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Working out - how the heck do you deal with the soreness?

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Baron Aloha

A Shining Example
I recently hired a personal trainer to improve my fitness routine and this guy has been working the bejesus out of me. I exercised before using light-moderate weights and a lot of reps plus a lot of cardio but now that I've moved on to some more heavy lifting my whole body is SCREAMING at me. I would sometimes get sore before but never like this. I don't know if its because I wasn't doing it right before or if I hurt myself. I last worked on my upper body on Tuesday and I still hurt like hell. I could barely get out of bed this morning and it hurts to raise my arms too high. This has been going on for like 2 weeks. Motrin, muscle relaxers, heat, cold, massage, nothing helps. What do you guys do?
 

demon

I don't mean to alarm you but you have dogs on your face
It stops after a while. I work out fairly regularly, have been for months, and I don't get sore (other than for a bit after a workout) at all. And I remember muscle-man Future Trunks on this board saying something about recent studies showing that soreness doesn't mean you shouldn't work out. So....there ya go.
 

bionic77

Member
I dunno, that doesn't sound right to me. When you haven't lifted in a long while and you start again your body will be really sore, but only for a couple of days then your body adjusts to it. I would say wait another week to see if the soreness goes away and if it doesn't then tell your trainer. Do you stretch before and after each workout? That can go a long way to alleviating your soreness.
 

Scrow

Still Tagged Accordingly
I was sore the first time I went to the gym and I was sore the second time, but I suppose by the third time my body had adjusted because I don't get sore anymore.

If you're having trouble with the workout the personal trainer is giving you, tell him/her. If they think you should just keep pushing it and going hard all the time, get a new personal trainer.
 

Brendonia

"Edge stole Big Ben's helmet"
Make sure you stretch before and after workouts, that will help a little with the soreness. Honestly though, it's really not that big of a deal. From what I've learned you shouldn't work the muscles of the body strenuously, i.e. heavy lifting, more than 2 times a week.

When I worked out fairly regularly I'd always be sore for about two days but it wouldn't matter because I wasn't working that part of the body right then. If it doesn't go away after 2-3 days then I'd be a little worried but beyond that you should be fine. The main reason I wouldn't be worried is that you went from low weight to high weight. This is when the muscles really begin to bulk up and not just tone, so when you lift you are really really working them. It's normal to be sore for a while.
 

Dice

Pokémon Parentage Conspiracy Theorist
Eat a banana or maybe two like an hour after you work out, potassium lessens the soreness.
 
Are you stretching after each exercise? I remember the first week with my personal trainer, I wanted to die. But just get through it, your body will adjust.
 

AirBrian

Member
When I started working out again after a couple of years of doing nothing, I was soar for about a week. The second time, the soarness lasted for a few days. The third time, it lasted for a day - maybe two. It's going to take a few times for your body to get properly adjusted. And like its already been said, stretch; it's very important. Also, drink plenty of water. Dehydration is a major catalyst for injuries.
 

DJ Sl4m

Member
It sounds like your personal trainer is trying to push you too hard, too fast.

Let him know you need to be broken in a little slower, if the pace continues, get a new trainer.

You shouldn't have that extreme (just started working out) soreness 3 weeks after starting, Your muscles are simply trying to do too much before they are broken in properly.

Take your time and get into your ruitine at a pace you feel comfortable with, it's not a race.
Trying to jump into an advanced ruitine is probably the reason most poeple stop working out, don't fall into that trap.
 

chimpychi

Member
has it been sore for the 2 weeks straight or only after workouts?....you really shouldn't be sore after 3 days or so after you started....so either you're traing way too hard or you might have hurt something...when I hurt my shoulder lifting I had soreness for about 3 weeks...you should tell your trianer just in case..
 

Prine

Banned
I find the soreness to be one the best parts of working out. Just means you really worked yourself, as you get bigger you'll stop getting sore because your muscle become used to your workout. So if i get sore, i feel great. Knowing i pushed myself.
 

Pimpwerx

Member
It's not really stretching IMO. It's just that your muscles aren't used to the routine yet. Give it a week or two, and you'll settle into the rhythm. Recently, I took a week over from my workout, and just hopped back on my bike yesterday. Today I'm lifting, and I'm sure my muscles will revolt just a little, but only slightly. I've been at it regularly enough that I don't get sore. If I push hard, my arms will be tired, but not much else.

Oh yeah, to get over it, you just gotta fight through it. I don't know if it's recommended, but that's what my friend taught me, and what I always do. You'll be sore, and you'll hurt for the first set you do with the soreness, but your muscles should warm up and you should be able to finish your routine. Like I said, takes about a week to overcome completely, and you're set after that. PEACE.
 

AssMan

Banned
It sounds like your personal trainer is trying to push you too hard, too fast.



