Muscle soreness

Having now gotten my medical clearance, I started up my long-delayed
(mostly because they took longer to open than expected) gym
membership.

2 workouts later, my muscles are SO sore! I figure it's just DOMS
(delayed onset muscle soreness for those who don't gym-speak) but it's
annoying. The stiffness and discomfort hits me about 12 - 15 hours
after working out, and lasts for about 24 hours. I feel good (a bit
drained, but good) immediately post-workout but the next day... It's
really interfering with the things I have to do - everything takes way
longer to do the next day!

So - those who work out regularly, can you help? Is there anything I
can do - extra stretching, for instance - to help avoid it? Can I
expect this to happen every time, more or less, while I'm working out
or is it likely that my muscles will get used to the workload and stop
grumbling at me later?

Giving up on going to the gym is NOT an option I'm willing to
consider.

Aramanth

Is this primarily through weight training? if so reduce the weight and
increase reps. If it's a cardio situation, cut down on the intensity first,
gradual progress is still progress.

Muscle needs a chance to recover from a workout, otherwise it becomes
overstressed and doesn't build up, at least not vs those who go slower but
more steady with their workouts.

Build intensity slowly, like I said before progress is progress.

PJ

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"Aramanth Dawe" wrote in message
...
Having now gotten my medical clearance, I started up my long-delayed
(mostly because they took longer to open than expected) gym
membership.

2 workouts later, my muscles are SO sore! I figure it's just DOMS
(delayed onset muscle soreness for those who don't gym-speak) but it's
annoying. The stiffness and discomfort hits me about 12 - 15 hours
after working out, and lasts for about 24 hours. I feel good (a bit
drained, but good) immediately post-workout but the next day... It's
really interfering with the things I have to do - everything takes way
longer to do the next day!

So - those who work out regularly, can you help? Is there anything I
can do - extra stretching, for instance - to help avoid it? Can I
expect this to happen every time, more or less, while I'm working out
or is it likely that my muscles will get used to the workload and stop
grumbling at me later?

Giving up on going to the gym is NOT an option I'm willing to
consider.

Aramanth

Work out more often. After a while your body will get used to it and you
won't get so sore anymore.

--
JC

Lyle's New Ultimate Diet

"1. eat less you fat ****
2. exercise more you fat ****"

"Aramanth Dawe" wrote in message
...
Having now gotten my medical clearance, I started up my long-delayed
(mostly because they took longer to open than expected) gym
membership.

2 workouts later, my muscles are SO sore! I figure it's just DOMS
(delayed onset muscle soreness for those who don't gym-speak) but it's
annoying. The stiffness and discomfort hits me about 12 - 15 hours
after working out, and lasts for about 24 hours. I feel good (a bit
drained, but good) immediately post-workout but the next day... It's
really interfering with the things I have to do - everything takes way
longer to do the next day!

So - those who work out regularly, can you help? Is there anything I
can do - extra stretching, for instance - to help avoid it? Can I
expect this to happen every time, more or less, while I'm working out
or is it likely that my muscles will get used to the workload and stop
grumbling at me later?

Giving up on going to the gym is NOT an option I'm willing to
consider.

Aramanth

Aramanth Dawe wrote:
:: Having now gotten my medical clearance, I started up my long-delayed
:: (mostly because they took longer to open than expected) gym
:: membership.
::
:: 2 workouts later, my muscles are SO sore! I figure it's just DOMS
:: (delayed onset muscle soreness for those who don't gym-speak) but
:: it's annoying. The stiffness and discomfort hits me about 12 - 15
:: hours after working out, and lasts for about 24 hours. I feel good
:: (a bit drained, but good) immediately post-workout but the next
:: day... It's really interfering with the things I have to do -
:: everything takes way longer to do the next day!
::
:: So - those who work out regularly, can you help? Is there anything
:: I can do - extra stretching, for instance - to help avoid it? Can I
:: expect this to happen every time, more or less, while I'm working out
:: or is it likely that my muscles will get used to the workload and
:: stop grumbling at me later?
::
:: Giving up on going to the gym is NOT an option I'm willing to
:: consider.
::
:: Aramanth

You can try active recovery....do some light reps against those sore
muscles. That usually helps me. Just don't over do it.

Now, you also need to avoid getting sore. You are very likely just doing
too much...either too many sets or too many reps for your level. Back off.
Soreness is not an indication of anything....except overdoing it. You don't
need to get sore to get stronger or to get bigger muscles or to improve your
general fitness level. I rarely get sore, and I do a full body workout 3
times a week. And I never get sore to the point where it interferes with
other things I do.

In article ,
Aramanth Dawe wrote:

Having now gotten my medical clearance, I started up my long-delayed
(mostly because they took longer to open than expected) gym
membership.

2 workouts later, my muscles are SO sore! I figure it's just DOMS
(delayed onset muscle soreness for those who don't gym-speak) but it's
annoying. The stiffness and discomfort hits me about 12 - 15 hours
after working out, and lasts for about 24 hours. I feel good (a bit
drained, but good) immediately post-workout but the next day... It's
really interfering with the things I have to do - everything takes way
longer to do the next day!

So - those who work out regularly, can you help? Is there anything I
can do - extra stretching, for instance - to help avoid it? Can I
expect this to happen every time, more or less, while I'm working out
or is it likely that my muscles will get used to the workload and stop
grumbling at me later?

Giving up on going to the gym is NOT an option I'm willing to
consider.

