Really bad DOMS - how the hell do i get a workout in?

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workout_ninja
workout_ninja Posts: 524 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
2 days ago, I think i overdid it in the gym. I hadnt lifted weights properly in 3 weeks and so just went for it. I squat and pressed, Deadlifted and lunged my way through my workout. At my last set of lunges, my legs literally collapsed under me. I decided to call it a night after that. I woke up in an immense amount of pain yesterday so decided to rest, but i want to workout today. Im in so much pain, it hurts to even walk so I think my favourite past time of running is out of the question, cycling to work with no hills hurt so I think thats out too. How do I get a workout in?? Should I just power through the pain???

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  • AsISmile
    AsISmile Posts: 1,004 Member
    edited August 2015
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    If the pain is really really bad i'd recommend extra rest.
    However, for me it subsides a few minutes after becoming active.
    Some light cardio could help. A slow jog, yoga or perhaps a swim?

    ETA: walk around for some minutes first a d see how your muscles respond when they are warmed up a bit.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    I would just walk and then stretch today, and it should have eased off by tomorrow.
  • harlequin0318
    harlequin0318 Posts: 415 Member
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    Work another muscle group besides legs lol
  • Pinnacle_IAO
    Pinnacle_IAO Posts: 608 Member
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    harlequin0318 wrote: »
    Work another muscle group besides legs lol
    This...or just take a rest day.
    Sometimes less is more, and from the sound of it, your body is telling you something.
    Rest is paramount for continued progress. Our forward momentum can stall when we over-train.

    On my actual rest day, I stay inside and am sedentary, reading books.
    On a forced rest day, I get out and lightly swim. That's always worked wonders.

    Good Luck!
  • SaffronSunrise
    SaffronSunrise Posts: 182 Member
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    I killed my legs a few weeks ago & my quads hurt for about a week., not just hurt, but it felt like I'd broken my muscles. The next day (Tuesday) I did a little on the elliptical with lots of stretching and worked shoulders & hamstrings. I did this every day (working my split) but started and finished with stretching. I took Friday, Saturday and Sunday off and felt much better on Monday. I don't know if this was the right thing to do, but I really think stretching in the beginning then resting really helped. Yeah, so no more single legs squats until I lose a lot more weight.
  • cheshirecatastrophe
    cheshirecatastrophe Posts: 1,395 Member
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    With really bad legs DOMS, I like to go for a walk or a swim. Basically I walk, slowly, until my legs don't feel awful anymore. (Please note that even if you walk until your legs feel okay, they will likely not feel okay enough to run.)
  • kjm3579
    kjm3579 Posts: 3,975 Member
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    I've found that electrolyte's help as well as having a protein drink after lifting -- at this point stretching (such as yoga) will help, but I also got sore after Bikram yoga quite often
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
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    I would check to see if it really is DOMs if in doubt take a rest day. If you know your body well enough to know its just doms and its not masking and underlying problem, then id go with the above on walking, swimming. You can see if some ibuprofen helps, but am not a fan of exercising through Doms as I prefer to rest and recover properly.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    I'd go for a walk- do some air squats at home- sucks- but the only way to get over doms and moving and using. Foam roll- water- walking- stretching- all good things to get you back to normal. If you're mostly functional i.e. it really is DOMS and not tears then go back to the gym 2 days later.
  • airbent
    airbent Posts: 150 Member
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    When I started Stronglifts the DOMs were terrible. Warmup sets helped, but I would still say don't go back to your regular workout if it's unbearable, just do some light cardio to move those muscles, and stretch. Even if you're not actually injured, lifting and squatting heavy weight when you're in a lot of pain is very likely to affect your form and cause actual injury.
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
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    I had doms for a week after an aerial silks workshop.
    stretch and walk and take an extra day or two.
    also see about sitting and working on a different muscle group if you would like.

  • alpha2omega
    alpha2omega Posts: 229 Member
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    Stay hydrated and rest. Just like someone else said above, work another muscle group. This is a weekly occurrence with me so that's why I concentrate on different muscle groups each day to allow for proper rest of the muscle group. Remember, your muscle growth happens during the rest phase so don't push it and try to work out the sore muscles too quickly. You would be losing the gains you've worked so hard for.

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