Rest my ridulously sore muscles or keep pushing on?

Today I did day 2 of 30 day shred!! I usually only walk for exercise but have decided it is time to step it up and try to tone a little. Today I am so sore I can't even sit on the toilet or lift the water jug out of the fridge without considerable pain. My problem is I don't know whether I need to give my body a rest day or keep pushing through the pain? How do you know what your body is saying? I am a nurse who is currently working night shift in a busy emergency department, so I am on my feet and walking for pretty much my entire shift. Any advice would be greatly appreciated :)

Replies

  • hifi898
    hifi898 Posts: 54
    Well, not really knowing anything about the 30DS program (frequency of workouts during a week), I'd say your body is telling you to rest. I lift/cardio 5x a week (40 mins weights/30-40 cardio each time) and if I do this too many days in a row with no rest days, my body just starts to break down and my workouts suck, and then I'm FORCED to rest to feel better. When this happens, I end up requiring sometimes 2 rest days in a row, which I don't like to do. I pushed myself horribly last week, and have decided to take off this whole week in hopes of recuperating from a sinus infection/PMS pains...

    Listen to what your body is telling you. Soreness isn't necessarily bad - it simply means you're working muscles hard that you've not necessarily worked that way before. However, if you don't allow time for them to break down this muscle and build it back up stronger, you're going to wear your body down eventually.
  • fat2strongbeth
    fat2strongbeth Posts: 735 Member
    I would do one rest day. Let your body recover.
  • mspoopoo
    mspoopoo Posts: 500 Member
    Rest and do some light stretching.
  • jonsey_s
    jonsey_s Posts: 222
    No pain no gain, sweat is fat crying, pain lets you know it's working.....etc etc...

    Joking.

    If it's sore it's working, BUT if it hurts a lot..rest!
  • freshstart14
    freshstart14 Posts: 49 Member
    I've read on the forums before that Jillian Michaels actually has said that the 30 day shred wasn't meant to be done for 30 straight days, and it is better to rest now and then to let the body recover. I'm not sure if that's true, but I have seen it from time to time. I'd say give yourself at least a day to see if you feel better.
  • Amanda241174
    Amanda241174 Posts: 38 Member
    Thanks for your advice everyone :drinker: I realise that the soreness is due to me using muscles that I haven't used in a long time, and that means what I am doing is hopefully beneficial, just didn't know if it would be counter-productive to push them muscles further when they are already screaming out in pain. Think I might give myself a rest day tomorrow :flowerforyou:
  • Amanda241174
    Amanda241174 Posts: 38 Member
    I've read on the forums before that Jillian Michaels actually has said that the 30 day shred wasn't meant to be done for 30 straight days, and it is better to rest now and then to let the body recover. I'm not sure if that's true, but I have seen it from time to time. I'd say give yourself at least a day to see if you feel better.

    My daughter did the 30 day shred and had a rest day after every 6 days. She said the soreness started to ease after about day 4 or 5, which is why I was unsure whether or not to keep pushing on until then.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    I took a full rest day after I did Day 2 because I could barely walk. After I resumed for Day 3 after skipping a day, things got better. I was very out of shape.
  • hbrittingham
    hbrittingham Posts: 2,518 Member
    I am always incredibly sore after the first day of the 30 Day Shred and I am in pretty decent shape! I would say that you should take one day off and then jump back in tomorrow. Your body will thank you and you aren't missing anything by taking one day off.
  • Slimagainshelly
    Slimagainshelly Posts: 14 Member
    I find it easier to do the 30DS every other day, I still ache but the work outs are easier than trying to do it everyday (if that helps)
  • wolfgate
    wolfgate Posts: 321 Member
    When very sore, I'm a fan of active cross recovery. Meaning I do something active, but gentle and while it uses the sore muscles it does so differently. Not a fan of using inactivity as recovery day.

    Sore upper body from lifting - perhaps I'll do an easy swim.

    Sore from running a race - often I'll take a walk with the wife and dogs.

