Question on Muscle Soreness

KristyF08

So I started the 30 Day Shred on Tuesday and completed day 3 this morning. I thought I was in decent condition until I started this DVD. HOLY CRAP is all I can say! It is totally kicking my butt and I an SUPER excited about it. My problem is I am EXTREMELY sore in my legs (thought all my cardio would have helped this - I can do the elliptical & stair stepper with no problems). I can barely walk down the stairs (seriously, I make my husband carry our daughter down them so I can hang onto the banister). :ohwell: I know I haven't torn anything, just WAY more out of shape than I thought I was (or using muscles I didn't know existed). I really didn't wan to take a break from the DVD but I think I need to take tomorrow off... SO my questions is could I still do the elliptical in the morning? I really want to work out tomorrow morning... I'm on a good streak right now. Or should I just take a break all together and if so how long do I need to wait to start the DVD again?

Thanks in advance :flowerforyou:

Sharonbed4d

I haven't done the 30 day shred but from the sounds of your soreness you are probably doing more squats and lunges than you did before. If you haven't done them in awhile and you start, it can be very painful (even to sit in a chair!). I would recommend if you can't do your 30 day shred tomorrow, that you do the elliptical or even go for a brisk walk. It might help stretch out your muscles. Usually the worst of the muscle soreness goes away after 48 hours but I've had it last a few days longer when I start a new program. Good luck!!

YogaRunner

Congrats on challenging yourself with this workout! Way to go! I find that I feel better if I work out even if I am really sore. I might do something lighter or that uses different muscles, but it often helps me recover. I also drink the P90X Results and Recovery drink after a particularly hard workout. It definitely makes me feel less sore the next day.
Risa

carl1738

If your legs are still pretty sore tomorrow, I would give them another day to rest. You could try doing some stretching today and after your workouts to get rid of the soreness. Glutamine is a supplement that you might want to look into because it helps speed up healing for damaged muscles. Also stay hydrated and make sure you're getting enough potassium in your diet. Hope this helps!

YogaRunner

Removed double post

CakeFit21

I'm positive you don't want to hear this, but you gotta keep going. The elliptical is probably the best thing for you. Do a really good warm up and don't forget to stretch. Drink lots of water. If you take a break then go back to exercise you'll just be sore again. Good luck!

rml_16

So I started the 30 Day Shred on Tuesday and completed day 3 this morning. I thought I was in decent condition until I started this DVD. HOLY CRAP is all I can say! It is totally kicking my butt and I an SUPER excited about it. My problem is I am EXTREMELY sore in my legs (thought all my cardio would have helped this - I can do the elliptical & stair stepper with no problems). I can barely walk down the stairs (seriously, I make my husband carry our daughter down them so I can hang onto the banister). :ohwell: I know I haven't torn anything, just WAY more out of shape than I thought I was (or using muscles I didn't know existed). I really didn't wan to take a break from the DVD but I think I need to take tomorrow off... SO my questions is could I still do the elliptical in the morning? I really want to work out tomorrow morning... I'm on a good streak right now. Or should I just take a break all together and if so how long do I need to wait to start the DVD again?

Thanks in advance :flowerforyou:

I had to skip a day after day 3. I couldn't walk. I got home from work, climbed the stairs to my bedroom and didn't come out the rest of the night. I had to make my daughter and boyfriend wait on me!

I actually felt a LOT better the next day, but I had to take that one day off. It does get better. Promise!

Oh, and if you feel like you can do it, definitely do the elliptical. Cardio will help the soreness.

ginastnly

You should still be able to do the eliptical. I would start drinking some kind of supplement after one of those hard workouts. Actually eating a banana afterward helps to reduce the muscle soreness. Found this out after starting to work with a training and I found out I had muscles in places I never knew existed...lol

christina1109

The soreness you are feeling is from a build up of lactic acid in your muscles. After your work outs drink some low fat milk, it has more electrolytes than sports drinks and will help your muscles heal faster. Get a good stretch on your hamstrings to help loosen them back up. If you just starting that extreme of a workout and it isn't something you're used to, I would say start off doing it every other day for a week or two until your muscles are used to the exercises you're doing.

Dan54

Soreness is not a bad thing in and of itself. Pain is bad. As long as you're not feeling sharp or burning pain it just means you have exercised your muscles to fatigue. This depletes your muscles of glycogen and causes the weakness and soreness you're feeling. Staying well hydrated helps this some and having a small snack in the hour after a hard workout will help your muscles recover better. What others have said about stretching and working different muscle groups will help too.

KristyF08

I had to skip a day after day 3. I couldn't walk. I got home from work, climbed the stairs to my bedroom and didn't come out the rest of the night. I had to make my daughter and boyfriend wait on me!

I actually felt a LOT better the next day, but I had to take that one day off. It does get better. Promise!

Oh, and if you feel like you can do it, definitely do the elliptical. Cardio will help the soreness.

I totally feel this way..lol! My arms are ok, thankfully since I have to carry a munckin around when she doesn't want to walk but man... my legs suck...lol!

I think I will see how I feel in the morning, but I am talking myself into the elliptical in the morning so then I won't feel guilty about possibly doing nothing on Saturday.

binary_jester

Pain as in muscle injury = bad
Pain as in fatigue = push through

I get upset now after a work out if I am not ore the next day.

rml_16

I had to skip a day after day 3. I couldn't walk. I got home from work, climbed the stairs to my bedroom and didn't come out the rest of the night. I had to make my daughter and boyfriend wait on me!

I actually felt a LOT better the next day, but I had to take that one day off. It does get better. Promise!

Oh, and if you feel like you can do it, definitely do the elliptical. Cardio will help the soreness.

I totally feel this way..lol! My arms are ok, thankfully since I have to carry a munckin around when she doesn't want to walk but man... my legs suck...lol!

I think I will see how I feel in the morning, but I am talking myself into the elliptical in the morning so then I won't feel guilty about possibly doing nothing on Saturday.

I was bragging about what great shape I was in after I wasn't very sore after the first day of Shred. I'd heard so many people talking about how sore they were and I wasn't.

Yeah, I was cocky! lol Karma got me. It did ease up a LOT the next day, though.

DigitalRain

When its that bad I take an ibuprofen and soak in epsom salt. Help enough to help you move with out too much discomfort.