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What upper body day has taught me

kikityme
kikityme Posts: 472 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
...my bowls are placed waaaaay too high on the shelf.

Seriously...just started lifting. Doing a Body for Life program. Weight starts low for 12, 10, 8, 6 reps and gets higher with each rep.

Lower body day isn't so bad, cause I have some strength there and I can go for a walk the next day and loosen up.

Is there a way to loosen up my upper body? Specifically, the hurt is my triceps. And I mean, it's clearly just "you lifted heavy stuff" pain, not "go to the doctor" pain.

Replies

  • cw106
    cw106 Posts: 952 Member
    i end my sessions with 500m in the pool.
    then 5 min jacuzzi and 10 min sauna.
    still feel it daily tho.
  • SXMEnrico
    SXMEnrico Posts: 89 Member
    just get enough sleep and stay hydrated, your muscles will repair and adapt to the resistance within a few workouts. You wont feel that pain again unless you keep progressing to mechanical failure with each workout
  • kikityme
    kikityme Posts: 472 Member
    cw106 wrote: »
    i end my sessions with 500m in the pool.
    then 5 min jacuzzi and 10 min sauna.
    still feel it daily tho.

    Sadly no pool or whirlpool at my gym...it's a $10/mo. thing (canadian version of planet fitness--no free pizza!). There are massage chairs, but that only works for my lower body.
    still feel it daily tho
    And that makes my heart hurt!
  • kikityme
    kikityme Posts: 472 Member
    SXMEnrico wrote: »
    just get enough sleep and stay hydrated, your muscles will repair and adapt to the resistance within a few workouts. You wont feel that pain again unless you keep progressing to mechanical failure with each workout


    Yeah, water is a problem for me...and sleep. The body-for-life seems to be a good program, but it sure does take up a lot of time.

    And seriously-Chris Hadfield!!!!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Just make sure you don't need to wash and blow dry your hair the day after upper body day...
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    Just make sure you don't need to wash and blow dry your hair the day after upper body day...

    ha.

    Also, using the foam roller for my back and side helped, but using a tennis or lacrosse ball for my back CHANGED MY LIFE. I liked to use it the day after back day day, it gets out all the kinks and loosens me up. The only problem is I prefer to do it at the gym on a mat and it looks like I'm making love to myself.
  • kikityme
    kikityme Posts: 472 Member
    edited November 2014
    So, never mind the new shoes--this is my next purchase? a7645bc6-f272-4ae9-83b6-3e0b163eb127_zps669d7f01.jpg
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    kikityme wrote: »
    So, never mind the new shoes--this is my next purchase? article-2562280-1B9ED3FD00000578-868_634x618_zpsb8cb53ed.jpg

    lol. I had one when I was a little girl.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    kikityme wrote: »
    So, never mind the new shoes--this is my next purchase? article-2562280-1B9ED3FD00000578-868_634x618_zpsb8cb53ed.jpg

    A....MAZING!!
  • Myrmilt
    Myrmilt Posts: 124 Member
    I find that when I have overdone the upper body routine that doing some morning salutations (yoga) helps. The arms going above the head and then diving down to a body fold, to a plank, to a upward dog or baby cobra, to a downward dog, then walking back to a folded position.

    Or just you-tube it. There are a few different variations, but mostly it's warming the body muscles.

    If I remember correctly, it's lactic acid that causes the discomfort, and some movement will help it process through.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    properly warming up and stretching afterwards is good.
  • xmichaelyx
    xmichaelyx Posts: 883 Member
    It's DOMS. Some people (like me and you) get it really bad, and some people barely get it at all. After the first day I started lifting, I couldn't lift my arms over my head for a week.

    Everyone has cures for it (more water, jacuzzi, BCAAs, stretching before workout), and none of it does a damn thing for me. All I can do it wait it out, and maybe take some ibuprofen.

    On the bright side, it gets A LOT better after about 2-3 weeks of consistent training (but will return if you take more than ~1 week off).

    Also, easing into your workouts can help. I didn't get DOMS at all when I did Stronglifts, because it starts with VERY little weight and increases so gradually (like, over months) that my body made the adjustments without pain.

    Good luck.
  • Myrmilt
    Myrmilt Posts: 124 Member
    Huh, DOMs it is. Lactic acid as taught to me wasn't even mentioned in the WebMD awhile. Interesting. Learn something new everyday.

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