Will weight training always make me feel sore?

skinnyfit09
skinnyfit09 Posts: 15
in Fitness and Exercise
I've always dabbled in weight training but not on a regular basis for a few years now. I'd do maybe 1 day a week or sometimes skip several weeks, not increasing my weight very often or really pushing myself. I love yoga and Pilates and generally took classes 3-4x a week.

For the past 3 weeks I've consistently done weights 3x a week, really pushing myself, and I'm hating how stiff and tight I feel. I haven't been super sore, sometimes a little the next day. But during yoga I can barely touch my toes for the first 30 min, usually I'm flat palmed on the floor w/straight legs, no problem during a forward fold. I love the way it feels to be flexible and relaxed. But I enjoy weight training and I like the results I've seen so far.

If I'm consistently increasing the weight, pushing myself so that my muscles are consistently repairing themselves, will I always feel stiff and sore like that? Input greatly appreciated. I'm a total yogi and would love to continue doing both. It does feel amazing to stretch everything out the day after weights but I'm not used to being this unflexible.

Replies

  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
    I've always dabbled in weight training but not on a regular basis for a few years now. I'd do maybe 1 day a week or sometimes skip several weeks, not increasing my weight very often or really pushing myself. I love yoga and Pilates and generally took classes 3-4x a week.

    For the past 3 weeks I've consistently done weights 3x a week, really pushing myself, and I'm hating how stiff and tight I feel. I haven't been super sore, sometimes a little the next day. But during yoga I can barely touch my toes for the first 30 min, usually I'm flat palmed on the floor w/straight legs, no problem during a forward fold. I love the way it feels to be flexible and relaxed. But I enjoy weight training and I like the results I've seen so far.

    If I'm consistently increasing the weight, pushing myself so that my muscles are consistently repairing themselves, will I always feel stiff and sore like that? Input greatly appreciated. I'm a total yogi and would love to continue doing both. It does feel amazing to stretch everything out the day after weights but I'm not used to being this unflexible.

    No, once you've settled into a routine and a generally doing the same things week-in-week-out (with the exception of increasing the weights, of course) you'll find that early DOMS goes away.

    Some routines seem to make you feel battered constantly (such as PHAT), but I'm guessing by the 3 times a week frequency and the fact that you're a beginner, then you're unlikely to be doing such a routine. What is your choice of routine, btw?

    Anyway, things that may help are: foam rolling, plenty of hydration, good sleep, adequate nutrition. Sometimes a gentle 30 min walk the day after a hard lifting session can also help.
  • starbucksbuzz
    starbucksbuzz Posts: 466 Member
    I've done yoga for 5+ years and lifted for almost a year now (will be a year in march) I think the two go really well together to be honest. You don't have to always feel sore after you lift but there IS a break -in period and it really depends on how you structure your lifting sessions. Example: lots of people love doing separated body parts with lifting and cycling through them all throughout the week. The issue with this in my experience is that after you have one "leg day" your legs are dead. You end up doing most of your heavy weight work on one day and then spending the next three trying to lift yourself in and out of chairs (not to mention the toilet) with the least amount of pain possible. If you lift 2-3 times a week but always do either squats, deadlifts, and / or lunges, you're always keeping your legs and lower body engaged, and you don't end up hitting them all at once and taking a week to recover. That said, lots of people do GREAT splitting their workouts that way - this has just been my experience with soreness. Example - I squatted 165 yesterday for the first time and I'm not the least bit sore. I can still bend over straight and have my palms flat on the floor. I do try not to do the exact same exercises every workout - although I usually include some form of squats - and lately I've been benching a lot because I'm working to up my #s.

    The other thing that helps is stretching after a workout. I am AWFUL about this. I love yoga but I'd prefer to do it in a separate class that feels more zen - as opposed to stretching out after lifting. IT HELPS though. Especially focusing on back, hamstrings, and quads. When I'm a good girl and remember to stretch, I always include some twisting postures as well.

    Last tip - if you don't already take baths with epsom salts after working out / when you're sore, do it. It takes away so much soreness and loosens everything up. Epsom salts are cheap and they work wonders. Just put a couple cups in your bath and soak for 20-40 min. add some candles and smooth jazz and its a regular spa treatment. ;) Also if you have further questions feel free to ask - or friend me if you want. :) Best of luck!
  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,899 Member
    As above, DOMS will go away eventually and you may even miss it. Just keep at it. I find that going to the gym as scheduled helps relieve it best for me.
  • skinnyfit09
    skinnyfit09 Posts: 15
    I've been doing Mon-Wed-Fri, alternating upper body w/lower body but about once a week I've done a 1.5 hr full body workout. I feel like I have adequate rest time between weight training sessions but Tues/Thurs, I take 60 min power PiYo classes and that's a lot of body weight exercises, push-ups, planks, lunges, squats etc. Should I be resting that muscle group completely between sessions or are the body weight exercises ok? I've been taking those classes for about 1.5 yrs, so it's not anything new that my body isn't used to.

