Cardio People- Heavy Legs?

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rainbowbow
rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
edited November 2016 in Fitness and Exercise
In the past month or so i've begin doing more cardio in addition to the weight lifting, walking around, training clients, etc. that's been a part of my routine for several years. I have always done SOME cardio (usually HIIT for about 20 minutes after my lifting sessions), but i'm preparing to instruct a cardio class.

I knew i would be somewhat deconditioned when it came to cardio, but the classes i'm teaching are back to back an hour long each. So about 2 hours.

For the first hour and maybe 15-20 minutes i'm totally fine, energy galore, going great... but then... my legs start to feel heavy. Like moving them is impossible. Like i'm much slower than expected.

Surely others have experienced something similar! What gives, what can i do to fix this, etc. etc. etc.

edit: p.s. i am asking here because i've gone down the rabbit hole of google and now i'm convinced i either have peripheral artery disease or Multiple Sclerosis and i'm going to be disabled for the rest of my life.
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Replies

  • CM_73
    CM_73 Posts: 554 Member
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    You'll know waaaay more about it than I ever will, but sounds like you're hitting the wall?
    I can (and have done) cycle for Hours on a 100 mile ride, but without regular refueling, it's just not possible (for me, anyway)

    Sounds a little unlikely after that (relatively) short a time, but if you're going hard, and not that used to it... ?
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    sounds like you just need to build up your endurance
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
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    Yes, as stated i figured i am hitting a wall and would need to build up my endurance. it's just.. i still have energy and feel fine... my legs just feel like they are tied to cinderblocks. It's a bizarre feeling, as if i were in a dream trying to run away from something.


    Anyways, is this a thing specifically?
  • CM_73
    CM_73 Posts: 554 Member
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    Well, yes! If you're working your legs for 4 x longer than you have previously, they're going to suffer!
    Probably a technical term for muscle fatigue, no idea what it is but it will improve as you work at it.

    It's NOT some horrific Google inspired disease, anyway!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    rainbowbow wrote: »
    Yes, as stated i figured i am hitting a wall and would need to build up my endurance. it's just.. i still have energy and feel fine... my legs just feel like they are tied to cinderblocks. It's a bizarre feeling, as if i were in a dream trying to run away from something.


    Anyways, is this a thing specifically?

    you cant go from running 5k to a half marathon, even if you have the cardio fitness, your muscles and tendons will struggle to keep up... seems like its that sort of thing?
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
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    TavistockToad wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    Yes, as stated i figured i am hitting a wall and would need to build up my endurance. it's just.. i still have energy and feel fine... my legs just feel like they are tied to cinderblocks. It's a bizarre feeling, as if i were in a dream trying to run away from something.


    Anyways, is this a thing specifically?

    you cant go from running 5k to a half marathon, even if you have the cardio fitness, your muscles and tendons will struggle to keep up... seems like its that sort of thing?

    Yes, it's possible. I guess i'll just keep going and hope it improves over time. =/
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    rainbowbow wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    Yes, as stated i figured i am hitting a wall and would need to build up my endurance. it's just.. i still have energy and feel fine... my legs just feel like they are tied to cinderblocks. It's a bizarre feeling, as if i were in a dream trying to run away from something.


    Anyways, is this a thing specifically?

    you cant go from running 5k to a half marathon, even if you have the cardio fitness, your muscles and tendons will struggle to keep up... seems like its that sort of thing?

    Yes, it's possible. I guess i'll just keep going and hope it improves over time. =/

    i'm sure it will, make sure you're fueling the extra exercise enough as well!
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
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    Agree with the advice above. I have experienced the same when I tried a few long walks. Going from averaging 12k steps to attempting 40-50k in one day is no joke.

