How sore is too sore?

Michelle_dirtracer
Michelle_dirtracer Posts: 245
in Fitness and Exercise
I have a trainer. Last Tuesday we went to the gym and worked legs. I was a little sore the next couple of days but nothing too serious. Then on Thursday we worked arms. A little soreness of Friday but it went away. On Saturday we did a boot camp workout for about 45 mins. I can hardly move. My boyfriend has to help me off of the couch or pull me up when I need to get out of bed.My abs, calves, glutes, and chest hurt. I hurt to the point of tears when I move. Should this be a good feeling or can you overdo a workout to where this could be considered an injury?

Replies

  • mulecanter
    mulecanter Posts: 1,792 Member
    Sounds like how I felt after the first day of football practice back in high school. If you are that sore you over did it. I think people get carried away a bit when they get into exercise and losing combined. Since you are already down 75 you know what you are doing on the diet side, the work out stuff should be "steady eddie" as well. Pushing yourself and getting sore is good too--but in moderation. Sore is different than pain in my book. If your training/drill sgt can't handle it if you throttle back a bit tell him/her to FO.
  • Michelle_dirtracer
    Michelle_dirtracer Posts: 245
    Monday's are normally my days to run or do some kind of cardio, but I hurt so bad I can barely walk and I feel like I have let myself down if I don't run.
  • Confuzzled4ever
    Confuzzled4ever Posts: 2,860 Member
    I do this too myself a lot. Yesterday I did step aerobics, worked my arms and played ultimate frisbee. i am sore.. stairs suck. But I feel great! I am going to do a light lifting day today.. well that's the plan anyway. I tend to get a little nutty when I'm in the zone (so to speak)

    Oh if you're that sore.. you probably need to rest. Listen to your body. I'm really bad at that myself, but it's sound advice that I should also follow.
  • c_tap77
    c_tap77 Posts: 189 Member
    I've definitely been that sore before after workouts and I used to take a day or two off to let my body recover.

    But then a friend of mine at work who is really fit said that sometimes doing a lighter workout the next day can actually help allieviate some of the soreness. So now I either go for a long walk at a moderate pace or get on the elliptical the day after a hard workout and it really has helped!

    I think getting moving helps loosen up the muscles which makes them feel better. Note that I don't push myself much at all during those workouts. I just walk at a moderate but comfortable pace or set the elliptical at a lower resistance and just go---but it's the best of both worlds because I feel less sore at the end of it and I don't feel guilty for doing nothing on a particular day :)
  • murphy612
    murphy612 Posts: 734 Member
    I've been that sore :-) Just make sure you know the difference between being sore and having an actual injury. And the best advice is keep moving. If you don't move it will get worse. Do something light but make sure to do something. Use Advil if you need to and drink a lot of water and make sure you are getting enough potassium. Good luck, it will get better. The worst I had it it only lasted 72 hours.
  • Michelle_dirtracer
    Michelle_dirtracer Posts: 245
    I do this too myself a lot. Yesterday I did step aerobics, worked my arms and played ultimate frisbee. i am sore.. stairs suck. But I feel great! I am going to do a light lifting day today.. well that's the plan anyway. I tend to get a little nutty when I'm in the zone (so to speak)

    Oh if you're that sore.. you probably need to rest. Listen to your body. I'm really bad at that myself, but it's sound advice that I should also follow.

    It is very painful. I am hoping the muscles will loosen enough for at least a walk this evening.
  • murphy612
    murphy612 Posts: 734 Member
    Monday's are normally my days to run or do some kind of cardio, but I hurt so bad I can barely walk and I feel like I have let myself down if I don't run.

    If you can't run at least walk. I bet half way through you will start to feel a ton better!
  • Pearsquared
    Pearsquared Posts: 1,656 Member
    I've definitely been that sore before after workouts and I used to take a day or two off to let my body recover.

    But then a friend of mine at work who is really fit said that sometimes doing a lighter workout the next day can actually help allieviate some of the soreness. So now I either go for a long walk at a moderate pace or get on the elliptical the day after a hard workout and it really has helped!

    I think getting moving helps loosen up the muscles which makes them feel better. Note that I don't push myself much at all during those workouts. I just walk at a moderate but comfortable pace or set the elliptical at a lower resistance and just go---but it's the best of both worlds because I feel less sore at the end of it and I don't feel guilty for doing nothing on a particular day :)
    I agree with this. (: If I'm really sore, especially from squats, I find a walk or some time on the elliptical can really ease the stiffness.
  • howardheilweil
    howardheilweil Posts: 604 Member
    Monday's are normally my days to run or do some kind of cardio, but I hurt so bad I can barely walk and I feel like I have let myself down if I don't run.
    Definitely do not run today. Give yourself a few days to recover and ask your trainer to step it back a notch. Being sore is great, but unable to get off the couch without assistance is not normal. Good luck!
  • senyosmom
    senyosmom Posts: 613 Member
    It will get easier and you will get less sore as you get more fit.

