Hoping this question doesn't sound too stupid

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serenity216
serenity216 Posts: 512 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello,
I had a question in terms of exercise rountines. I have been with MFP for almost 100 days now. Right now I am working out 6 days a week (75 minutes of Zumba every Monday and 20-30 minutes of exercises such a circuit training, walking, yoga, Biggest Loser workout and Zumba for Wii in between). I am preparing for 5k walks in May and June and yesterday took my dog out for a 3 mile walk (45 minutes after a 15 minute walk in the morning so both walks were 3.0 moderate pace).

I woke up this morning very sore and stiff and neither Alleve nor drinking a lot of water has helped. Because I barely could take my dog through the park this afternoon, I decided to sit out Zumba tonight rather than make things worse.

Here is my question: I do not want to have this happen again (especially since I pay for my Monday night Zumba classes) do you have any suggestions as to how to better schedule my workouts so this doesn't happen again? (I can't run per doctors orders but want to make sure i go into these 5k walks not lagging behind everyone else). For those of you who work out 5-6 days a week how do you schedule your workouts to have balance? Any help would be much appreciated! Thanks much!

Replies

  • mes1119
    mes1119 Posts: 1,082 Member
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    Personally, I have found that getting enough protein keeps me from getting overly sore. I have a protein shake after every work out. Eating enough to combat the amount of exercise is important. Sometimes being sore is just part of the journey.

    Make sure you get a COMPLETE rest day.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    add distance to your walks slowly, don't just triple what you were doing before, work up to it.
  • tinamina78
    tinamina78 Posts: 241 Member
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    Given the information you provided, my best advice would be rest a couple days (and that means actual rest as in NO Zumba or Wii). Also, try some Epsom Salt baths. They are amazingly wonderful! (google Epsom Salt Bath to find out details)

    If you have just recently started doing 5/6 days per week or that was the longest walk you've done yet, you may have just increased a little too quickly and your body wasn't ready for it. Do a bit of rest and then go again. See if it helps.

    Best wishes!
  • MamaWannaRun
    MamaWannaRun Posts: 273 Member
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    For me, personally, I am sore EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK... but i have underlying medical issues.
    I know since I am carrying an extra 35 pounds of weight and trying to work out, everything I do will cause me to stiffen.
    What works for me is simply getting back out there and going again. I also use a foam roller and stretch like it is my job.
    Usually after I get moving, I feel much better..

    But I am not a doctor, just sharing my own experience!

    I'm wondering if you did hills yesterday on your walk you don't normally do? If so, that may be your 'issue.'
  • Tami113
    Tami113 Posts: 117 Member
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    i have a disability in my leg and i am unable to run, squat, and i have very limited range of motion in one of my legs. i take zumba on friday nights and i make sure that wednesday and thursday i limit my walking and other leg exercises so that my legs are not too sore for zumba. i concentrate on strength training on those days. if this persists perhaps talk with your doctor and see if there is a circulation issue or something else, of course this would be if there is a severe problem which it hopefully isn't. make sure you are stretching well and warming up your muscles before working out. don't go crazy popping alleve's and what not, try soaking in a cold bath or hot bath to see which helps. if alleve is not working that it might not be inflammation but rather muscle tightness so hot bath would be best to loosen up. try heating pads and maybe treat yourself to a massage to loosen up the muscle tissue.
    hope this helps
  • hbrittingham
    hbrittingham Posts: 2,518 Member
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    Stretch really well after you finish your walks. You will build up to the longer distances, but I would suggest adding in the treadmill a few times a week to help with that if the only times you are walking is on the weekends.
  • kiminikimkim
    kiminikimkim Posts: 746 Member
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    Is it pain from the soreness of your muscles or pain from joints (knees, hips, ankles)?.

    If it is the latter: Definitely sit the next work-out out and let your body heal. If it is just soreness from your muscles, I find warming them up with warmup workouts help to get over the jolt of stiff muscles. I just keep going but keep it easy. Don't quit on your workout entirely.
  • devilsangel2
    devilsangel2 Posts: 123 Member
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    Are you making sure you stretch well before and after your walks???

    I find if I do a really hard walk/run/gym workout then I can avoid alot of pain the next day by continually stretching during the evening jsu 5 minutes every hour or so while watching TV or doing things on the computer seems to make a huge difference.
  • beechmom1
    beechmom1 Posts: 5
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    I think no question is a bad question. I workout 6 days a week and I have one day I rest. M,W,F I do a cardio workout with intervals (push real hard for 3 min then recover for 1 min etc... for a total of 30 min). Then on T,Th,Sat I do a 30 minute strength training routine and then I add in some easy to moderate cardio for another 20 or so minutes. This way it gives your muscles a chance to rebuild and rest. Your heart and lungs are a muscle too and if you are doing interval workouts you need to rest them. You didn't really give much info on whether this walk was an extra long hard one for you. If it was...I think soreness is because of that. Also it's important to get protein within 30 minutes of working out to allow your muscles to rebuild and it also helps with soreness. I would suggest a very light easy walk today to just stretch out those muscles. But if this walk was a normal thing for you...then maybe you are fighting a virus or something and I would check with your doctor.
  • beechmom1
    beechmom1 Posts: 5
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    great advice
  • serenity216
    serenity216 Posts: 512 Member
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    Thanks everyone. Sorry I didn't mention this workout was a much longer one that I normally do in terms of walking and there there were some hills involved. Since I can usually work through the soreness and today I can feel it in my knees and thighs, I think I am just going to sit Zumba out for this week and take a hot bath and try to relax. Thanks for the reminders about Protein and stretching after a workout. It really helps to get all of this helpful feedback from you all!

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