Do your legs ever get so fatigued that your performance sucks?
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Francl27
Posts: 26,371 Member
My exercise routine has pretty much been the following for a few months...
4 days stationary bike for 45-90 minutes (15mph)
2 days gym - 15/20 minutes of rowing, 20 minutes weights (I do upper body to give my legs a break), 60 minutes walking at a 11%+ incline, 3.3 mph (which is relatively fast for me, I'm 5'5")
I try to alternate as much as possible, and take a rest day once a week.
Unfortunately it's been pretty bad lately. My legs have just been so fatigued, I can feel them just going up the stairs, and it's a good day when I can reach 15mph on the bike again (usually hover around 14mph)... I used to do 15.7mph! I used to do 14% incline on the treadmill (was working up to 15%) but now my legs can typically not do more than 11%, and that's on a good day... I had to go down to 9% two days ago... and it was just after a rest day too...
I'm so bummed. I don't understand why this is happening. 2 years ago I was walking every day, sometimes 6 miles a day, and didn't even need rest days (granted, I wasn't walking at an incline, but still). Rest days seem to be doing absolutely nothing... I do take the time to stretch after workouts.
Does it happen to you and what do you do about it? I exercise quite a bit because I just get bored otherwise, and I like eating, so it pretty much works out. I don't do lower body strength because my legs already do a lot obviously, and I like the way they look anyway (and yeah I hate it, I just do it to get my upper body muscles working too).
I eat a ton of protein (I'm 135 lbs right now, rarely eat under 135g of protein). Tons of veggies, lots of water...
Help?
4 days stationary bike for 45-90 minutes (15mph)
2 days gym - 15/20 minutes of rowing, 20 minutes weights (I do upper body to give my legs a break), 60 minutes walking at a 11%+ incline, 3.3 mph (which is relatively fast for me, I'm 5'5")
I try to alternate as much as possible, and take a rest day once a week.
Unfortunately it's been pretty bad lately. My legs have just been so fatigued, I can feel them just going up the stairs, and it's a good day when I can reach 15mph on the bike again (usually hover around 14mph)... I used to do 15.7mph! I used to do 14% incline on the treadmill (was working up to 15%) but now my legs can typically not do more than 11%, and that's on a good day... I had to go down to 9% two days ago... and it was just after a rest day too...
I'm so bummed. I don't understand why this is happening. 2 years ago I was walking every day, sometimes 6 miles a day, and didn't even need rest days (granted, I wasn't walking at an incline, but still). Rest days seem to be doing absolutely nothing... I do take the time to stretch after workouts.
Does it happen to you and what do you do about it? I exercise quite a bit because I just get bored otherwise, and I like eating, so it pretty much works out. I don't do lower body strength because my legs already do a lot obviously, and I like the way they look anyway (and yeah I hate it, I just do it to get my upper body muscles working too).
I eat a ton of protein (I'm 135 lbs right now, rarely eat under 135g of protein). Tons of veggies, lots of water...
Help?
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Replies
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Yes.
Typical symptom of overtraining. Every day has some training for your legs. 45-90 minutes of biking, 60 minutes of walking on an incline (A tough incline, at that), 15-20 minutes of rowing, etc etc.
Reduce the intensity of the walk (no, or little incline) would be a good start. Also, you're nailing 90 minutes a day at the gym, on average. This would be considered "advanced training schedule". I run daily, but only two days a week do I exercise for more than an hour (Long run days).0 -
My routine is different to yours, but I do have days when my legs feel knackered. I suffer with anaemia so sometimes tiredness simply means I need to up my iron levels, or it can be because I've increased training volume or intensity and need a lighter day or two, or because I'm not eating enough. Sorting those issues out gets rid of the fatigue.