    Example - first game at the start of my soccer season kicks my a** and my whole body hurts for days and days. By the end of the season, Im barely sore anymore for even 1 day.
  • Michelle_dirtracer
    Michelle_dirtracer Posts: 245
    It will get easier and you will get less sore as you get more fit.

    Example - first game at the start of my soccer season kicks my a** and my whole body hurts for days and days. By the end of the season, Im barely sore anymore for even 1 day.

    I am in the gym twice sometimes 3 day a week for the past 6 months. I am always a little sore but seems like this past week has been awful for my body
  • james6998
    james6998 Posts: 743 Member
    I have a trainer. Last Tuesday we went to the gym and worked legs. I was a little sore the next couple of days but nothing too serious. Then on Thursday we worked arms. A little soreness of Friday but it went away. On Saturday we did a boot camp workout for about 45 mins. I can hardly move. My boyfriend has to help me off of the couch or pull me up when I need to get out of bed.My abs, calves, glutes, and chest hurt. I hurt to the point of tears when I move. Should this be a good feeling or can you overdo a workout to where this could be considered an injury?
    Personally thats the kind of sore i look for. Muscles getting sore is ok, you don't want joints to ache is my biggest warning. My wife loves playing the POKE game when i am so sore I cant be touched.
  • Michelle_dirtracer
    Michelle_dirtracer Posts: 245
    I have a trainer. Last Tuesday we went to the gym and worked legs. I was a little sore the next couple of days but nothing too serious. Then on Thursday we worked arms. A little soreness of Friday but it went away. On Saturday we did a boot camp workout for about 45 mins. I can hardly move. My boyfriend has to help me off of the couch or pull me up when I need to get out of bed.My abs, calves, glutes, and chest hurt. I hurt to the point of tears when I move. Should this be a good feeling or can you overdo a workout to where this could be considered an injury?
    Personally thats the kind of sore i look for. Muscles getting sore is ok, you don't want joints to ache is my biggest warning. My wife loves playing the POKE game when i am so sore I cant be touched.

    I enjoy a little soreness because that is my way of knowing I am working hard. But this soreness is actually affecting me working. I have never had such soreness.
  • Brige2269
    Brige2269 Posts: 354 Member
    Soreness is good and comes with the territory, but if it brings you to tears, then yes, you way over did it. Don't sit too long, it's only harder to get up and go again. I did a lot of squats last week and was really sore. I had to move around so I didnt get stiff.
  • fbmandy55
    fbmandy55 Posts: 5,263 Member
    Usually the 3 days after squats I struggle to stand up from sitting. Fiance always has to help me off the couch for the few days after leg day.
  • GymRatGirl13
    GymRatGirl13 Posts: 157 Member
    Foam roll pre workout, post workout. When I kill a workout and get that sore, I foam roll morning and night for 5 minutes or so. Hurts SO GOOD at the time, but I recover so much quicker. Also...keep moving, as others have suggested. I usually get most sore in my legs and glutes, so I will do a light bike ride or a slow 20 or 30 minutes on the stairmill the following day to get blood to my legs and to loosen up. Speeds recovery. Good luck!
  • DrBorkBork
    DrBorkBork Posts: 4,099 Member
    Sounds like it's rest day, complete with spa treatment! When I'm super sore, I still go to the gym, but it's to sit in the hot tub and soak my achin' bones :)
  • ash8184
    ash8184 Posts: 701 Member
    I think you know the answer if you asked the question :) I have been dealing with the same thing from starting Cross Fit. I have now gotten to the point where I scale my workouts down because if I'm so sore I can't function the next day, there's no way I'll be coming back to the gym. A little soreness is great - it means you've exerted yourself a little - but that much is too much. Try walking around slowly today and stretch out if you can (it'll help you get over your soreness). Try not to overdo it so much next time, and scale the boot camp down to meet your current needs. When you're eating at a deficit, you need to be careful about making sure you have enough nutrition also - don't want to be passing out from fatigue/overexertion/hunger :)
  • Michelle_dirtracer
    Michelle_dirtracer Posts: 245
    Thank you for the advice. I was curious to know if a severe soreness could be an injury of some sort. But you all helped. Thank you!
  • murphy612
    murphy612 Posts: 734 Member
    3r2ddk.jpg
  • Michelle_dirtracer
    Michelle_dirtracer Posts: 245
    3r2ddk.jpg

    Haha, I have to use the handicap rails. I work at a senior living community and thought about getting a walker out.
  • bookworm_847
    bookworm_847 Posts: 1,903 Member
    Two days after I started Insanity last week, my calves were so sore and tight that I could barely walk. My sister said I looked like our grandma when she got done with her hip surgery, lol. I decided to take a couple days off from exercising, and I definitely think that was the right move. Listen to what your body is telling you and don't push yourself so hard that you injure yourself or make yourself so miserable that you give up on the exercising. Good luck! :)

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