aches after Strong Lifts - how to avoid

LernRach
LernRach Posts: 286 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
Hi,
I am attempting to do the Strong Lifts program. I downloaded app, its all going swimmingly well. However now that I am reaching the 35/40kg lifting I am finding that the following two days my back and shoulders really ache, like bad enough that I can't do other exercise or anything. Should I slow down? not lift as heavy? are there special stretches that will alleviate these pains?

Thank you,

Replies

  • fivethreeone
    fivethreeone Posts: 8,196 Member
    What is causing the pain? My first guess would be having the heavy bar on your shoulders for squats, which would cause pain if you were supporting it skeletally rather than muscularly. Do you contract your traps to create a "shelf" for the bar to rest on before you unrack it?
  • nbkpjud
    nbkpjud Posts: 33 Member
    I would suggest that you review your form and make sure that you doing everything correctly. There are many videos on YouTube showing the proper technique. Just search on Strong lifts 5x5. I had pain also when I got to higher weights. I reviewed my form, dropped weight until the form was corrected and it fixed everything.

    Great program...good luck
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    are you aching or you actually in pain??

    because aches- even in their most debilitating form whilst walking around can be warmed up through.

    Pain- is a completely different ball of wax.
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
    edited December 2014
    It's gotta be something form-related. Try to video yourself and compare it to videos of proper form on youtube. If you're feeling brave, you can post it here for others to critique, and you'll get some great insight.

    ETA: At the very least, I'd drop in weights until you figure it out. Your back is something you don't want to mess with.

    ETAagain: ^^^All this is in regards to actual pain. If you're just experiencing muscle soreness, then you're just going to have to push through it or warm up until you're comfortable with it.
  • peachyfuzzle
    peachyfuzzle Posts: 1,122 Member
    DOMS?
  • esjones12
    esjones12 Posts: 1,363 Member
    No pain no gain.

    But really it's no ache no gain. There is a difference between aching and pain. Good lifting aches will leave you struggling to sit down on the toilet, not wanting to walk, etc. Even though it hurts to get moving, once you are moving the aches go away and you can exercise more. Make sure you are properly warming up before exercise, cooling down and stretching. I have found a quick mile run after a lifting session helps release the lactic acid (I also then foam roll and stretch) and I am less sore! Make sure you are giving your body enough R&R between workouts too.

    If it's actual pain, then you need to check your form and bump your weights down, asap!
  • peachyfuzzle
    peachyfuzzle Posts: 1,122 Member
    esjones12 wrote: »
    No pain no gain.

    But really it's no ache no gain. There is a difference between aching and pain. Good lifting aches will leave you struggling to sit down on the toilet, not wanting to walk, etc. Even though it hurts to get moving, once you are moving the aches go away and you can exercise more. Make sure you are properly warming up before exercise, cooling down and stretching. I have found a quick mile run after a lifting session helps release the lactic acid (I also then foam roll and stretch) and I am less sore! Make sure you are giving your body enough R&R between workouts too.

    If it's actual pain, then you need to check your form and bump your weights down, asap!

    Also, if the pain is bad enough, you might want to visit your doc to have it checked out.

    Aches will make your muscles feel tight kind of like if you were a rubber band being stretched. This is normal especially when beginning lifting. The more you do it, the more your body gets used to it, and the less severe it generally becomes. You're probably always going to experience at least some sort of DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness), but the first few weeks are specifically intense.

    Pain is like being stabbed with a knife in specific spots rather than feeling like it is over an entire area, or whole body.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    Welcome to the magic, mystical, and wonderful world of Blaine the Pain Train, next station: DOMS.

    Delayed onset muscle soreness will become your friend and companion. Generally, will say hello seldomly, but occasionally join you, particularly when you are coming off periods of rest and reflection.

    Lift more or cardio it out into oblivion. I've also had some success using floss to reduce DOMS in an extremity.
  • hill8570
    hill8570 Posts: 1,466 Member
    Bad enough to not be able to work out isn't right. I'd recommend backing off and working on your form. If you can get hold of the book "Starting Strength" (the Kindle edition is pretty cheap), I've found that it is a lot more useful that watching a bunch of youtube videos -- he goes into great detail about why each lift is positioned like it is as well as a lot of very useful pointers. It's a lot to digest at one sitting -- I'd probably start with getting your squats and deadlifts correct, since those are the two lifts most likely to torque your lower back if done incorrectly. Starting Strength doesn't cover Pendlay rows, so you'll have to find other resources there.
  • LernRach
    LernRach Posts: 286 Member
    HThanks for your replies, I'm afraid to say it is actual pain. The ache of walking like a penguin I can handle it's the actual sharp type pains in my back that I can't handle. I suppose I will drop weights and use book/YouTube to help. I may also try asking a trainer at the gym to just watch me to do one set of each exercise
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    edited December 2014
    Do you know the difference between aches and injury pains? I thought I did until I started lifting consistently for a few months. What I thought was injury pain was simply sore muscles.
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