    Etc.

    Since you walk a lot as a nurse, you may have that covered. Otherwise you could think about something else lighter intensity, but still active to do.
  • nicolemarthacraig
    nicolemarthacraig Posts: 20 Member
    maybe one day workout next day walking until you get stronger?
  • onematch
    onematch Posts: 241 Member
    REST. A little soreness is good. Not being able to sit on the toilet is your body telling you to take a day or two off.
  • Rest!! You body is screaming rest up :) I usually workout 90 mins daily and always rest 1x a week... You need to rest to repair your torn muscles and drink some whey protein to help out .. Good luck!
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    Google found this:
    "You really need to do the program EVERY SINGLE DAY for results. It's very difficult in the beginning because you will be so sore, it will hurt to live. Jillian says work through the pain."

    I have no personal advice to offer.
  • lilRicki
    lilRicki Posts: 4,555 Member
    No pain no gain, sweat is fat crying, pain lets you know it's working.....etc etc...

    Joking.

    If it's sore it's working, BUT if it hurts a lot..rest!


    yep, there's a difference between "good sore" and "bad sore" if you really hurt, time to take some advil and pop a squat on the couch. If it's just DOMS, I'd go for a little walk, stretch your muscles out a little, no marathons. The more you sit, the more DOMS hurts lol
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    If you are feeling actual PAIN, then rest until you are healed.

    If you are just sore, then working through the soreness will help ease the soreness. I know it sounds counter-intuitive, but keeping those muscles working (so the blood flow to those muscles increases) is the best remedy for soreness.
  • thankyou4thevenom
    thankyou4thevenom Posts: 1,581 Member
    You really don't have to do it everyday to see results. I am doing it and taking rest days (because I also do IF) and it's working for me. I'm even at the stage where I am not hurting and think I rather not have the rest days.

    Do you want it done fast? Or do you need a little space between work outs?
    Also is it pain or just soreness? If it's real pain stop for a day. If it's just extreme soreness (which I had. I could barely walk), don't. Just take some pain killers.

    In the end it's all about what works for you.
  • PippiNe
    PippiNe Posts: 283 Member
    I've done 30DS and been in your shoes. I'd suggest doing a yoga workout today instead of a taking a day off. Yoga does a really nice job of stretching sore muscles and you'd be amazed at how much better you'll feel immediately! (Like being able to sit on a toilet instead of 'fall' onto it in pain, or walk down a flight of stairs without saying 'ouch' every step.) The yoga workout I have done on days like that is P90X Yoga, but I'm sure there are free yoga videos online. The P90X Yoga workout lasted 90 minutes, so I'd recommend finding one that is at least 45min to 1hour. Good luck!
  • missmegan831
    missmegan831 Posts: 824 Member
    From experience with 30 Day Shred... PUSH THRU as much as you can.... I couldnt sit on the toilet without pain and I was walking funny by day 2 so I feel your pain...however I found out the hard way that taking day 3 & 4 off to 'rest' only made starting back up again that much harder.... best wishes to you and keep at it!
  • I would rest a day, maybe walk and treat yourself to a nice long stretch afterwards, to help with your sore muscles. My favorite is a hot bath after, a little luxury after the hard work. Then get back at it. You are using those muscles in a new way, it's gonna hurt a little.
  • Kaali1985
    Kaali1985 Posts: 41 Member
    I was like this when I did 30ds.

    I pushed thousand day3 was tough, but day4 was far easier. My first rest day was day 7 :)

    Hope whatever yo decide works x
  • Amanda241174
    Amanda241174 Posts: 38 Member
    Thanks for everyone's input. I have just finished a horrendous night shift, so I am going to have a sleep for a few hours and see how I feel when I wake up. I am struggling to walk at the moment, which I hate because I normally walk about 20 km's a day, but maybe I will feel a bit better after resting my muscles for a few hours :happy:
  • cst573
    cst573 Posts: 103 Member
    Listen to your body. Take a day or two of rest.