Oh the Pain...

sati18
sati18 Posts: 153 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi Guys,

So i'm not an excerciser - never been one and I decided to join a circuit training program which is held in lunch hour twice a week at work. Had my first session on Monday and oh my word by yesterday was I in pain - today I'm having to uncrouch like a little old granny every time i get up from my desk at work.

Anyway - i've another session tomorrow which my more gym friendly mates have advised me I should not cancel and should most defintiely go to. But, is there anything I can do either tonight or post workout tomorrow to try and reduce the pain as my (extremely underused) muscles recover. I'd like to be able to move this weekend if possible!

Obviously the instructor takes us through warm ups and warm downs and a few stretches.... I had a hot bath when i got in from work on Monday but that obviously made no difference at all... paracetamol hasn't helped either.

I've heard further light excercise had anecdotally been helpful and I do have a wi-fit. Would 20 mins or so of yoga on that help do you think in the evening after work?


thanks in advance for your help :-)

Replies

  • Captain_Tightpants
    Captain_Tightpants Posts: 2,215 Member
    Ibuprofen and epsom salt baths.
  • crazy_ninja
    crazy_ninja Posts: 387 Member
    How cute :)

    Warm bath, soft massage, lots of sleep.

    Have fun tomorrow....it will be worse it :)
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    Either ibruprofen or tylenol.

    I do find a lower intensity workout (like a walk) followed by a really good set of stretches can help. Definitely don't stretch cold or you could do more damage. I don't do baths but I'm sure that and the yoga would help too.
  • StephTink76
    StephTink76 Posts: 318 Member
    I take a couple ibuprofin... in the past few days, I've noticed that halfway through the warm up of my workout I start feeling less pain from the previous one... so maybe a good walk to loosen things up?

    ~Steph
  • ArroganceInStep
    ArroganceInStep Posts: 6,239 Member
    I tell the wife to...ummm...do her wifely duties.

    Usually fixes it for me.
  • Fozzi43
    Fozzi43 Posts: 2,984 Member
    Ibuprofen and epsom salt baths.


    Yep..Epsom salts work for me :smile:
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    It may sound counter intuitive but keep moving (at a gentle pace) rather than using anti-inflammatory drugs (Tylenol has been linked to liver problems) try adding anti inflammatory foods (blueberries etc) to your diet.

    Epsom salts(magnesium sulfate) in your bath can help with the aches & pains.
  • Aperture_Science
    Aperture_Science Posts: 840 Member
    How cute :)

    Warm bath, soft massage, lots of sleep.

    Have fun tomorrow....it will be worse it :)

    lol

    True
  • kendrafallon
    kendrafallon Posts: 1,030 Member
    How cute :)

    Warm bath, soft massage, lots of sleep.

    Have fun tomorrow....it will be worse it :)

    lol

    True
    And the Truth quite often hurts!
  • kmorganlfc
    kmorganlfc Posts: 115 Member
    If you've never been an exerciser, as you say, or if you've been away from exercise for a long time, starting back can be painful. Its just those muscle cells that have been dormant for a long time looking for the snooze button, getting angry and beating on the clock. Don't worry. If you keep on exercising it will definitely get easier - it may take a few days, it may take a few weeks, but it will get easier. Doing circuits, you're exercising a lot of different muscle groups, probably at quite high intensity, but being so young, you'll adjust to it and you'll be really fit within months. In 6 months you'll be wanting to do double sessions :)
  • gemini3222
    gemini3222 Posts: 8 Member
    I do epsom salt baths, and drink lots of water to help hydrate my muscles. I usually take an advil if it's too bad.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    Sounds like DOMS, ibuprofen, Epsom salt bath, time. Generally the extreme portion of the muscle soreness goes away after 72 hours and the muscle rapidly regenerates to try and prevent an injury. I say push through it!
  • sati18
    sati18 Posts: 153 Member
    Thanks guys - never heard of epsom salts before so i will definitely see if i can pick some up and i guess just make the instructor aware if it's still so painful tomorrow so he doesn't think i'm slacking if i need to ease off. I know it will get easier - hopefully sooner rather than later!

