It hurts - keep going or take a break?

[Liz CA]

After joining a gym and getting a little overzealous on some of those torture machines, I am hurting. My abdominals are only slightly affected (probably from some prior conditioning) but I forgot that there were muscles at the bottom of the rib cage, sort of toward the waist...and the thigh muscles are large and therefore hurt even more...SO do I go back right away and power through the pain or should I give it a day off (or two) and go back and do fewer repetitions to ease into it?

[Chelle in MO]

I don't work the same muscles on consecutive days.  I think they need a day's rest in between. You'd be fine to go back after a day off even if it still hurts, but don't work yourself like crazy! 

 

Btw, I'm not a personal trainer.   :tongue_smilie: 

[Garga]

I've heard that you should work the muscles every other day. Muscles grow by being torn and then repairing themselves. You have to give them that time to repair themselves.

 

Check my facts with someone in the know, but that's what I've always believed is how it works.

[hillfarm]

Take a day off the machines and do some light stretching instead. Tonight you should soak in the coldest water you can stand for a few minutes. Don't forget about topical analgesics, like Icy Hot, Biofreeze, Tiger Balm, etc., which can help ease the pain. Then start back gradually, lifting not quite as heavy of a load, but keep the same number of reps. Remember to stretch both before and after a session, and soak in cool water asap after each workout.

 

Good luck. This too shall pass.

[Seasider]

An exercise physiologist once told me that a bit of aerobic activity after weight lifting helps clear the system of lactic acid released when the weightlifting makes those teeny tears in the muscles. So in theory, walk or something to keep moving for a while after finishing the machines.

 

Also, pay attention to what hurts. Some degree of muscle soreness is to be expected, but if your joints hurt, really listen to 'em and back off. I've got a shoulder acting up right now that I've had to rest for a few days and when I go back to the gym I'll have to ask a trainer for a free weight alternative to the particular machine that I think is causing the problem.

 

Stretching and lots of water.

[Mom-ninja.]

1-2 days rest for each muscle group before working that group again.

[bettyandbob]

I would go to the gym and do some gentle cardio--walking, recumbent bike-- for not too long. I would follow that with a nice stretch session.

I am suggesting doing this at the gym, so you continue your habit of going. Then, you won't have as much of a mental hurdle to get over to build up exercise again, because you've kept your routine.

 

 

ETA: Why did auto correct change stretch to street?!! My sentence made no sense.

[KungFuPanda]

Does your gym offer a yoga class? Or even a gentle yoga class? That would be a nice thing to do in between workouts.

[Ann.without.an.e]

I would go to the gym and do some gentle cardio--walking, recumbent bike-- for not too long. I would follow that with a nice street session.

 

I am suggesting doing this at the gym, so you continue your habit of going. Then, you won't have as much of a mental hurdle to get over to build up exercise again, because you've kept your routine.

Totally agree. Don't completely take a break or starting back will be too difficult. Even if you just go, stretch, and walk on the treadmill...go.

 

ETA, I thought it was your shoulder for some crazy reason, thus why I suggested the treadmill.  Hmmm....if it is painful even to walk then you might want to take a day or two off.  

[Saddlemomma]

Depends on what you're doing (weights or cardio or both) and how much you're doing.

 

I used to be a competitive power lifter.  I would workout for 2 hours in the morning with cardio, heavy lifting and 350 crunches (4AM-6AM); go home, shower, go to work, then be back to the gym during my lunch break for just lifting.

 

Rule of thumb for weight lifting- alternate the parts of the body you work each day so that you only work one part of your body every 2 days or so.  This gives your muscles a chance to heal, build muscle and recover for the next workout.  For example:

 

Monday - chest and back

Tuesday - arms and shoulders

Wednesday - legs

Thursday - start over with chest and back

 

You could also, if stretched for time, just do one body part per day with weights then 30-45 mins of cardio for a Mon-Fri workout.  This way, the muscles for each body part would have a week to recover.  Whichever schedule you decide upon, however, you need to provide a rest period for those muscles to recover or you will end up tearing one.  If you are ever working out and feel a flash of pain then what feels like hot water pouring through your muscle, that's a tear and it takes a long time to heal. Been there; done that.

 

If you do mostly cardio, switch it up day by day so your body doesn't become used to a set workout.  Plus, even though I used to do those 350 crunches, they don't actually do all that much for your stomach area.  They really only affect a very tiny portion of your stomach muscles depending on which type of crunches you do.  So, for instance, I did 7 different types of crunches of 50 each to target 7 different stomach muscles.  Takes time.  You would be much better served to do something like kettlebells, even for 15 minutes, which strengthen your whole core, build muscle, and provide cardio all in one shot. Ten to twelve mins. of kettlebells can do more for your body than 45 mins. at the gym doing weights and cardio separately.

 

I started my competing at the ripe age of 32 and did so for 3 years. I was in great shape and only ever lost one competition (shortly after my father died).  At 50, I'm now trying to get back into shape after retiring from competing and "letting myself go".  Trust me, I can still feel the muscle, but it's buried under mounds of fat.  I'm doing kettlebells and walking on the treadmill right now. Once spring hits, I'll walk outdoors again, but the kettlebells will continue.

 

 

 

 

 

[Laurie4b]

You should take the day or two off. Powering through pain is not necessary, and often leads to injury. Your long term goal is to exercise as a habit, right? So responding to your body's pain signal will keep you able to exercise long-term. If you tear something, you'll not be able to do anything for days or weeks while you heal. So take a break now for the long term. You also probably did too much, so decrease the weights some. It's okay to feel mildly sore, but not like what you are describing.  Build up more slowly. Again, be in it for the longterm, not for a short-term rush to fitness.

[school17777]

Saddle momma, what size kettlebell should an out of shape mom start with?

[Liz CA]

You should take the day or two off. Powering through pain is not necessary, and often leads to injury. Your long term goal is to exercise as a habit, right? So responding to your body's pain signal will keep you able to exercise long-term. If you tear something, you'll not be able to do anything for days or weeks while you heal. So take a break now for the long term. You also probably did too much, so decrease the weights some. It's okay to feel mildly sore, but not like what you are describing.  Build up more slowly. Again, be in it for the longterm, not for a short-term rush to fitness.

 

I usually do gymnastics (at home - have a routine) and walk every day but got carried away with all those machines because I need upper body toning. I think I did this number to my thigh muscle (oddly the right one only) while being on one of those elliptical machines. Right now it hurts most at the top of the right thigh right below the hip bone. Like hillfarm said - this too shall pass, hopefully soon.