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Expatmommy79
Expatmommy79 Posts: 940 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
When will it get better?

I did day two of strong lifts 5x5 on Friday morning. It's Sunday afternoon and I still can't walk properly and when my kids climb on top of me it feels like I'm being punched.

I love the program but holy hell it all hurts. Mostly my quads.

Is there a time when that pain will stop coming all together? What can I do to recover faster. Tomorrow is workout A again and I can barely walk to the car!!

Replies

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    Make sure you're stretching ghoroughly enough afterwards, drinking enough water and eating enough protein. Light exercise and more stretching the day after might help too
  • jessef593
    jessef593 Posts: 2,272 Member
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    Also try investing in a high quality fishoil supplement. Omega fatty acids have been known to help reduce imflamation
  • Expatmommy79
    Expatmommy79 Posts: 940 Member
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    Ok thanks.

    Fish oil, water, protein adequacy and stretching.

    Will try for this coming week.
  • DresdenSinn
    DresdenSinn Posts: 665 Member
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    Stretching does little or nothing to alleviate DOMS, it helps maintain/increase range of motion/flexibility. You pretty much just have to ride it out. Try taking an Epsom salt bath and just try to keep moving as much as you can, if you stay stationary too long it feels worse when you do start moving again.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    You won't believe me but there comes a time when you actually start to relish DOMS because it doesn't happen as frequently

    I may be a little twisted in this
  • DresdenSinn
    DresdenSinn Posts: 665 Member
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    Sued0nim wrote: »
    You won't believe me but there comes a time when you actually start to relish DOMS because it doesn't happen as frequently

    I may be a little twisted in this

    You speak the truth

  • Wombat468
    Wombat468 Posts: 191 Member
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    I remember this from doing my first weighted squats. It took me almost a week to recover. Don't worry - it gets better!!
  • beckyboyes
    beckyboyes Posts: 6 Member
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    Beetroot helps, you can either drink it fresh if you can stomach it or i use beetroot tablets and i have found it reduces DOMS
  • adoette
    adoette Posts: 181 Member
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    If your DOMS comes with muscle spasms, adding a magnesium supplement (you don't need much, maybe 250mg) can help a bit.

    Other than that, adding a protein bolus the morning after my workout helped me.

    Eventually, the DOMS will calm down in general and your muscles will start repairing a little faster after killing a workout.
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,990 Member
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    I have done Stronglifts before and am doing Starting Strength now - - both are linesr progression (LP) strength development programs that differ in subtle but critical ways.

    You should NOT experience any DOMS doing Stronglifts or any other LP strength program. If you are, then you are doing TOO MUCH which means you are either using weights that are too heavy for you, you are increasing the weight increments too much too soon and/or you are doing too many reps for your ability.

    In this case, you should consider doing 2-3 (or more, if practical) progressively heavier warm up 1x3 or 1x5 sets before the work set, do 3x5 or 5x3 sets instead of 5x5; resting as long as you need to fully recover between sets - - as much as 5-10 mins if need be, instead of tbe 90 secs - 3 mins SL routinely suggests and to fractionally increase weights only 2.5#s or less, instead of always using 5# for the next weight increase.

    These are NOT things recommended to novices just beginning Stronglifts but they are recommended in Starting Strength. This is why I prefer Starting Strength over Stronglifts
    Just some things to consider that may help you svoid sny further DOMS and improve your strength training.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    sgt1372 wrote: »
    I have done Stronglifts before and am doing Starting Strength now - - both are linesr progression (LP) strength development programs that differ in subtle but critical ways.

    You should NOT experience any DOMS doing Stronglifts or any other LP strength program. If you are, then you are doing TOO MUCH which means you are either using weights that are too heavy for you, you are increasing the weight increments too much too soon and/or you are doing too many reps for your ability.