    I'm not sore to the point where I even notice it during daily activities. Mainly, just during yoga.
  • astronomicals
    astronomicals Posts: 1,537 Member
    I've been doing Mon-Wed-Fri, alternating upper body w/lower body but about once a week I've done a 1.5 hr full body workout. I feel like I have adequate rest time between weight training sessions but Tues/Thurs, I take 60 min power PiYo classes and that's a lot of body weight exercises, push-ups, planks, lunges, squats etc. Should I be resting that muscle group completely between sessions or are the body weight exercises ok? I've been taking those classes for about 1.5 yrs, so it's not anything new that my body isn't used to.

    I'm not sore to the point where I even notice it during daily activities. Mainly, just during yoga.

    1.5 hours of lifting? sounds like excessive volume... demanding yoga on off days seems ill advised..

    Are you in a caloric deficit?

    How are your lifts progressing?

    You may be lacking adequate recovery.

    Why not lift and do yoga on the same day and take the next day off? or just do some walking or stretching if u feel compelled to train 5 days a week.
  • skinnyfit09
    skinnyfit09 Posts: 15
    I've been doing Mon-Wed-Fri, alternating upper body w/lower body but about once a week I've done a 1.5 hr full body workout. I feel like I have adequate rest time between weight training sessions but Tues/Thurs, I take 60 min power PiYo classes and that's a lot of body weight exercises, push-ups, planks, lunges, squats etc. Should I be resting that muscle group completely between sessions or are the body weight exercises ok? I've been taking those classes for about 1.5 yrs, so it's not anything new that my body isn't used to.

    I'm not sore to the point where I even notice it during daily activities. Mainly, just during yoga.

    1.5 hours of lifting? sounds like excessive volume... demanding yoga on off days seems ill advised..

    Are you in a caloric deficit?

    How are your lifts progressing?

    You may be lacking adequate recovery.

    Why not lift and do yoga on the same day and take the next day off? or just do some walking or stretching if u feel compelled to train 5 days a week.

    I'm actually training 6x a week but Sat is just straight yoga, very relaxing and lots of stretching. The 1.5 hr full body workout is only about 1x a week to ensure I hit both upper and lower body 2x total for the week. The other lifting days are about 45 min of just upper or lower.
    I can't change my schedule because I use the gym daycare and it allows for 1 free hr of child care daily and my PiYo and yoga classes are only certain days.
    I've always consistently done anywhere from 3-6 gym days weekly, it's just lately I've been consistently at 6 and hitting the weights more frequently.

    I doubt I'm in a calorie deficit, I think I'm around 2500 a day, sometimes more, never less than 2000. I generally eat lots of protein, fruit and veggies, whole grains but I don't deprive myself of anything. The first week I did lose 2 lb unintentionally but I've since gained that back and maybe another lb or so as well. I'm fine with bulking a bit if that's what happens. The goal is to be defined, gain strength and be healthy/fit, not worried about what the scale says.

    I don't plan to give up PiYo or yoga because I LOVE it. And I do feel stronger and I've noticed more definition in my arms and legs for sure. I was worried about overtraining but wouldn't dropping a day prevent me from making process? This is the only time I've noticed increased strength with each session, when I wasn't so regular, I rarely was able to increase my weight, it always felt so hard for me. I have tons of energy, I don't feel tired or weak, I get 8-9 hr of sleep nightly. It's really just the feeling stiff and tight that's annoying me :)
  • astronomicals
    astronomicals Posts: 1,537 Member

    I doubt I'm in a calorie deficit, I think I'm around 2500 a day, sometimes more, never less than 2000. I generally eat lots of protein, fruit and veggies, whole grains but I don't deprive myself of anything. The first week I did lose 2 lb unintentionally but I've since gained that back and maybe another lb or so as well. I'm fine with bulking a bit if that's what happens. The goal is to be defined, gain strength and be healthy/fit, not worried about what the scale says.

    I don't plan to give up PiYo or yoga because I LOVE it. And I do feel stronger and I've noticed more definition in my arms and legs for sure. I was worried about overtraining but wouldn't dropping a day prevent me from making process? This is the only time I've noticed increased strength with each session, when I wasn't so regular, I rarely was able to increase my weight, it always felt so hard for me. I have tons of energy, I don't feel tired or weak, I get 8-9 hr of sleep nightly. It's really just the feeling stiff and tight that's annoying me :)


    "wouldn't dropping a day prevent me from making process?"

    Probably the opposite. All training causes muscle degradation. Its like a bone breaking and coming back stronger. Every time you lift you damage your muscles and without proper recovery you'll actually lose lean mass or hinder progress.

    Do you do a proper cool down after lifting? Any stretching? A bit of conditioning? if not, try adding that in.

    The fact you're not trying to lose weight is good. You may be able to handle the workload, but, if the soreness never goes away, I'd imagine your just slowly burning yourself out and it will likely catch up with you. Its my opinion that you ought to add things to a lifting schedule slowly rather than just dump a lifting schedule on top of your existing schedule. Theres no point strength training if you dont provide proper recovery. If you were training to run 13.1 miles youd slowly increase distance. You wouldn't do 13.1 miles every day and try and slowly increase the speed. In other words, adapt then add. Not vice versa. I should also point out that you cant just add things infinitely and expect no ill effects. Overachievers get the mental benefits of training, but, their progress is ****. Excuse my french.

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