Powerlifting & Recovery

leggup

In the past, I have done bicep curls and lunges and light body weight exercises. On Tuesday I did complex (?) lifting. I am terrible at names for things, but I think it was a deadlift + powerclean + overhead press. It was only with 25 lbs and I did 5, rested, 5 more, rested, 5. I only struggled at the very end. I could have done more, but it started to feel burny. I also used a squat rack for the first time and squatted 55 lbs. Again, 5 at a time, 3 times.

Tuesday I felt fine. Woo. Wednesday afternoon I wasn’t up for my normal cardio- sore legs. This morning my legs hurt so much when I take the stairs that I’m tempted to take the elevator between floors. Owwie.

I want to lift more frequently, but I don’t want to hurt too much to do cardio. I am looking for advice on how to better recover. Did I try to do too much all at once? I’m assuming the squatting demolished my leg muscles, but I had read that I should be able to squat ½ my body weight (hint: I do not weigh 110 lbs so 55 lbs is way less than half of what I weigh). I drink over a gallon of water most days, I eat between 15-20% of my diet from protein, and I’m not interested in gimmicky supplements. Tuesday: 49% carb, 35% fat, 15% protein. Wednesday: 55% carb, 28% fat, 17% protein. I get about 7.5-9 hrs of sleep a night.

SezxyStef

well to start with move your power cleans to another day with squats and benching...

Sounds like starting strength routine...which has two workouts A Squat, bench, power cleans and B Squat OHP and DL.

As for being sore..DOMS...it's all part of the process. Work through it...warm up well before lifting...and after....take a hot bath, foam roll (or so I've heard) and drink lots of water.

DOMS will eventually be done...probably within a couple weeks if not sooner.

Up your protien for sure...

All those movements are compound lifts using multiple muscles and if that was the first time doing it 5x5 was good...and it does get better, doms I mean...

weightliftingdiva

I think you're looking for the term "compound lifts."

First things first, make sure you are doing things with proper form. Have a friend or someone in the gym record you so you can see if you are doing things properly. Practice with light weights, watch videos and read about proper technique.

In terms of soreness, I find that the more I keep lifting, the less sore I get - you tend to get sore if you are a beginner, or have moved on to a more difficult phase of a training program. So the soreness will most likely pass.

I also find that eating protein right after a workout, such as greek yogurt with fruit, a milkshake with some protein powder, or some deli meat with cheese, helps reduce the amount of muscle soreness I get.

caseythirteen

Complexes can be tough and if you combined that with squats when you've never done them before, yup, DOMS makes sense. I wouldn't give up though. Just keep working through it and like Stef said, they will start to fade.

On a side note though, are you just winging it in the gym? Complexes are more of a conditioning/HIIT thing and typically would be done after a workout or on a separate day. If you really want to start doing weights, I would check out any of the beginner programs out there (lots of great ones) and go with something like that. Just to make sure you're getting the most out of your time.

caseythirteen

I think you're looking for the term "compound lifts.

It could have been a complex. The way she listed the three moves in order it makes sense that it could have been a complex. Do all three moves in a row and then do again for a total of 5 times. They are great to add to a routine!

leggup

Sounds like starting strength routine...which has two workouts A Squat, bench, power cleans and B Squat OHP and DL.

Here come the stupid questions! Haha. How do you do a powerclean without doing a deadlift? All of the instructions on how to powerclean seem to start with the bar magically off of the ground. Is it just that a deadlift should be with more weight? Same question applies to doing an overhead press with a deadlift. How do you get the weight bar into an overhead press without powercleaning? My tools are a squat rack, hand weights, an Olympic bar, a curling bar (?? maybe? it's slightly wavy and rotates easily in your hands) and lots and lots of Olympic weights. I need to get a new bench that will fit my space/go fully upright.

levitateme

As for being sore..DOMS...it's all part of the process. Work through it...warm up well before lifting...and after....take a hot bath, foam roll (or so I've heard) and drink lots of water.

DOMS will eventually be done...probably within a couple weeks if not sooner.

Up your protien for sure...

All those movements are compound lifts using multiple muscles and if that was the first time doing it 5x5 was good...and it does get better, doms I mean...

