In pain after first time squats!

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lilawolf
lilawolf Posts: 1,690 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I will say upfront that I do not mind being sore. Sore is good. Not being able to walk straight, or falling the last couple of inches when I go to sit, because my muscles give out seems a bit extreme. Anything keeping me from working out again is not to be allowed.

I am doing stronglifts 5x5. My squat workout Monday was: 5 sets, 5 reps, 45 lbs. The last set was a little sloppy. 2 squats only went half way down, and I was wobbling a bit to finish standing up. I did not warm up, cool down, or stretch.

I took a long, hot bath with epsom salts last night, and did some stretching, because my legs were so sore. I am still really sore today, so I took 3 ibuprofen and hour ago to try and reduce the pain and inflamation so that I could do it again tonight. Not only can I still not move normally, but I developed a headache! WTH??? I've had plenty of calories, protein, water, and sleep to recover.

Will working out again tonight make it better or worse? Should I skip the squats? I don't want to, but man I hurt. My husband is in the same boat, even though 45 lbs is much lower percentage of his body weight.

Any advice is much appreciated. Anyone who also lifts and eats a decent number of calories is more than welcome to add me as well.
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Replies

  • Bakkasan
    Bakkasan Posts: 1,027 Member
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    Oh those first few times... they gonna hurt.
  • fungaaron9880
    fungaaron9880 Posts: 111
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    omg! that sounded like me today. I havent done leg work in awhile, so I decided to do some today.

    Leg squats, Lunges, etc etc

    when i was done i wanted to take a shower but couldnt lift my legs over the bathtub :(

    anyways id say give ur legs a bit of a rest!
  • FionaDFair
    FionaDFair Posts: 125 Member
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    I've only been doing since strength training since early January, but I've been going to the gym with my friend who has been doing it for a year. There have been a few times that she warned me that I would have discomfort sitting (after dead lifts, for example).

    However, generally her advice is to take a break, maybe a day or so, and let the muscles repair and rebuild before giving it another go. That is not expert advice though, just a suggestion from a novice lifter.
  • jriehl08
    jriehl08 Posts: 157 Member
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    I find with squats my legs will be sore for about 45 secs into the next workout then I would feel anything until about 20 minutes after that workout is done. I was sore all last week from my workout program Im doing but Im always sore either back pain or knee pain from being over weight so muscle pain from working out to me is a good kinda pain. Make sure you are stretching/warming up proper tho or your going to hurt yourself.
  • dstromley1
    dstromley1 Posts: 165
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    I wouldnt squat till there healed. Some times it feels good to get some blood pumping in them but it sounds like you got some serious DOMS goin on and id just let them recover.
  • dicoveringwhoIam
    dicoveringwhoIam Posts: 480 Member
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    really?
  • kennie2
    kennie2 Posts: 1,171 Member
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    "I did not warm up, cool down, or stretch. " warm up, cool down. it'll get better
    once i didnt warm up or cool down and pushed way too hard at the gym and could barely walk/sit/move for 3 days
  • RobinV_Seattle
    RobinV_Seattle Posts: 191 Member
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    Try doing some shallow body-weight squats throughout the day to get some blood flowing to the affected areas - it really helps me when I push myself to that "can't walk down stairs, sit, stand up,move, etc" stage. Good luck!
  • GiddyupTim
    GiddyupTim Posts: 2,819 Member
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    Oh yeah, take a day off. Let your muscles rest. You won't be able to do the squats well anyway, which, perhaps, could lead to your injuring yourself or something.
    It gets better when you get used to it. there is less soreness, that is.
  • bizco
    bizco Posts: 1,949 Member
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    You must do a warm-up before lifting. What type of squats are you doing (back squats w/ an Olympic barbell? Goblet squats? Front squats?) How's your form? You must do a cool-down/stretch immediately after lifting. Stretch each muscle for 30-60 seconds.
  • bdur76
    bdur76 Posts: 155 Member
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    Reminds me of a t-shirt I saw, "If squats were easy they'd be called your Mom!"

    It will get better, just stick with it!
  • RepsnSets
    RepsnSets Posts: 805 Member
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    Wait till the day after the day after....DOMS can be worse 48 hours after lifting.

    This is all normal. Try and keep moving regularly cause the longer you sit the worse the stiffness feels.

    Well done on starting your routine!
  • thecakelocker
    thecakelocker Posts: 407 Member
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    Yeeep, normal. It'll get better eventually.
  • dstromley1
    dstromley1 Posts: 165
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    Reminds me of a t-shirt I saw, "If squats were easy they'd be called your Mom!"

    It will get better, just stick with it!
    [/quote
    lmao were do i buy this shirt
  • lilawolf
    lilawolf Posts: 1,690 Member
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    really?

    Really, what?
  • lilawolf
    lilawolf Posts: 1,690 Member
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    You must do a warm-up before lifting. What type of squats are you doing (back squats w/ an Olympic barbell? Goblet squats? Front squats?) How's your form? You must do a cool-down/stretch immediately after lifting. Stretch each muscle for 30-60 seconds.

    What kind of warm-up? Body weight squats? Jogging for a bit? Back squats w/ an Olympic barbell. I watched several videos of proper form with my husband. He said that I looked just like the video. It certainly felt right. I could lift my toes a bit, so I know I was on my heels. Hips just below the knee, back straight, head forward.
  • lilawolf
    lilawolf Posts: 1,690 Member
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    Try doing some shallow body-weight squats throughout the day to get some blood flowing to the affected areas - it really helps me when I push myself to that "can't walk down stairs, sit, stand up,move, etc" stage. Good luck!

    Good idea!
  • renitawalker9
    renitawalker9 Posts: 108
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    I'm doing stronglifts as well and the program specifies warm up sets before you go right to your work weight. since 45 lbs is the bar you will need to do 2-3 sets of body weight squats before you start and then make sure you cool down and stretch. if you have NEVER done squats before its going to hurt pretty bad for a few workouts. it gets better as you get stronger. in addition you should have at least 1 rest day in between lifting days per the program.
  • lilawolf
    lilawolf Posts: 1,690 Member
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    Wait till the day after the day after....DOMS can be worse 48 hours after lifting.

    This is all normal. Try and keep moving regularly cause the longer you sit the worse the stiffness feels.

    Well done on starting your routine!

    I can't unfortunately. I worked with my boss to get off a bit early M,W,F and stay later on T, Th. So it's today with squats, overhead press, and deadlifts, or skip the squats until Friday.
  • Suffer4beauty
    Suffer4beauty Posts: 44 Member
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    If you choose to do any, make it half the reps and easier - I once had a personal trainer mention that people make a mistake of pushing until "wobbly" and then they are so weak that a small shift of balance can cause them to twist an ankle or - just as bad if not worse - hurt your knee. In squats you are especially susceptible to hurting your knee, therefor my advice is to try a few, but stop if you feel weak. Better to get back strength in a few days, then try half the reps and work up to the same load and be un-injured than to push and then potentially get a really bad injury.

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