Sounds obvious, but I presume you don't feel like you're coming down with a bug or something, have been sleeping normally, etc? If it's persistent I'd be tempted to take a week off proper workouts and see if I feel better when I get back to it. Sometimes our minds get tired out and we blame our bodies.0 -
I second upping your carbs for what that is worth. Or just dialing back the exercise.If you eat enough carbs (or if carbs are 30-to-60% of your diet) then your muscles will have enough energy to make you lift heavier weights, do more reps and sets to build muscle faster but…
If you don't eat enough carbs then you may not have the energy you need to workout with enough intensity to make your muscles bigger & stronger.0 -
I eat a ton of meat, I doubt I have anemia? I used to have it but it was before losing weight and I wasn't eating anywhere as much meat as I do now. And my last two bloodworks have been fine. And no I've actually been sleeping great (7-8 hours a night) and I surprisingly haven't been sick in 3 weeks LOL.
I eat plenty of carbs too... I've been eating around 130g in the last week as it helps me with PMS, but typically I eat 200g or more.
So yeah I guess I just need to take it easier. Bleh...0 -
Just at the end of leg day! Hard to get in and out of the car!0
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It's not going to be this, but just in case, do take your pulse at rest and during exercise. The only time in recent years that I got weaker during exercise for no known reason was because of an autonomic glitch I got that has me taking beta blockers now. It came out of the blue, so that's the only reason I suggest doing some easy pulse checks for it (or other things that can cause exercise intolerance).
But it's probably something more training related If you feel it in your actual legs that does sound like the local muscles there, imho.0 -
Sounds like overtraining.
That being said, why upper body lifting only? Full body lifting would probably be great for you. I find squats make my legs stronger for running.
Or could you try swimming instead of something else?0 -
4 days biking + 2 days of 11% fast inclined walking?
That right there is your problem.0 -
You don't necessarily need to take it easier but you do need to give your legs more recovery time - six days a week isn't going to be offset by one rest day.
As an example I'm pushing my winter cycling training really hard at the moment but on alternate days.
Mix up the intensity rather than try to hit your maximum every day.0 -
I think it is really common to get fatigued legs when you work them 6 days a week. And don't ignore the anemia suggestion. It is easy to get checked out and lots and lots of women are anemic, even red-meat eaters.0
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Magnesium/Potassium really helps with muscle fatigue & recovery & a good B12 complex will up your red blood cell count - and as someone above said: 6 days per week of working your legs will have an effect. Maybe try lowering your incline but to keep it challenging up your speed a little?0
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Cherimoose wrote: »
Or carbs0 -
Maybe try upping your carbs to help with recovery.0
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Cherimoose wrote: »
Actually, the cell count is nice and high anyway with B12 deficiency anemia. It's just filled with duds
But yeah, B12 won't help your blood any unless you really are deficient in it, which usually doesn't come from diet at all.0 -
It sounds like you have a bunch of issues going on ( see ops other threads ) and it may be worth talking to a doctor about.0
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coreyreichle wrote: »Yes.
Typical symptom of overtraining. Every day has some training for your legs. 45-90 minutes of biking, 60 minutes of walking on an incline (A tough incline, at that), 15-20 minutes of rowing, etc etc.
Reduce the intensity of the walk (no, or little incline) would be a good start. Also, you're nailing 90 minutes a day at the gym, on average. This would be considered "advanced training schedule". I run daily, but only two days a week do I exercise for more than an hour (Long run days).
I agree with this. Plus, you recently posted a thread where you went lower carb during PMS. Does this correlate with that time period?
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I was thinking about the sore legs thing. The only time I get sore legs is the day after leg day ? How heavy are you lifting ? Do you even lift at all or just do all that cardio?0
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cafeaulait7 wrote: »Cherimoose wrote: »
Actually, the cell count is nice and high anyway with B12 deficiency anemia. It's just filled with duds
But yeah, B12 won't help your blood any unless you really are deficient in it, which usually doesn't come from diet at all.
Ohh.. yes that is true it isn't usually about diet. I have always been anemic/borderline and find B12 really helps but then I have endometriosis. Definitely think the magnesium/potassium would help with muscle fatigue though, do you think?0
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