sore body ALL the time? yoga/strength

vpsmith14

Here's one for you. I began 2 years ago doing Jillian Michaels, Bob Harper workouts Every so often I'd do p90x dvds. I have gotten quite strong by these. But here is the thing. I didn't lose any weight, only size. Which I came to accept. My workout schedule looked like this; for two years. I would do about an hour of circuit training followed by an hour fast walk 6 days a week. Rarely a day off. Now, for about 10 months I threw in intense yoga workouts a couple days a week instead of the circuit workouts. I've found that for the most part I could just do yoga everyday on top of my walks and maintain weight and strength instead of the body killing circuit workouts. I have spent the last nearly two years so sore I couldn't hardly move. Switching to yoga I thought would remedy that. However, just doing yoga I am as sore as I've ever been. And as stiff feeling. What is up with that? I just knew if I quit beating up my body through the circuit workouts and switch to yoga I would be better off. Any suggestions? Am I still over working my body? I usually do vinyassa/power yoga about 4 or 5 days a week, along with a 4-6 mile walk and cardio on the other days. Any help would be great.

Tricia

LoraF83

You need to take more rest days. Reduce your exercise to 3-5 days a week. All that soreness for the last 2 years? That was your body telling you to slow down! And with more rest, you'll probably start seeing losses on the scale too.

Mokey41

No amount of exercise will out run a bad diet. Weight loss is mostly about your calorie intake and you do need to take rest days.

vpsmith14

I'm not bad on my diet. I don't mind being a size 8. Afterall I did give birth to 12 preciois kiddos! It is not my diet or weight anymore anymore; it is just that I am tired of being so sore and stiff when I feel like wuth all the yoga I do I should't be so! I am simpky wobdering if I am still over doing my work outs!

anybeary

I think what's killing you is all the walking/cardio. It starts to take a toll on your joints after years of wear. You may be experiencing some arthritis. Also, if you just started yoga, you are probably working muscles you didn't know you had! In many poses, you work a lot of the small twitch muscles that probably got skipped in your more intense workouts. If you just started, give the yoga time. It will be more comortable for you after a couple of months. More than 4 days a week of yoga may be too much for a beginner. Make sure you aren't hyperextending. If you are not doing yoga with an experienced instructor, that can happen. Trust the gals who have been at it awhile--like 15-20 years. They know their stuff! Some of these new instructors who do "fitness yoga" miss the point of yoga entirely. It is not about pushing your body to the absolute limit. Rather, it is about doing what YOUR BODY can do for now, and building on that. Yoga is about breathing and gradual progress and lowering your blood pressure while still working your body. The work comes from holding the poses correctly, not from changing poses every 5 seconds like you're doing some kind of aerobics!

seena511

it is not normal to be sore for 2 years, even with intense exercise. i would check with a doctor to make sure there isn't an underlying condition.

vpsmith14

I think what's killing you is all the walking/cardio. It starts to take a toll on your joints after years of wear. You may be experiencing some arthritis. Also, if you just started yoga, you are probably working muscles you didn't know you had! In many poses, you work a lot of the small twitch muscles that probably got skipped in your more intense workouts. If you just started, give the yoga time. It will be more comortable for you after a couple of months. More than 4 days a week of yoga may be too much for a beginner. Make sure you aren't hyperextending. If you are not doing yoga with an experienced instructor, that can happen. Trust the gals who have been at it awhile--like 15-20 years. They know their stuff! Some of these new instructors who do "fitness yoga" miss the point of yoga entirely. It is not about pushing your body to the absolute limit. Rather, it is about doing what YOUR BODY can do for now, and building on that. Yoga is about breathing and gradual progress and lowering your blood pressure while still working your body. The work comes from holding the poses correctly, not from changing poses every 5 seconds like you're doing some kind of aerobics!

I have been doing yoga consistently for over a year with a qualified instructor. I suppose a day off here and there won't me!

yoginimary

Yoga is not going to help you recover. Have you tried taking an entire week off? Or only doing easy stuff for a week?

However, I would check with your doctor.