Yep. DOMS will go away after about 1-2 weeks of lifting. Sometimes I still get really sore traps when I do pullups/ohp on the same day, but the agony in my quads/glutes from squatting/dl is totally gone.

caseythirteen

You would use a squat rack. When I do OHP, the bar is in the same place as when I squat but I am lifting it up instead of putting it on my back. I don't do power cleans so I can't help you there. I would imagine you could use a squat rack also and use the pins in a lower position so that you aren't having to do a full dead to get it where you want it.

leggup

On a side note though, are you just winging it in the gym? Complexes are more of a conditioning/HIIT thing and typically would be done after a workout or on a separate day. If you really want to start doing weights, I would check out any of the beginner programs out there (lots of great ones) and go with something like that. Just to make sure you're getting the most out of your time.

My husband taught me a few lifts and demonstrated the proper form. He's super into HIITs. I have also been watching things on youtube/looking at gifs, but there's a lot of nonsense and bravado out there. I didn't do any of my regular cardio on that day. I was doing cardio 5-6 days a week (hilly wogging + cycling) and was looking for a way to mix things up/get stronger/use all of our amazing equipment. Bicep curls with free-weights were getting mega boring.

lrmall01

I was doing cardio 5-6 days a week (hilly wogging + cycling) and was looking for a way to mix things up/get stronger/use all of our amazing equipment. Bicep curls with free-weights were getting mega boring.

You are on the right track. Don't do 6 days a week of cardio. 3 days compound weights and 2 days cardio will be better. Get on a better structured program though, don't just do some lifts when you feel like it.

Something like this: http://stronglifts.com/5x5/

leggup

Something like this: http://stronglifts.com/5x5/

Thanks for the link. I've heard of Stronglifts but hadn't seen such a concise guide.

SezxyStef

You would use a squat rack. When I do OHP, the bar is in the same place as when I squat but I am lifting it up instead of putting it on my back. I don't do power cleans so I can't help you there. I would imagine you could use a squat rack also and use the pins in a lower position so that you aren't having to do a full dead to get it where you want it.

ditto here for me...

I use my squat rack when doing OHP...I use SL 5x5 so I do rows instead of power cleans...that's actually why I chose SL over SS...power cleans don't thrill me...rows don't either but prefer those as the least objectionable.

12by311

deadlift + powerclean + overhead press

This was pretty much what I did Monday except I did OHPP instead of the OHP.

I think you'll be fine. Your body will adapt. Just keep doing what your doing. Drink plenty of water and your protein.

I also take creatine to aid with recovery.

lrmall01

Something like this: http://stronglifts.com/5x5/

Thanks for the link. I've heard of Stronglifts but hadn't seen such a concise guide.

Should have given you this too. Tracking spreadsheet in google docs if you like: https://drive.google.com/previewtemplate?id=0Av3Nowh4TogYdHpoOGVseVM4b1o0MDd0Y2tJanVDQlE&mode=public#

_benjammin

Foam rolling daily and the "Limber 11" ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSSDLDhbacc ) helped my recovery and mobility.

DavPul

she used the right term. she's not looking for "compound" lifting. she was doing a barbell complex (or just a complex, because she could have used DBs or KBs for all i know) just like she stated. and since it was a complex, moving part of it to a different day is not advice she can actually use if she wants to continue doing complexes.

Re: soreness and recovery. don't worry about it. you're never going to be as sore nor have the soreness last as long as your first time doing new things. next time you'll be much less sore, the time after that barely sore (in comparison, anyway) and then it just won't be something that bothers you that much.

You don't have to wait for soreness to subside before exercising again. In fact, the next exercise session will help the soreness go away sooner. just be sure to warm up properly before starting, and then perhaps start with an extra light set or two before going full out.

shor0814

Sounds like starting strength routine...which has two workouts A Squat, bench, power cleans and B Squat OHP and DL.

Here come the stupid questions! Haha. How do you do a powerclean without doing a deadlift? All of the instructions on how to powerclean seem to start with the bar magically off of the ground. Is it just that a deadlift should be with more weight

With the SS program you start with deadlifts instead of cleans until your dead becomes strong then you switch to cleans. You do a deadlift up to just past the knees then jump and clean the bar. You need a strong deadlift top make the clean workable.

I should be moving to cleans soon just having trouble getting the form right with just the bar.