Bummed about sore muscles

SmileeBarbFLA

So since starting this program I have been working out like mad! 8 out of the last 9 days trying different things and working ALL muscle groups. Problem is, I'm sore today and think my body needs rest but I want to do more! At least get in some cardio and burn some calories. I feel I could push myself through the soreness but I want it to get better and go away and not make it worse, or do any damage. Suggestions?? I feel lazy if I don't do some form of exercise.... (BTW I have NEVER been this motivated before and it feels GREAT!!!!)

k8edge

If your body tells you that you need a rest, then you probably should.

You do not want to over do it and injure yourself. Then, you wouldn't be able to exercise at all.

On my rest days, I usually itch to do something... So I go on a walk with my husband. I look forward to it.

Good luck!

leighton1245

So since starting this program I have been working out like mad! 8 out of the last 9 days trying different things and working ALL muscle groups. Problem is, I'm sore today and think my body needs rest but I want to do more! At least get in some cardio and burn some calories. I feel I could push myself through the soreness but I want it to get better and go away and not make it worse, or do any damage. Suggestions?? I feel lazy if I don't do some form of exercise.... (BTW I have NEVER been this motivated before and it feels GREAT!!!!)

Your body needs recovery to grow and repair itself, I wouldnt just stop atleast do a little bit of cardio at a little slower pace and make sure you streach it will help with the soreness. Streaching helps release latic acid that is built up in your muscles that is whats causing the soreness.

jbucci1186

i'd go for a walk! maybe stretch a bit too (for like 10-15 minutes)?

i know what you mean about not wanting to take a rest day, though- i rarely do (about 1-2 per month, but more like 0-1 these days). the times i do take a day off are when i have enough pain that i know working them out will most likely prolong it (like, i would think, if i work out right now, will i be able to tomorrow?). take a day off every now and then, or instead of taking a day off, take a nice [long] walk at a moderate pace. the pain will go away sooner if you give your body a rest.


good luck!

mhotch

Your body needs time to rest and recover. If you continue to work out too much, you will burn out., and increase the chance of injury. If you are sore take a day of rest. I usually take 2 days a week with no exercise at all.

If the soreness continues try fresh grated ginger. I read about it in a fitness mag. Grate a tsp or so after a workout, and mix it in water or food. I have tried this and it does work.

End6ame

I am not of the “listen to your body crowd” but it does sound like you are doing too much. There is little reason to workout in excess of 4 days per week, your body needs the recovery time. With strength training your body benefits more from off days than it actually does while you are training. That being said, if you are exercising no more than 4 days per week, soreness is not a reason to skip out.

CommandaPanda

Want to know what I recommend (if you haven't indulged already)..? A good multi-vitamin suited for your needs! I used to criticize multi-vitamins and praise the fact that I went to the gym without supplementing ANYTHING.. I was dumb. I tried out multivitamins and my recovery time has literally been slashed in half! Granted my pee is the same color as a school bus and now I can’t tell how well I’ve been hydrating throughout the day but whatever, it’s worth the sustained consistent exercise!

Also, I’ve found that it is more efficient to do one – two muscle groups per day (I do 5 days on and 2 days off). Some people will argue this and say that it’s more productive to do everything at once, but it’s personal preference.
My personal preference is doing one – two muscle groups into the ground and then try on another one the next day! That way you’re expending the optimal amount of energy each day rather than wearing down your body!

But this all comes down to personal preference and what I just described works for me; it may, however, not work so well for you. Definitely give it a try and let me know!

krb731

Take a break. It will help your body recover; your risk of injury decreases; and you won't experience burn out.

kykykenna

This made me chuckle, only because I am in the same boat, sort of. I did day 1 of the 30 DS yesterday and I dont know HOW I am going to do it today....I can barely squat down to pee !! LOL

SHBoss1673

when you are sore, LIGHT cardio and stretching should be what you want to do. Light cardio will increase blood flow and help to repair that damaged muscle tissue. What you should NOT ever do is attempt to "push through" the soreness. This does not increase your muscle strength and will simply extend the period that your body is repairing the muscle, thus you'll not be improving muscle strength or endurance, just repairing existing. If soreness lasts more than 2 or 3 days then you might have strained the muscle and should not use it for a week or more, and use the RICE principle (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation). It's fine to do exercises with other muscle groups while one group is recovering (this is true both in a current exercise routine with thing such as circuits with active recovery, and for long term such as between days).

CodyD18

I find that when I work my sore muscles (as long as I'm not doing it too much.) they actually feel better. Don't do any weight lifting or anything but you can definitely work out. If you really feel like you need a rest then you should take one but if you're motivated and feeling good (besides your sore muscles) then don't let it slow you down.

Behavior_Modification

Listen to your body, give it what it's asking for. It probably needs some resting time to heal your muscles. If you absolutely cannot be still, go for a walk.

SmileeBarbFLA

Thanks so much everyone!!! I live in Florida so its way too hot to just go for a walk outside which I love to do. The mall will be bad for me, I'll want to go faster and zip through all the old people (LOL) besides I know the invisible magnet will draw me into the stores. Going to look online at the some of the local rec centers and see if any of them have an indoor track. Thanks so much...

MrsRobertson1005

I feel the same way! I'm torn about what to do, I went kind of light today so I'm saying my body has the rest of today to recover lol..

SmileeBarbFLA

This made me chuckle, only because I am in the same boat, sort of. I did day 1 of the 30 DS yesterday and I dont know HOW I am going to do it today....I can barely squat down to pee !! LOL

That is funny because I'm sore from that also... I did the 30DS on Monday, felt sore yesterday but still continued to do more

End6ame

when you are sore, LIGHT cardio and stretching should be what you want to do. Light cardio will increase blood flow and help to repair that damaged muscle tissue. What you should NOT ever do is attempt to "push through" the soreness. This does not increase your muscle strength and will simply extend the period that your body is repairing the muscle, thus you'll not be improving muscle strength or endurance, just repairing existing. If soreness lasts more than 2 or 3 days then you might have strained the muscle and should not use it for a week or more, and use the RICE principle (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation). It's fine to do exercises with other muscle groups while one group is recovering (this is true both in a current exercise routine with thing such as circuits with active recovery, and for long term such as between days).

Based upon personal experience, I would disagree with this. Example, I was recently out of the gym for a week when my son was born. When I came back the following Monday and squatted 275lbs, I was sore Tuesday and going into Wednesday, but after Wednesdays workout (squat of 280lbs), I was fine. The soreness was gone and did not come back. I have experienced this several times throughout my strength training and find the best way to eliminate muscle soreness is to work the muscle again.

Stick to your plan. Skipping a gym day (as in it was an unplanned absence) is a bad habit to get into regardless of circumstances. This is why I always advocate if you are tired, GO TO THE GYM, if you are sore, GO TO THE GYM, if you are sick (aside from serious illnesses like fever, nausea, etc…), GO TO THE GYM.

SmileeBarbFLA

Want to know what I recommend (if you haven't indulged already)..? A good multi-vitamin suited for your needs! I used to criticize multi-vitamins and praise the fact that I went to the gym without supplementing ANYTHING.. I was dumb. I tried out multivitamins and my recovery time has literally been slashed in half! Granted my pee is the same color as a school bus and now I can’t tell how well I’ve been hydrating throughout the day but whatever, it’s worth the sustained consistent exercise!

Thanks for the help!! I just started taking a good multi-vitamin from GNC and my pee is bright yellow too! Hahahaa..

SHBoss1673

Based upon personal experience, I would disagree with this. Example, I was recently out of the gym for a week when my son was born. When I came back the following Monday and squatted 275lbs, I was sore Tuesday and going into Wednesday, but after Wednesdays workout (squat of 280lbs), I was fine. The soreness was gone and did not come back. I have experienced this several times throughout my strength training and find the best way to eliminate muscle soreness is to work the muscle again.

Stick to your plan. Skipping a gym day (as in it was an unplanned absence) is a bad habit to get into regardless of circumstances. This is why I always advocate if you are tired, GO TO THE GYM, if you are sore, GO TO THE GYM, if you are sick (aside from serious illnesses like fever, nausea, etc…), GO TO THE GYM.

Nothing in what you wrote disagrees with what I wrote. Execpt your first paragraph's last statement.

First, please don't use personal examples as proof of a science concept, this is a basic tenant of science, and it fundamentally why scientists don't experiment on themselves (or good ones don't).
Second, you waited 2 days to work out, thus you gave your muscles ample time to recover and improve.
Third, you made this statement " I have experienced this several times throughout my strength training and find the best way to eliminate muscle soreness is to work the muscle again."

Look, I'm not going to sit here and tell you how to work out. But I'm also not going to let you say things like this that go against every major weight training tenant put out by the most highly recognized exercise physiology associations in the United States. Namely, American Council on Exercise, The Cooper Institute, The National Academy of Sports Medicine, The American College of Sports Medicine, USOC Strength Training, and about a zillion others all agree that DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) requires 24 to 48 hours of rest and recovery.

AlSalzman

Look up "Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness" and compare the symptoms to what you are dealing with. To me, it sounds like you've got DOMS.

Your increased workouts are causing the breaking down and rebuilding of muscle tissue - a good thing. To fuel the process of the muscles rebuilding, your body needs proteins (and a bit of calcium). Most people only consume protein at meal time three times daily, but your body has been placed in a mode where it is demanding protein more frequently than you are providing it with your food intake. The soreness would go away if the protein to rebuild the muscles was provided, but until it is you'll remain sore.

BTW, these are all assumptions on my part - I know nothing about your protein intake, exercise intensity and frequency or eating habits.

Anyway, I finally got control of my DOMS problem by eating smaller, more-frequent meals. I also supplement with whey and casein proteins, and the difference in my recovery time is pronounced. Don't just run to GNC and buy two of everything, but do talk to a nutritionist or a sports medicine specialist if you keep having this issue. Even if you're eating better to hit your MFP goals, you may not be providing your body everything it needs.

As for vitamins - yes. They don't stop the soreness in and of themselves, but they help your body extract the energy and nutrients from the food more effeciently. As for working out - the mild cardio and stretching recommendation works for me. I have no science to support this position, though.

Good luck.

SmileeBarbFLA

Look up "Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness" and compare the symptoms to what you are dealing with. To me, it sounds like you've got DOMS.

Your increased workouts are causing the breaking down and rebuilding of muscle tissue - a good thing. To fuel the process of the muscles rebuilding, your body needs proteins (and a bit of calcium). Most people only consume protein at meal time three times daily, but your body has been placed in a mode where it is demanding protein more frequently than you are providing it with your food intake. The soreness would go away if the protein to rebuild the muscles was provided, but until it is you'll remain sore.

BTW, these are all assumptions on my part - I know nothing about your protein intake, exercise intensity and frequency or eating habits.

Anyway, I finally got control of my DOMS problem by eating smaller, more-frequent meals. I also supplement with whey and casein proteins, and the difference in my recovery time is pronounced. Don't just run to GNC and buy two of everything, but do talk to a nutritionist or a sports medicine specialist if you keep having this issue. Even if you're eating better to hit your MFP goals, you may not be providing your body everything it needs.

As for vitamins - yes. They don't stop the soreness in and of themselves, but they help your body extract the energy and nutrients from the food more effeciently. As for working out - the mild cardio and stretching recommendation works for me. I have no science to support this position, though.

Good luck.

Good advice... thank you! I have mix for whey protein shakes from GNC as well that I was planning on having for lunch today as the girl from GNC also suggested I have more protein. Had tuna for dinner last night and planning on chicken tonight,. Thanks so much! What a great learning experience this is. LOVING it! :happy:

End6ame

Based upon personal experience, I would disagree with this. Example, I was recently out of the gym for a week when my son was born. When I came back the following Monday and squatted 275lbs, I was sore Tuesday and going into Wednesday, but after Wednesdays workout (squat of 280lbs), I was fine. The soreness was gone and did not come back. I have experienced this several times throughout my strength training and find the best way to eliminate muscle soreness is to work the muscle again.

Stick to your plan. Skipping a gym day (as in it was an unplanned absence) is a bad habit to get into regardless of circumstances. This is why I always advocate if you are tired, GO TO THE GYM, if you are sore, GO TO THE GYM, if you are sick (aside from serious illnesses like fever, nausea, etc…), GO TO THE GYM.

Nothing in what you wrote disagrees with what I wrote. Execpt your first paragraph's last statement.

First, please don't use personal examples as proof of a science concept, this is a basic tenant of science, and it fundamentally why scientists don't experiment on themselves (or good ones don't).
Second, you waited 2 days to work out, thus you gave your muscles ample time to recover and improve.
Third, you made this statement " I have experienced this several times throughout my strength training and find the best way to eliminate muscle soreness is to work the muscle again."

Look, I'm not going to sit here and tell you how to work out. But I'm also not going to let you say things like this that go against every major weight training tenant put out by the most highly recognized exercise physiology associations in the United States. Namely, American Council on Exercise, The Cooper Institute, The National Academy of Sports Medicine, The American College of Sports Medicine, USOC Strength Training, and about a zillion others all agree that DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) requires 24 to 48 hours of rest and recovery.

I didn’t say work the same muscle again the next day, but I also didn’t specify otherwise; my fault. I know muscles need time to recover but I am talking about straight soreness not recovery time. In my example I was sore for my Wednesday workout as a result of not squatting for a week prior to the previous Monday even though I had a 48 hour recovery time, and I worked through the soreness (which is gone pretty much after the first set). This is more beneficial then skipping my Wednesday workout because I was still sore. And that is what I am saying, if you allowed for the recovery time, but are still sore, then yes you should push through it. Too many people will skip and/or recommend skipping workouts because they are sore, even though they had ample recovery time.

I am not a scientist, didn’t claim to be and never will be nor did I offer up my experience as proof; I quite bluntly stated that it was based upon my experience; and anecdotal evidence is still evidence. I am also not disagreeing with highly recognized weight lifting tenants. As I said I did not say anything about disregarding recovery time.