    In this case, you should consider doing 2-3 (or more, if practical) progressively heavier warm up 1x3 or 1x5 sets before the work set, do 3x5 or 5x3 sets instead of 5x5; resting as long as you need to fully recover between sets - - as much as 5-10 mins if need be, instead of tbe 90 secs - 3 mins SL routinely suggests and to fractionally increase weights only 2.5#s or less, instead of always using 5# for the next weight increase.

    These are NOT things recommended to novices just beginning Stronglifts but they are recommended in Starting Strength. This is why I prefer Starting Strength over Stronglifts
    Just some things to consider that may help you svoid sny further DOMS and improve your strength training.

    that's an odd assertion - DOMS is a natural result of progressive training for many beginners and some more experienced exercisers.

    Injury shouldn't happen - but DOMs can be expected
  • Expatmommy79
    Expatmommy79 Posts: 940 Member
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    Thanks.

    I did workout B yesterday and increased the weights but feel fine today. Much better than last week. That was my 4th workout and I increased weight on the squat for the first time.

    I am going to get some washers to use as microplates as already OHP and rows I can't increase the normal weight as am finding it too heavy.
  • Escape_Artist
    Escape_Artist Posts: 1,155 Member
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    It gets better with time :smile:

    Foam rolling and epsom salt baths will help.
    Sued0nim wrote: »
    You won't believe me but there comes a time when you actually start to relish DOMS because it doesn't happen as frequently

    I may be a little twisted in this

    ^^ this. 100% lol

  • cgvet37
    cgvet37 Posts: 1,189 Member
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    sgt1372 wrote: »
    I have done Stronglifts before and am doing Starting Strength now - - both are linesr progression (LP) strength development programs that differ in subtle but critical ways.

    You should NOT experience any DOMS doing Stronglifts or any other LP strength program. If you are, then you are doing TOO MUCH which means you are either using weights that are too heavy for you, you are increasing the weight increments too much too soon and/or you are doing too many reps for your ability.

    In this case, you should consider doing 2-3 (or more, if practical) progressively heavier warm up 1x3 or 1x5 sets before the work set, do 3x5 or 5x3 sets instead of 5x5; resting as long as you need to fully recover between sets - - as much as 5-10 mins if need be, instead of tbe 90 secs - 3 mins SL routinely suggests and to fractionally increase weights only 2.5#s or less, instead of always using 5# for the next weight increase.

    These are NOT things recommended to novices just beginning Stronglifts but they are recommended in Starting Strength. This is why I prefer Starting Strength over Stronglifts
    Just some things to consider that may help you svoid sny further DOMS and improve your strength training.

    Sorry, but this is *kitten*. If you are never sore, you are not pushing yourself. There is a difference between being sore, and pain. Hell, if I was never sore, I would never progress. I'm always sore after leg day, no matter what I do.
  • trjjoy
    trjjoy Posts: 666 Member
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    I have been doing Stronglifts for 3 months or so. I have only experienced DOMS twice: when I started training 3 months ago, and today because I'd had a week-long break from exercise.

    You'll only experience DOMS when you train a muscle for the first time or after some period of inactivity.
  • DirtyTrickster
    DirtyTrickster Posts: 202 Member
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    Love the DOMS
  • cgvet37
    cgvet37 Posts: 1,189 Member
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    trjjoy wrote: »
    I have been doing Stronglifts for 3 months or so. I have only experienced DOMS twice: when I started training 3 months ago, and today because I'd had a week-long break from exercise.

    You'll only experience DOMS when you train a muscle for the first time or after some period of inactivity.

    Not true. I still get sore.
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,990 Member
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    cgvet37 wrote: »
    If you are never sore, you are not pushing yourself. There is a difference between being sore, and pain. Hell, if I was never sore, I would never progress. I'm always sore after leg day, no matter what I do.

    I am just reporting my experience and those of others who have used Stronglifts (SL) and similar linear progression (LP) programs. I have achieved significant strength gains and never experienced and "soreness" doing SL or any other LP program. It can be avoided but, if you don't agree, and just want to "push through" that's fine. To each his/her own.

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