    Feet like lead is an apt description.
  • kristikitter
    kristikitter Posts: 602 Member
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    HAHAHA those gummy bear reviews still get me when I go back to read them. That one that's like "Heavens to Murgatroyd" when talking about his farts... omg haha.
  • brocktice
    brocktice Posts: 4 Member
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    This happened to me when I tried to just go run a 10k training run, because I had the cardio fitness from cycling 100-mile rides and such. Legs got extremely heavy to lift the last 1.5 miles or so. Just got to work your muscles back up to it. Probably need more mitochondria and glycogen stores, among other things.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    Stick it out until your body adapts, or evaluate the other lower body legs workouts you are doing and how you are recovering from them. Also didn't you say you were in a cut?
  • JustMissTracy
    JustMissTracy Posts: 6,339 Member
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    Sounds to me like you're doing too much. And possibly not giving your muscles the time they need to recover.
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
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    How's your potassium level? When I have problems with my legs I take some and it helps. Extreme fatigue means overdoing things. Gotta work up to it.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    edited November 2016
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    rybo wrote: »
    Stick it out until your body adapts, or evaluate the other lower body legs workouts you are doing and how you are recovering from them. Also didn't you say you were in a cut?

    Yes, but that's stopped, unfortunately. I haven't had the energy to keep it up so I've been eating maintenance (+800 for the cardio I've been doing).

    And yes, I definitely can't do any sort of lower body workout within 3 days of this cardio or I can't even remotely sustain it.


    Edit: by the way, thank you for saying this. I do have roughly 6 more pounds I want to cut. <3 I certainly don't want to lose focus of that.
  • CMNVA
    CMNVA Posts: 733 Member
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    I'm experiencing this on Couch to 5K. This is new to me but I am now 52 years old. Never had these issues in my 30s/40s. I got myself WAY out of shape, I have a sedentary lifestyle, and now age going against me. My lungs seem raring to go. My legs, feel like cinderblocks slogging through molasses. It is getting better. For instance, I can do week 1 of C25K with no problem (legs no longer feel like cement on short distances), but I'm on Week 6 and they are just as hard to move as ever for any length of time! I probably need some strength training and maybe that would work for you too.
  • mgalovic01
    mgalovic01 Posts: 388 Member
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    Just a guess, but your leg muscles may be converting from quick twitch to slow twitch fibers, which may require energy and rest to do.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
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    mgalovic01 wrote: »
    Just a guess, but your leg muscles may be converting from quick twitch to slow twitch fibers, which may require energy and rest to do.

    I don't think they can "convert", but I'm certain I have a lot more fast twitch. I am pretty muscular and very conditioned for weight lifting and sprinting.

    It's just the first time I've ever done serious endurance work.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
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    CMNVA wrote: »
    I'm experiencing this on Couch to 5K. This is new to me but I am now 52 years old. Never had these issues in my 30s/40s. I got myself WAY out of shape, I have a sedentary lifestyle, and now age going against me. My lungs seem raring to go. My legs, feel like cinderblocks slogging through molasses. It is getting better. For instance, I can do week 1 of C25K with no problem (legs no longer feel like cement on short distances), but I'm on Week 6 and they are just as hard to move as ever for any length of time! I probably need some strength training and maybe that would work for you too.

    Thanks for your experience! Good to know!

    As stated I've never experienced this before and was more so concerned that something was actually WRONG with me. Now that I pretty much know it's just something I need to work on I feel much better.

    I do suffer with being cold all the time (especially hands and feet) and I was putting all of these scenarios together that I might be dying. :lol:
  • mgalovic01
    mgalovic01 Posts: 388 Member
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    rainbowbow wrote: »
    mgalovic01 wrote: »
    Just a guess, but your leg muscles may be converting from quick twitch to slow twitch fibers, which may require energy and rest to do.

    I don't think they can "convert", but I'm certain I have a lot more fast twitch. I am pretty muscular and very conditioned for weight lifting and sprinting.

    It's just the first time I've ever done serious endurance work.

    If you're going from HIIT training to cardio training, your muscles will adjust to suit the event. How much specific fibers change is debatable.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    When you say "some weight lifting" how frequently are you squatting?

    I started on Stronglifts 5 x 5 earlier this year and found I had dead legs with squatting 3 x weekly & running 4 x weekly (especially as my runs were getting longer in the latter parts of my training plan) Perhaps you need more recovery time? (Are you getting enough sleep & carbs?)

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