Exercise Pros - I have a question

[Miss Marple]

I have been using the elliptical machine and other weight machines at the gym for about 6 months now. The past 2 months have been very sporadic. I started back on my usual routine and did great but I'm not showing any real changes and I've gotten bored with it. Because I'm bored with it, I don't have the impetus to go. So I decided to change things up a bit. The gym offers a lot of classes - kick boxing, yoga, cycling, extreme energy w/o, complete core, etc.

 

Last night I went to my first class. I was the oldest there :crying:. I took the Complete Core class which was 45 minutes of continuous "stuff". It reminded me of the workouts my son did with the P90X! I did it all...I didn't do it as prettily as the young gals in there, but there was one who looked worse than me. Honestly I was worried about her.

 

So this morning my butt is sore and the muscles under my arms and down my sides are sore. Otherwise the Ibuprofen I took last night really helped. I thought about doing something today...maybe the Total Toning class...but wonder if that is a bad idea considering I'm still sore? Or should I focus on something that doesn't use the sore muscles? I could definitely do the cycling because my lower body is in much better shape than my upper body.

 

What do you do on those sore days?

[Hikin' Mama]

Not a pro, but I would work those muscles that aren't sore. I've been working out for 5 years now and I like it when I'm sore, because I feel like I've worked my muscles hard enough. In my strength training routine, I work each muscle group once a week. So even if something is sore, it is getting a rest on the days I'm working other muscles. As another example, if I run hills one day, I will cross train on the bike the next day to give my glutes and hams a rest.

 

And I think it's great that you're finding ways to keep it fresh. I actually like working out, but if I start feeling bored, it's hard to keep motivated.

 

 

[m0mmaBuck]

Does the Total Toning class include a lot of core exercises? Typically you will end up using your core to stablize during that type of class and you may find that difficult to do if you are already sore from yesterday. Cycling or yoga may be safer for you today.

 

Usually the 2nd day after an intense workout it the worst (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, or DOMS) and if you go back and work those muscles again before they have a chance to recover, you may injure yourself and you will definitely make the soreness even worse.

 

Do a light warm up on a rowing machine or a treadmill (walk at a brisk pace making sure you swing your arms) and then stretch prior to doing the cycling class. That will get the lactic acid (the cause of the muscle soreness) moving from the areas that are sore and then go hit the cycling class.

 

Rotating classes is a great way to make sure you work all of your muscles and will help to keep you from getting bored with your workouts.

[Miss Marple]

Thanks, ladies, I ended up just doing 30 minutes on the elliptical. Michelle, you're right about the DOMS! I can hardly lift my arms above my head :glare: The muscles along my sides (rib and armpit areas) are in agony this morning. Guess I should just take it easy today...although they are offering kick boxing today and that sounds really fun.

[JudoMom]

Magnesium helps with the soreness.

[Mom-ninja.]

Yoga is great for stretching those worked muscles. I read in a great book that you want to alternate muscle groups to give muscles a chance to heal.

[Critterfixer]

If everything hurts so bad that crawling out of bed takes an effort I take the next day off. If I warm out of the soreness in an hour or so I proceed with my regularly scheduled run, and start out slow. If I find that I'm sluggish or hurting during the exercise I call it a day and then go find something else to do. I run, so my "else" is usually a bike ride with the boys. Most of the time gentle warm-up and stretching gets the soreness out.

[lovemykids]

Yoga is great for stretching those worked muscles. I read in a great book that you want to alternate muscle groups to give muscles a chance to heal.

 

I was going to say yoga as well. :thumbup: