Leg Stiffness.. Do I need to take a break?

bdur76

So I have been walking religiously 6 days a week since early May. Over the past two weeks I have started adding running and began the C25K program to build up some endurance and begin to do some distance running. The problem I am having is that my legs have gotten very stiff. It feels like I am trying to run through mud and every step is taking a maximum level of exertion. I do stretch prior to running and do a warm up walk and cool down after I exercise. Motrin has helped with the pain somewhat, but I am concerned about causing injury if I continue at my current pace. My typical walk is 5 miles daily, plus a mile walk during my lunch break at work. I am still considered obese at 259lbs, but am in much better shape than I was at the beginning of my journey. When I do the C25K program I typically do the 20 minutes of the program and then complete my normal five mile walk at the end. If I only do the program I feel like I am being too easy on myself. Am I over-exercising? Do I need to give my body more of a break than the single day off I am giving it? Or should I just push through this stiffness issue, and will it eventually go away on its own? Any advice/suggestions/ or thoughts are appreciated!
Thanks!

Lina1977

I read your post hoping someone would have answered because I have the same issue. Now, I'm not doing nearly as much walking as you. I do a mile a day, I'm basically trying to play beat the clock and walk the mile in a shorter time everyday. But I also suffer with the stiff legs to where I seem to walk like an old man. I've been attributing my stiff legs to the fact that I like to jump into things with both feet. So I figured it's my body getting used to the mile. But, if I were you and it's persistent, I'd speak to my dr. before continuing the exercise routine. Five miles a day, that is amazing.

Congrats on your weight loss.

kr3851

Are you taking the rest days on the C25K program? You can still do your normal walk every day, but you should only do C25K every two days.

songbird1973

I just finished week 1 of c25k tonight and my legs have been stiff since beginning the program, I weigh 242 and I think it's the weight I'm running with is what's causing it. I've decided I'm gonna do everything I can to push thru it so I'll be ready for race for the cure in mid October. Don't know if this helps but would love to add you as a friend so we can compare notes.

blueeyedtraveler

The ONLY piece of advice I can give you in regard to this is to listen to your body.

A couple weeks ago, I also started the C25K; I do zumba 2 nights a week, and do yoga. All in all, I was only getting 1 day to rest as well. My right calf started feeling like it was getting real tight, almost like a charlie horse was in the works. I, too, was stretching, but it just wouldn't go away. I decided to "push through it", figuring it would just go away. Then, I was doing a routine at Zumba and I suddenly felt (and heard) a POP in my calf. At this point, I couldn't put any weight on it and had to ice it immediately. For days afterwards, I was limping and afraid to put my weight on it. I was told that I "popped a muscle". A few days later, I was okay, but there have been a couple of times when that feeling would come back and I'd be very cautious about what I was doing.

So, again, I just say, listen to your body.

Azdak

Anyone can reach a point of overtraining. It sounds like you are showing the classic symptoms. This often happens after a while to people who try to exercise every day or almost every day.

Basically, you need to take a break. I would say at least a couple of days of no exercise and then a few more of cutting back on duration.

Overtraining is more likely to happen if you don't have much variation in your routine (and it sounds like you don't). You can try and build more variety into your routine (not necessarily change all your activities, but vary duration and intensity).

Chances are, even with the "best" routine, this is going to pop up from time to time. Just learn to recognize the signs and don't be afraid to take an "exercise vacation" when it happens.