Aramanth

Well, before trying "extra" stretching, make sure you are doing the workout
properly, and make sure you are doing the stretching properly as well. Ask
someone who works at the gym, they should check to make sure you have
proper form in both the workout and the stretching. You are warming up,
right? And stretching _after_ the workout, not before? Make sure you hold
the stretches long enough and don't bounce.

--
-Michelle Levin (Luna)
http://www.mindspring.com/~lunachick
http://www.mindspring.com/~designbyluna

On Tue, 21 Oct 2003 04:10:01 GMT, "PJ DiSanti"
wrote:

Is this primarily through weight training? if so reduce the weight and
increase reps. If it's a cardio situation, cut down on the intensity first,
gradual progress is still progress.

Yep - weights. My Cardio work is mainly my 3 times a week Aquarobics
that I've been doing for 18 months now. I have no problems post-aqua
at this point.

The weights I've been aiming at are what I can lift comfortably for 2
sets of 10 - 12 reps without feeling pain or feeling like I could hit
15 easily. I'm still experimenting with *exactly* what that weight is
at each machine.

Muscle needs a chance to recover from a workout, otherwise it becomes
overstressed and doesn't build up, at least not vs those who go slower but
more steady with their workouts.

Build intensity slowly, like I said before progress is progress.

PJ

I'm currently doing 2 sessions a week at the gym, with the aim to make
it 3 a week in a month or so - as long as I can still *also* manage my
thrice-weekly Aqua (which I mostly love). I'm somewhat more out of
condition as usual because of abnormal health concerns over the past
few months but I do have my medical clearance now and I want to get
this to be routine before my now relatively healthy self can find
other things to fill that time.

Aramanth

On Tue, 21 Oct 2003 00:17:10 -0400, "Roger Zoul"
wrote:

You can try active recovery....do some light reps against those sore
muscles. That usually helps me. Just don't over do it.

Good idea. I usually find that helps when my arthritis is playing up
in cold weather.

Now, you also need to avoid getting sore. You are very likely just doing
too much...either too many sets or too many reps for your level. Back off.
Soreness is not an indication of anything....except overdoing it. You don't
need to get sore to get stronger or to get bigger muscles or to improve your
general fitness level. I rarely get sore, and I do a full body workout 3
times a week. And I never get sore to the point where it interferes with
other things I do.

I'm much more out of condition than usual thanks to almost 3 months of
ill health which is why I think I may have overdone it now that I have
my clearance to get active again. I'll try to remember to take it a
bit more slowly.

Aramanth

On Tue, 21 Oct 2003 04:21:17 GMT, Luna
wrote:

Well, before trying "extra" stretching, make sure you are doing the workout
properly, and make sure you are doing the stretching properly as well. Ask
someone who works at the gym, they should check to make sure you have
proper form in both the workout and the stretching. You are warming up,
right? And stretching _after_ the workout, not before? Make sure you hold
the stretches long enough and don't bounce.

Yes, post-workout stretches (a few beforehand, too, but mostly post)
and I've been doing them for a long time with my Aqua sessions so I'm
pretty right with good form. My Aqua teacher gives us a hard time if
we *don't* do them right g and since she's a PT I give credence to
her.

My form in the workout is fine - I got checked out on that on my first
session.

Warm-up, as well, certainly. I walk to the gym for a start (about 12
- 15 minutes walk, depending on how fast I go), then make sure I do at
least 10 minutes of gradually increasing intensity on the treadmill
beforehand.

My general fitness has been compromised by my long illness, but I'm
working up to it. My doc has cleared me to do as much as I feel fit
to do, so I'm trying to get the momentum going now.

Aramanth

Aramanth Dawe wrote:
:: On Tue, 21 Oct 2003 00:17:10 -0400, "Roger Zoul"
:: wrote:
::
::: You can try active recovery....do some light reps against those sore
::: muscles. That usually helps me. Just don't over do it.
::
:: Good idea. I usually find that helps when my arthritis is playing up
:: in cold weather.
::
::: Now, you also need to avoid getting sore. You are very likely just
::: doing too much...either too many sets or too many reps for your
::: level. Back off. Soreness is not an indication of
::: anything....except overdoing it. You don't need to get sore to get
::: stronger or to get bigger muscles or to improve your general
::: fitness level. I rarely get sore, and I do a full body workout 3
::: times a week. And I never get sore to the point where it
::: interferes with other things I do.
::
:: I'm much more out of condition than usual thanks to almost 3 months
:: of
:: ill health which is why I think I may have overdone it now that I
:: have
:: my clearance to get active again. I'll try to remember to take it a
:: bit more slowly.
::
:: Aramanth

Don't be afraid to do less....you objective now is to build up the ability
to workout with higher intensity....don't just start out heavy. If you are
doing 2 sets 2 times a week per exercise, try 1 set 3 times a week for each
exercise....the extra frequency will help your muscles get used to the
activity quicker -- without the soreness -- which for some people can be a
real show stopper. Believe it or not, sometimes less truly is more. Good
luck.

On Tue, 21 Oct 2003 00:17:10 -0400, "Roger Zoul"
wrote:

Now, you also need to avoid getting sore. You are very likely just doing
too much...either too many sets or too many reps for your level. Back off.
Soreness is not an indication of anything....except overdoing it.

DOMS and other related muscle sorenesses can come without overdoing
it. Many times it is related to the eccentric portion of the movements
entirely.



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