It isn't that. Your trainer is trying to build up your muscular endurance. Pretty much all trainers do that. Does he make you do one workout and then make you rush to another workout, then so forth and so on without really a break?


Being sore is a good sign. It means your muscles are rebuilding and getting bigger.
 

DaCocoBrova

Finally bought a new PSP, but then pushed the demon onto someone else. Jesus.
Stretch before and after. Less build up of lactic acid, which is what causes the soreness. Mild soreness is to be expected, since that's just your body creating new muscle tissue.
 
I think if you start doing it after a week you will start to notice more flexablity and increased stamina. And after that you just keep building.
 

Baron Aloha

A Shining Example
AssMan said:
It isn't that. Your trainer is trying to build up your muscular endurance. Pretty much all trainers do that. Does he make you do one workout and then make you rush to another workout, then so forth and so on without really a break?

Yeah, I go from one exercise to another at a pretty quick clip and the guy makes we work ALL of my muscle groups. That's why my entire body is sore and stiff.

I ran a cold bath and put ice in it. I froze my ass of but I stayed in there for 10 minutes. It was almost immediate relief but after a little while it came back again.
 

yoshifumi

Banned
you don't like that pain? that sore feeling after a really good workout is the best thing ever...it makes you feel like you've accomplished something.
 

tt_deeb

Member
yoshifumi said:
you don't like that pain? that sore feeling after a really good workout is the best thing ever...it makes you feel like you've accomplished something.

I agree. And it was really fun when I was sun burnt and sore on the same day. I felt so fucking dead and just did nothng the whole day. Now my skin is peeling like crazy...
 

Dead

well not really...yet
yoshifumi said:
you don't like that pain? that sore feeling after a really good workout is the best thing ever...it makes you feel like you've accomplished something.
I second this. I need to get back to they gym though. I havent had a chance much and even less now though :(
 

Truelize

Steroid Distributor
Stretching? Huh? How about getting the proper nutrients to repair and replenish?????

Not one of you suggested protien at all. You should be ashamed of yourselves.

Rule Number 1: Consume 1 gram of protien per pound of lean body mass EACH day. Shoot for 1 gram for each pound of body weight though. Never hurts to have a bit extra. Protien supplies the body with amino acids which are then used to repair damaged muscle tissue.

Rule Number 2: Consume approx 40 to 60 grams of simple carbohydrates within the first hour after exercise. Carbohydrates replenish your glycogen stores. The sugar stores you have in your muscles. Glycogen is used for energy when your perform exercise. As glycogen is used up lactic acid begins to dominate the muscle. That's a simple explaination for the "burn" you can feel when exercising. If you fail to replenish your glycogen levels the lactic acid will not be flushed out of your muscle tissue and cause varied degrees of soreness. The banana comment was not a bad idea until you figure out what other foods are good choices for your postworkout meal.


As far as protien foods go. Any meats (preferably lean cuts) and dairy. And for protien powders choose something simple like ON 100% Whey to start with. Nice blend of protien, mixes with a spoon and has a great taste.

Try those suggestions out. You should also be taking a multivitamin of some sort. You can't build a good body without a good foundation.

If you feel your trainer is working you too hard, then tell him. Because a good trainer should be able to keep you in a certain range where you feel challenged but not destroyed. But if you don't tell him then he wont know. If you tell him and he gives you attitude then yes you should look for a new trainer. But I would rather have a trainer pushing me too hard then a trainer that babies me. I've seen some wimpy people at the gym dropping big money on a trainer that will never help them change their bodies at all.

Ask yourself. "Are you hurt, or are you injured?" Hurt is ok, injured is a bad training.
 

Prine

Banned
yoshifumi said:
you don't like that pain? that sore feeling after a really good workout is the best thing ever...it makes you feel like you've accomplished something.


yep, almost orgasmic. I love that feeling
 

Zaptruder

Banned
That soreness means you're building muscle...

muscles atrophy if you don't use them...

but if you damage them in small amounts (through working out), then they'll regrow bigger and better.
 

isamu

OMFG HOLY MOTHER OF MARY IN HEAVEN I CANT BELIEVE IT WTF WHERE ARE MY SEDATIVES AAAAHHH
Excellent advice all around !! Someone really needs to sicky this thread!

And where's ccJJc or whatever?
 

Ristamar

Member
demon said:
It stops after a while.

That it does, save for some mild soreness. And as others have pointed out, that actually feels kinda good. Be warned -- if you stop working out for a notable length of time and then return to the weights, you'll have to go through the "bad soreness" phase again, to a lesser extent.
 

DJ Sl4m

Member
Yes, that's me. I'm just strapped for free time, which leads a LOT less posting.

Plus without the search feature I have to find these threads the hard way.

I'll touch on it, plus my own progress in a bit, I have to take care of some buisness first.
 
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