Muscle Pain on very little exercise!!

KindredMaximus

Hi I've been lurking for a while and am interested in lifting and/or exercising (I used to exercise a lot but over the last two years life got in the way and I put on 12 kgs) - thought I'd start off slow and have been jogging on treadmill - did jillian michaels 30 day shred involving a lot of squats and lunges and for the next two days, at least, can barely walk up the stairs or lower myself to pee!! It put me off because that's two days without any exercising and barely being able to move! My question would be :- Has anyone else experienced this? How did they stop it? Do I need to go much much slower? This soreness has put me of taxing my muscles and makes me think that I might have to stick to Cardio if I need two days of barely moving after a few squats!! I'm 43 & female and around 70 kgs.

Any help would be appreciated!

EpsilonGamma

Essentially you are experiencing DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness). This happens to everyone who hasn't lifted for a while or done any strenuous activity.

What you need to do is just work through the pain. It won't be as sore the next time and eventually (week to 10 days of working out) you won't feel a thing.

Essentially after you have started working out, if you get DOMS you probably aren't working out frequently enough.

KindredMaximus

Thanks for your reply! Yep, I googled DOM - I just didn't think it should be so SORE!!

After the first day when I woke up sore (Sunday after squats, weights, lunges on Saturday) - I knew I wouldn't be able to squat if somebody paid me, lol. But I decided to run/walk on the treadmill through the pain - today there is no way I can do either, run, walk, or squat. Even the stairs are ambitious.

I guess I will just have to dial the reps back until I build my infinitesimal muscles back up... I think it's going to take some time...

I am determined though and will be back on the treadmill tomorrow until all muscle soreness gone then will start back with fewer reps.

Do you think that will have the required effect?

EpsilonGamma

I don't know what your routine entails, but when I first started back at the gym (I was 68kgs) I had 50kgs (including bar) on me doing 6-8 reps.

Going down in reps in my opinion isn't the key. Remember, they are sore because you haven't done any exercise for a long time. I'd keep going. The next time it won't be (as) sore.

Just keep it up

KindredMaximus

I didn't go to the gym - I did jillian michaels 30 day shred video - with light weights. That was enough to do all that! I must have unbelievably small muscles!!

OK. I will keep at it until I can do the video with no pain - I'm determined!!

Thank you

Ozzzy66

Stretching helps also, just don't try and force anything. I just got back into lifting/cardio, the first week hurt like hell. By the next week I was good to go.

dclark566

I hurt like that if I don't do an exercise frequently enough. I get pain all the time but not that extreme. I love some level of pain though makes me feel workout success!

LKArgh

What happened to you is what happens to everyone when they first start exercising after a break and do not take it slowly. Take it a bit easier, and if it happens next time, force yourself to exercise the next day too, even if you feel in pain, just at a very relaxed pace, even e.g. just walking for half an hour, it will help you recover much faster. Do not try anything that is too demanding, it will only make things worse.
If this keeps happening after you have been in a routine for a couple of weeks, then it is time to worry about doing something wrong during your exercise routine.
And personally, I would decrease the weight and not the repetitions.

wilsoje74

You need to work through the soreness. Exercising will help, otherwise you will get stiff

toronto_j

You just started so of course you're going to wear your muscles out. They're not used to what you've done to them. Take some baths, do some stretching, but don't give up! It'll get easier, as in you won't be in as much debilitating pain/stiffness...but exercise should always be challenging. Soreness is good! But don't overdo it. If you really feel it's too much for you at this time, take it easy, do the modifications, use lighter weights etc. But stick with it! You need to build and make progress, and you won't if you stop after a couple of days because you're discouraged.

BerryH

Like many people who tried 30DS for the first time, I thought I was pretty fit, but hurt like hell for a couple of days afterwards! You'll be fine, just don't feel obliged to do it every day of the week when you start back.

deanvoller

Nice easy way is to eat some protein before bed. Cottage cheese works wonders if you havent got any casin shakes to have.

cafeaulait7

I think it's totally cool to take it easier at first to cut down on the amount of DOMS. But keep a schedule and increase as you go. That way the DOMS isn't the crippling kind, lol. You do need to keep at it, though. If you take too long of a rest, you start back at zero. If you keep at it in the same week (at least), it gets better and better, so it's really the first week or two that you'd be taking it a bit easy.

And I like stretching on the off days. It really helps me. Stretch after, too, even for just a little while.

sshintaku

I just tried 30DS for the first time and apparently, I have very weak calves haha. So my calves were causing me the same kind of immobilizing pain you described. I skipped 30DS for the rest of the week and did yoga instead, which still gave me a decent workout, just with different muscles. Now my calves are fine and I'm back at it, but making sure to do one day 30DS, one day something else, so as not to totally destroy the same muscle groups.