SORE MUSCLES

[fitgrl]

Hi,
I have been working out now for 13 years. I think I'm in pretty good shape, but I think I'm in a rut. My body isn't going anywhere. I'm not over weight, but I would like to get leaner.In all these 13 years of working out, my body has pretty much stayed the same. I do Cardio on Mondays, wednesdays and fridays and do toning for the upper and lower body on Tuesdays and thursdays. I recently read in this forum about changing your workouts to more weight training. Like do weight training 3 days a week and cardio two days and then change it around again. Though that sounds like a good idea, what happens when your muscles are sore? Everytime I do a cathe toning workout, I am always sore the next day and even a couple days after that. Any suggestions. Thanks, Michelle

 

[naughtoj]

You get over it!!!


Seriously, there is not much you can do to prevent this..you can decrease the severity of it sometimes by stretching during and after your weight training session, but anythime you are pushing your body harder than it is used to, it will probably be sore.

However, this goes away relatively fast and now even when i push myself HARD, the soreness is not the same as when I was first starting. Besides, when you really get that "athletic" mindset, you see soreness as being a GOOD thing. It is proof that you took everything to failure.


Right now, it seems like hell for you to have to endure the soreness, but I think that went away for me within 2 weeks. Also, the better shape you are in now, the less the soreness will effect you. Go for it, it will be worth it!!! Janice

 

[wendyloo]

BUT...
I think you're asking if you should work out even if you are still sore from a previous day's workout. I think that depends on the level of soreness you have. I would say that when you are first getting used to training 3 times a week, you should really pay attention and NOT work through the pain if your muscles are sore. I can't see doing the PS series on MWF for example, because your muscles will be too fatigued, and still repairing from having just worked them 24 hours before, and probably quite sore. I would suggest giving yourself adequate rest time by spreading it out. If you want to work with weights 3 times a week, try Monday, Thursday and Sunday. The next week will have to be Tuesday, Friday, and then Monday. It doesn't fit in a calendar week, but you're still accumulating 3 times within 7 days, and giving yourself the reccomended 48 hours of rest between sessions. Does that make sense? It is always good to rest!
Janice is right, too, that the more you get used to doing this, the less sore you will be. But do make sure you are always challenging yourself...
One other thing I've noticed is that if I do a cardio session, light, medium or hard, AFTER a weight session, by muscles are usually less sore the next day than they would be otherwise.

Wendy

 

[naughtoj]

Another interesting tidbit...

Right after I posted this AM, I read in the new Readers Digest that taking vitamin E as a supplement has been found to reduce muscle soreness significantly. I thought of you Michelle when I read this. Maybe this is an option for you.

Also, Wendy is correct where the weightlifting is concerned. If you are still sore, I would say definetly do not lift weights again, but you can do a cardio if you can stand too. The movement sometimes lessens the soreness. After reading your post again, I noticed you refer to your strength workouts as your "toning" workouts. Could it be that your routine up to this point did not involve the heavy weight or intensity that is found in the Cathe workouts?? Your choice of words implies to me that you are used to lifting lighter. If so, the extra weight and intensity will definetly make you sore for a while. Again, it will go away. I think I will start supplementing E as well, for cardiovascular health as well as the for the other perk I learned today....Good Luck!!! Janice