DOMS

Bobbi

Bobbi

Cathlete
Here I am really getting busy with the heavy weights but alas, I have such muscle soreness as to think I'd be nuts to do heavy strength work until it settles down somewhat. I did cardio only today and am willing to do so again tomorrow. My question is when muscle soreness is severe, how long to wait? My pecs and glutes and hamstrings are talking to me! Should I wait until the soreness is gone altogether? I intend to stay heavy for the long haul and I want my muscles to grow so I don't want to compromise the gains I have made. Or, should I be good to go after two days rest if I torture one of the mostly recoverd muscle groups?

I would love to hear the educated crowd weigh in on how you deal with muscle soreness!
Bobbi "Chick's rule!" http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/chicken.gif
 
Bobbi:

I think 2 days rest is good. I find that even though my mind is thinking, "wait! no! don't pick up those dumbells yet!", it's actually way more a psychological thing than physiological.

If you can push past the discomfort of the warm up, you actually begin to feel less taut, looser, and the warmth helps iron out those muscle kinks and soreness. I will then do the weights' workout, and be a lot less sore when I am done and will not experience much soreness the next day either.

However, if this is not your experience, i.e., if you give it the two days, then weight train again, it feel excrutiating and you have more soreness the next day, then an additional day or two of rest for those musce groups would seem to be in order.

Nice hot baths with some of that fancy bubble stuff the kids gave you for Xmas is what you need!!! Oh, and ibuprofen. That's all I do.

Good luck!

Clare
 
Hi Bobbi,

In reference to what Clare suggested, I think I read somewhere that working the sore muscles lightly the next day can help with DOMS.

For me, when the muscles feel REALLY sore, like when I've gone heavy after not going heavy for a while, I've found yoga to be helpful in working the soreness out.

Is this the first time you've lifted heavy? One of the things I found in a really targeted Slow & Heavy rotation was that I made some really great gains when I gave the muscles more rest. It's mentally hard to do sometimes, but it's really worked for me. I actually have a bicep that sticks out now. WAY COOL!!! :D :D :D

HTH
 
Thanks, Clare! I will probably feel much better in two days and I can enjoy the endorphins of cardio too. I did take a hot bath with Rosemary Mint bubble bath. It was heavenly! I am as stiff as an old boot even so. You know how it is, you are doing so well that you get a little too enthuiastic and think you can go mano a mano with Cathe and you get a lesson in humility! :)

Sadly, Gayle I have been heavy for 4 or 5 weeks now. Not this heavy though. I went for it. Feeling pretty cocky there. Well, not anymore! I think yoga is a great suggestion. I have been really awful about finding the time. When I first came back to exercise after my hiatus, I started with yoga and walking and it was really effective getting me ready for cardio and strength training! I have actually been telling myself I have to incorporate it. I thought I might do it in the evening. Yeah, right. In the evening, I am pretty vegetable-like by 8:00 or 9:00 PM. But I can definitely find the time while these muscles recover from this soreness.

My bicep is getting gorgeous too! I think they may still be pumped up from THAT workout! Ha! I am getting cuts in the shoulders but, lawdy, they are so pathetically small. Looking at Cathe and Jai makes me cry! Still, I am staying heavy until these babies grow. I hope that won't end up being forever. Thanks for the ideas. I swear I am a meso in an ecto's body. :)
Bobbi "Chick's rule!" http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/chicken.gif
 
Bobbi I feel your pain because yesterday I just did the S&H chest and my pecs are frying today}(. I guess everyone said it wait a few days. Well stupid me today went to the Y and in the warmup the instructor always have you do push ups, yikes was I screaming. I didn't want to not do them because then I would feel like everyone was wondering why I am not doing them. Well just take it easy:)

P.S. this is so embarassing but can you please tell me what does DOMS mean? Where can I learn all this short words from? Thanks:)
 
Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. I picked it up in a mag or a book and don't be embarrased, taht's how we learn this stuff, asking questions. You know waht they say, the only stupid question is the one that remains unasked. Yes, there is a phrase that means you did a great workout and felt so strong and good and the next day you found out you aren't Arnold after all! LOL! My god, I would die if anyone made me do push ups today. I am having a hard time mopping my floor! I hope this isn't permanent! :)
Bobbi "Chick's rule!" http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/chicken.gif
 
Thanks I guess we do need to ask, LOL. I do have to admit I have learned so much about excerise in 2003!! What is weird I have been excerising for the past 14 years on and off on own with no videos and didn't know anything except of course my husband did teach me how to lift proper with weights as he's been lifting since he was 12 and now he is 39 and not once did he ever take a break from lifting, but what i am trying to say that i have learn alot from here:)
 
Hi Bobbi;
I just did a copy and paste of what it is.
I took it alot last year when I was heavily into lifting .... I took the powder form and it just dissolved in my mouth. No taste or anything ...lots of people take it with water though. I used to get mine from Netrtion.com but after a while the supplememnts were getting expensive and we just bought a house 6 months ago so unfortunately money spent for supplements went to pay bills. I would like to start it again.

"Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the body, comprising more than 60% of the free amino acid pool in skeletal muscle and greater than 20% of total circulating amino acids. Supplemental L-Glutamine may help reduce muscle soreness."
 
>
>My bicep is getting gorgeous too! I think they may still be
>pumped up from THAT workout! Ha! I am getting cuts in the
>shoulders but, lawdy, they are so pathetically small.
>Looking at Cathe and Jai makes me cry! Still, I am staying
>heavy until these babies grow. I hope that won't end up being
>forever. Thanks for the ideas. I swear I am a meso in an
>ecto's body. :)

I can feel your pain with the shoulder thing. I got striation (I think that's the right word) in the muscle pretty quickly, but getting some size was harder and took longer. But it will happen!!! :D :D :D

I think when I really started focusing intently on my shoulders, it took a few months (2 or 3) for me to see some increase in size. Keep at it, girl. You can do it!!
 
Actually I believe it did help either that or I didn't feel DOMS as much as I went on...could've been a combination yanno?
 
I am amazed at how much better I feel today. It was an all out, burn 'em to the max workout. I really like Slow/Heavt training. Hurts so good! My chest area is pretty tender today though. I figure over time it's bound to diminish, yanno? I like that, ShyWolf! Can I steal it? Hey, did you get your workout room back yet?
Bobbi "Chick's rule!" http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/chicken.gif
 
Not yet , the insurance guy/gal is coming over in about 2 hours to acess the water damage . From there I guess the carpet folks will come in to install my new carpet and kitchen floors once they determine the humidity level in the subfloor.
I figure in about 2-3 weeks maybe I'll have my workout area. And yes I guess you could steal it - yanno? LMBO :D
 
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