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Really freakin' sore--lift again tomorrow?

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AbbeyDove
AbbeyDove Posts: 317 Member
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Sorry to start two threads in very little time, but that's my next question! I lifted on Monday. Now I can't go down a flight of stairs or get out of my car without muttering a variety of curses (or, if I'm in front of my kid, groaning with no cursing). When lifting, should I soldier on with the workouts even if I'm quite sore? Or wait an extra day or two, and make it just two lifting sessions for this week instead of three?

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  • kirabob
    kirabob Posts: 481 Member
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    It has been my experience that the best way to work out DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) is to lift again. But there is a difference between soreness and injury, and you need to be sure that you are just sore, not injured! You might try soaking in an epsom salts bath - that helps quite a bit. And give yourself a good long warmup. If you really need and/or want to, there is no rule saying you can't skip a day. Do what feels best to you!
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member
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    Agree with kirabob on the warm up. Did you warm up before lifting on Monday? I usually do 5 minutes on an exercise bike, and I get some dog walking in before that, so I am plenty warm before I squat. Warm-ups have been said to work well for DOMS prevention, although the evidence is a bit mixed. Also, always do a specific warm-up before you start lifting a heavier weight. Do some squats with just the barbell before you put any plates on it. It will give you a sense of how much you can handle that day.
  • DaniH826
    DaniH826 Posts: 1,335 Member
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    I remember my first week of lifting. Everything.hurt.so.much.

    I just soldiered on and lifted anyway. It will get better. I still get sore when I mix things up and do stuff my body isn't used. to.

    It's fine to train when sore. It's not fine to train when hurt.

    Like it's been said, make sure you warm up and maybe think about investing into a foam roller to use after you lift. They're fabulous things.
  • justaspoonfulofsugar
    justaspoonfulofsugar Posts: 587 Member
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    Ice is the key to everything!My trainer says it all the time and I agree,it works for me like a charm.
    I had insane soreness for the first 6 weeks to the point where I thought there was something wrong with me.
    I get sore now but not the same sore from the start.About a month ago I couldn't walk down the stairs for 3 days!
    ICE is your new best friend!
  • AbbeyDove
    AbbeyDove Posts: 317 Member
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    Hmm. I was working with a trainer and I wanted to make the most of his time, so I didn't warm up, to be honest. I figured I'd get plenty warm doing the actual lifts (and I surely did! It was quite challenging!), but if it can prevent this in the future I'll be diligent about warming up. I'll have to check out this foam roller thing--I've never head of it! I don't think I'm injured, but I really am absurdly sore. As in, even walking hurts. It's my legs, though, not my arms or upper back. I might bike over to the gym to try to loosen up my legs and just do the upper body lifts. Yikes! I don't want to be this uncomfortable all the time!
  • DaniH826
    DaniH826 Posts: 1,335 Member
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    I don't want to be this uncomfortable all the time!

    You won't be. I'm hardly ever sore anymore. Consider it a rite of passage, and welcome to lifting. :drinker:
  • kirabob
    kirabob Posts: 481 Member
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    Update? How do you feel?

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