baths, that I can actually relax, and am slightly worried that I may one day fall asleep in there! Speed work tears up my 47 year old legs, so.....Ice Ice Baby!

I agree with the ibuprofen and ice. I usually ice at the site of soreness or pain but I think you guys have the answer. The bath would get the entire legs.

Do you get in the bath and then add the ice or do you jump right in?

Tony

I fill the tub, slide on in, and enjoy the ride! OK, who am I kidding, the first few moments are brutal, and I usually let loose a few expletives! I think it would be a lot less of a shock to slowly add the ice after getting in, but could be a logistical problem if alone?!

I do like senor Vargas. If my wife doesn't know I'm doing an ice bath she usually comes running in to see what the problem is. It definitely helps, mi hermanos.

I hate ice baths. I even hate them for just my legs or an ankle. In high school I had a few ankle injuries and had to spend time in the sports medicine department keeping my foot in the foot baths. They would fill them up with ice and they were painful. Of course, the end result was good and the inflammation was reduced.