    really appreciate the help :-)
  • wordena
    wordena Posts: 177 Member
    When I'm really sore I do an hour of flow yoga or asanas. Really takes the bit out after. But while you do it it's not fun. After I'm finished cold shower after helps with inflamation. Then the next day hot. I treat hard workouts where I know I'm Bdsm sore like an injure. Therefore unhappy but cold shower. I used to sit in a very cold lake in the spring out side my house for a bit. Then shows. Really helped.
  • wordena
    wordena Posts: 177 Member
    Similar to how a baseball pitcher will ice his arm. Or other athletes ice their legs.
  • SorchaRavenlock
    SorchaRavenlock Posts: 220 Member
    I started doing the 30 Day Shred recently and I'm stiff and sore all over. I found doing the easier yoga exercises on the Wii Fit helped me a lot, just gently stretching eases the muscles.
  • MattTheWaterRat
    MattTheWaterRat Posts: 167 Member
    NO (nitrous oxide) supplement reduces recovery time between workouts.
  • elprincipito
    elprincipito Posts: 1,200 Member
    Ummm...rest up and then try again next week? Exercise--->recovery.
  • chivalryder
    chivalryder Posts: 4,391 Member
    The best thing you can do to alleviate the soreness in your muscles after a workout is to do the workout again a couple of days later. That will get the blood flowing to them, which will help with the repairs and flushing out all the dead tissue.

    Do the workout, but don't go 100%. You will feel a lot better.

    However, if it is serious pain, then skip it. If it's just sore/tight, then work it!
  • marypatmccue
    marypatmccue Posts: 521 Member
    Glutamine can also help with recovery -- I take BCAAs and glutamine each time I lift.... Stick with it. I know when I'm sore, resting too much makes it worse. Don't baby it, but don't hurt yourself. Get up and MOVE :) No pain, no gain!
  • harvo
    harvo Posts: 4,676 Member
    Water...drink plenty of water, low calorie gatorade or a protein shake. GNC Whey isolate 60, (chocolate) is all I can stand to drink due to the taste of a lot of proteing shakes. That tastes like choc milk.
  • drakechic08
    drakechic08 Posts: 156 Member
    Ive found that if I do the same routine a few days later, the soreness goes away. It sounds counter-intuitive, but go to the session and do the best you can. There is a big difference between being sore and fatigued and having pain. If you are actually feeling pain back off, but if you are just sore due to using muscles you have not used in a while, go for it. You will actually feel better. I actually seem to be able to do more at the next session even if I am sore, and then I do not end up sore after the second session.
  • semperfit1823
    semperfit1823 Posts: 153
    Proper nutrition will prevent DOMS so maybe your intake on something is off HIIT is very intense and requires a lot of Macros.
  • sati18
    sati18 Posts: 153 Member
    Thanks again guys for the responses - went to the other session today which was a little easier anyway and the last 10 mins got rained off... still stiff so a bit wary of how im going to be tomorrow, but as everyone keeps reminding me - no pain no gain! Plus i know i would have been angry with myself if i didn't show because it would have felt like quitting at the first hurdle

    Got some of the epsom salts so going to soak in them for a while tonight and if stiff tomorrow will have a go with the yoga/wi - fit. I didn't know though about the supplements etc that people have recommended so will look into those further over the weekend. i know i have a tendency to be at the lower end of potassium as well but obviously supplementing that is not a good idea so trying to modify my diet to include more. still lucky if i make half the RDA though hmph
  • nturner612
    nturner612 Posts: 710 Member
    i wish my job offered such a thing! i have to sneak out drive to the y, run to a machine, hurry up and work out for 35-40 minutes and i better get the most out of it, hurry up geet ready to go back to work, drive bak to work and sneak back in! and then swallow my food an hour later... :( but i got a goal! good luck! work through your pain!!!!
  • sati18
    sati18 Posts: 153 Member
    good luck with yours ;-) although i'ts not my job that offers it at all this is a trainer who comes to the office complex that my (and a few other companies) share - I pay to attend the sessions and likewise have to stealth eat my lunch an hour before the session so i don't run out of energy.

    my friend's job pays for her gym membership though - that's awesome!

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