Is it bad that my legs are unbelievably sore?

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Ambersikes17
Ambersikes17 Posts: 48
in Fitness and Exercise
I've been working out a lot lately with cardio and some weight strength training as well (Strong Lift 5x5 with 45lb empty bar squats) I would says about 4 or 5 times a week. My legs are super sore. Does this mean I am doing way too much that my body can handle? Or is this a good sign? I can barely bend down sometimes. ALSO, I COULD USE MY FRIENDS AND MOTIVATORS ON MFP!! EVERYONE ADD ME :) Thanks!

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  • jjking54
    jjking54 Posts: 113 Member
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    Does it feel like overall fatigue or do you have sharp pains?
  • Ambersikes17
    Ambersikes17 Posts: 48
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    Does it feel like overall fatigue or do you have sharp pains?

    A little bit of both
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    just sounds like you are doing something new and different.

    When I do something I haven't done in years- I get incredibly sore- like miserable- hard to walk. But I know it's just deep sore issues.

    I'd make sure you have a day off between each set- and rotate the work (so legs don't happen Monday- Wednesday but maybe Monday- Friday with something on Wed)

    back off some of the intensity- less reps- less sets- less weight (pick one doesn't have to be ALL)
    drink lots of water
    keep working
    invest in a foam roller
    wait for it to get better with more work.
  • Roadie2000
    Roadie2000 Posts: 1,801 Member
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    Could be your body telling you it needs to rest. You should wait at least a day between stronglifts workouts since your body needs to rest .
  • alathIN
    alathIN Posts: 142 Member
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    Do you have recovery built in to your training regimen?

    In my swim-bike-run group, the coaches have recovery periods built into each workout. There is also a three week cycle of build week, big week, recovery week. On recovery week, the coaches will actually scold you for working out too hard.

    The whole concept of building fitness is stress-adaptation. You stress your body, then it heals and adapts to a higher level of fitness. If you never have any recovery, if you are restricting your eating too much, or not getting enough sleep, then your body never can adapt and build to a higher fitness level. It just becomes stress-stress-stress endlessly, and instead of getting improved fitness you get breakdown.

    If you have been steadily increasing your workouts, take a recovery week where you cut the time and intensity of all your workouts by 20-30% - and make sleep the main priority for that week.

    After a recovery week, you should feel really good and rip-rarin' to start working hard again. If you don't get that big post-recovery surge, you are not recovering enough.
  • Ambersikes17
    Ambersikes17 Posts: 48
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    Do you have recovery built in to your training regimen?

    In my swim-bike-run group, the coaches have recovery periods built into each workout. There is also a three week cycle of build week, big week, recovery week. On recovery week, the coaches will actually scold you for working out too hard.

    The whole concept of building fitness is stress-adaptation. You stress your body, then it heals and adapts to a higher level of fitness. If you never have any recovery, if you are restricting your eating too much, or not getting enough sleep, then your body never can adapt and build to a higher fitness level. It just becomes stress-stress-stress endlessly, and instead of getting improved fitness you get breakdown.

    If you have been steadily increasing your workouts, take a recovery week where you cut the time and intensity of all your workouts by 20-30% - and make sleep the main priority for that week.

    After a recovery week, you should feel really good and rip-rarin' to start working hard again. If you don't get that big post-recovery surge, you are not recovering enough.

    Yes I did a Tread and Shed class where we sped up and slowed down and sprinted and recovered.
  • alathIN
    alathIN Posts: 142 Member
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    Yes I did a Tread and Shed class where we sped up and slowed down and sprinted and recovered.

    OK, recovery within the workout itself - what about recovery days or weeks?
  • Ambersikes17
    Ambersikes17 Posts: 48
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    Yes I did a Tread and Shed class where we sped up and slowed down and sprinted and recovered.

    OK, recovery within the workout itself - what about recovery days or weeks?

    I recover every two days
  • alathIN
    alathIN Posts: 142 Member
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    Yes I did a Tread and Shed class where we sped up and slowed down and sprinted and recovered.

    OK, recovery within the workout itself - what about recovery days or weeks?

    I recover every two days

    So if you feel like you have adequate recovery - meaning, when it's time for your next big workout (or big week) you are feeling fresh and ready to go - then the next thing to look at is how quickly you are adding volume/intensity. An old running guideline is to increase by no more than 10% per week.

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