Cross training and the soreness factor

T

Traildoggie

Cathlete
Cathe... I've been exercising ( 1 day a week off) for a long time... am now 60 and have done "something" since around age 25. I don't understand why I get so sore( this is not something new) when I switch activities. so if all I do is run I don't get sore unless I increase the distance, then I get very sore. so i thought mixing it up might help.
my standard workouts are warm up on stationary bike for 10-20 minutes, treadmill(running at 3%) for 30 minutes, then Precor elliptical (with arm motion) for 30 minutes at level 10. then a segment of coremax. I do GS chest and GS back biceps regularly, each once a week. I also do Power hour, Muscle max, Drill max, and KPC. we regularly do 35 mile bike rides, backpacks, hikes averaging 10 miles,3500 foot gain/loss. in winter we XC ski and snowshoe. yoga once a week.

Regardless, when I switch activities I get miserably sore. "can hardly walk down the stairs" kind of sore. we were just on vacation, did a tough 35 mile backpack. did not get sore. had 5 days off ( long break due to drive home, etc) and then did a not too difficult hike and now I can still barely walk 3 days later. Did a 35 mile bike ride in between and got sore from that too.

I thought if I mixed up my activities enough that I would be able to participate in a variety of activities without getting miserably ( not just a little achy) sore! am I a genetic failure? Am I doing something wrong here? My husband does pretty much the same thing and rarely gets sore. I don't get it. I'd welcome your input . thanks.
 
I used to be in a similar situation. After working out for many years, all of a sudden my quads were constantly sore. I was doing step aerobics, floor aerobics, and walking on hilly terrain. I didn't think I needed to do a leg strength workout because I was already working my legs so much.

I finally came to the conclusion that there was an imbalance in the way I was working out. I was not working my hamstrings enough. When I started doing GS legs and S&H legs, the soreness went away. I also do more restorative yoga now and that makes my legs feel really good.
 
I don't have any advice (and I'm obviously not Cathe;)) but I just wanted to say kudos to you for being so active at 60 years old! (Not that that's old or anything. :eek:) Very inspirational!
 
I work out more now than when I was younger. I have much more time, and age makes it easier to gain weight, which provides an additional incentive. Muscle loss accelerates with age if you don't keep at it.
I haven't found that getting older makes all that much difference. I need to be more consistent.. fitness slips away faster than when I was younger and I don't run as fast as I used to, but that never was "fast" anyway. I still don't *enjoy* working out that much but I like the results. It's impossible to do "fun" things ( fun for me anyway) like hiking, backpacking, xc skiing, snowshoeing etc if you don't stay in reasonable shape. so I just do it. I thought if I mixed activities I would reduce the DOMS but for me it seems that if I have not done the specific activity in the last week, I will get sore. I really wish I had an explanation for it.
 
Well, I am not Cathe, but I am a pharmacist. Are you taking any meds? Like for example cholesterol lowering meds (Lipitor, Zocor, Crestor and the likes)?
 
Good thought, but no. only low level HRT, calcium supplement, QOD erythromycin for rosacea. Maybe I should not compare myself to my husband... but we can do the same workouts at the same frequency and I get "almost can't walk" sore and he has no discomfort at all. incidentally he takes lipitor and a load of BP meds.
 
For how long have you been taking Erythromycin? One of the listed side effects is muscle weakness. Also hormones are no bed of roses as well. I dont mean to scare you or anything, just trying to help. If this soreness is so acutely manifested, you should consider talking to your doctor.
Best: Krasy
 
Taken low dose e-mycin for 10 -15yearsfor the antiinflammatory effect. topicals didn't work. allergic to tetracyclines. Caffeine is the trigger for flushing/break outs from rosacea. I'm virtually 100% "decaffeinated" and have been for years.... I admit to very small amounts of chocolate occasionally but only decaf coffee, tea, soda. even before "quitting" I limited caffeine.
HRT; I've been on low dose for years. Used to be Prempro but now a combo of Prometrium and an estrogen type compound, I forget exactly what. estradiol maybe? anyway 1/2 tab 3 days a week. I've tried to get off HRT completely multiple times but can't sleep. I've tried non prescription sleep aids (and prescription ones) but when I stop HRT completely, no sleep. and there is nothing more debilitating than no sleep. after a couple nites I'm a basket case. Even ambien doesn't help much, besides which prescription sleep aids are inappropriate for any length of time.

But as long as I remember, I get major muscle soreness whenever I change my routine. I don't get sore if I do the same thing again and again. It's my legs way more than anything else, and they are the body parts that I exercise the most vigorously and consistently. but there seems to be no crossover effect from one activity to the next.
 
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