stiffness after weights - back to gym or recover more?

giggles

Hi all,

I have a question on stiffness in my legs after doing weights in the gym. I had an assessment on Friday morning - all was good, the guy in the gym recommended that I do weights first then cardio. I'm looking to lose weight

I'm not sure what its its called, but its the one where I sit down with my knees up close my chest then I push forward with both legs. I expected some soreness over the weekend but thought it may have improved by now. Whenever I go to stand up or sit down or take the stairs my thighs are really really sore. I'm not really complaining more wondering what I should do now -I would like to get back to the gym and back to my programme soon, but should I wait until the soreness goes away or just throw myself at it and give it a go again?

I don't want to leave it too long, but not sure if I need to recover first! Any suggestions would be much appreciated

Also - what should I be doing to avoid stiffness in the future? It it just a matter of doing it more and getting used to it.

BTW - the cardio after the weights is threadmill, but I was wrecked after the weights and could only manage a 20 min walk rather than the jog in my programme.

seamus

The proper weights guys here will give proper advice on handling this, but I'm assuming it's DOMS (Delayed onset of muscle soreness).

When you haven't exercised in while or haven't exercised particular muscles in a while, it can come on pretty strong.

What I've found to work best in the past is a proper warmdown followed by light stretches after your gym session. If I've been sore the day or two days after, some more light stretches of the affected muscles, I've found to help. In my experience, exercising those muscle groups again when they're still really sore, just makes it worse. Afaik, it can prolong your recovery period and prevent you from building proper strength in the muscles.

It may also be a matter of dropping the weight you're lifting and building it up more slowly. As I say, the other guys here will be able to give more comprehensive advice.

Dragan

Seamus is spot on with the DOMS. Do a proper warm down, stretch the muscles ( ONLY AFTER TRAINING ) and ensure you get in some Vit C and some potassium straight after you session. This an orange and a banana, this will help reduce doms considerably.

padsc

Dragan wrote:

Seamus is spot on with the DOMS. Do a proper warm down, stretch the muscles ( ONLY AFTER TRAINING ).

So would you recommend only ever stretching after a workout?

Where's my Cat?

I never stretch cold muscles before I work out, it is considered far more beneficial to stretch after the workout. A gentle warm up would probably do you more good, a light to brisk walk or a jog or a 5 min cycle on the exercise bike at a low level.

I stand to be corrected though.

giggles

Thanks for all the feedback - I have another question on strething the muscles troubling me; The best way I can describe it as my thighs - the only thing I know of is to stand on one leg and pull the other foot up behind, then switch legs - is there anything else I should do?

pwd

padsc wrote:

So would you recommend only ever stretching after a workout?

Yeah I've read stretching before a workout can actually increase the risk of hurting yourself.

Hanley

padsc wrote:

So would you recommend only ever stretching after a workout?

Whatever you do, be sure as hell not to get under a bar while you're cold.

You don't neccessairly have to static stretch (and this prevailing theory that since static stretching has been show to lower the peak power output of top level athletes, and can shorten the muscles length, means that the average Joe shouldn't do it either is completly ridiculous and dangerous imo).

Dynamic warm ups such as shoulder dislocates, torso twist, windmills with your arms, step overs, bodyweight squats, lunges, high kicks etc could be used, this is the sorta stuff I do personally. But the problem with these is most people don't know what do with them, or how to implement them, or what they're trying to achieve with them. And if you try to get too great a range of motion while you're still cold you run the risk of injuring yourself.

You could always do 5-10 mins on a bike/rower/threadmill to get the blood flowing and then run thru some of the more traditional stretches. Just make sure you do SOMETHING.

The thing that gets me about telling a beginner not to static stretch because it can reduce peak power output is that it shouldn't be a concern in lower level trainees anyway because of their sub-optimal CNS efficency, which is a much larger factor in power output than some simple stretching. People are so concerned with what the newest and most optimal training research says that they don't bother to progress thru the stages of learning that is neccessary to come to your own conclusions about things and not be a follower all the time.

I personally know a good few top level international athletes/sports people and train with several world champions in powerlifting, and if I was to tell them static stretching was making them weaker or it was dangerous for them I'd be laughed off the face of the earth.

retrosouls

Dunno what gym ur going to giggles... But I use a stretch machine. Find it helps to warm up as someone said on a treadmill, Bike or Row machine before you do anything. 5-10mins should do! Then use the stretcher. Definitely find that stops the stiffness the next day.

Dragan

My simple take on stretching is that you shouldn't do it cold. People need to seperate the idea of stretching and warming up in my mind.

The reasons for not stretching when cold has very little to do with peak power outputs and far more to do with the muscles being less maleable when cold. Effective stretching should be done when the muscles are warm in my opinion.

Dynamic warm ups are key.

Hanley

So static stretching after some form of warm up, be it dynamic or cardio based, would be ok?

Dragan

Hanley wrote:

So static stretching after some form of warm up, be it dynamic or cardio based, would be ok?

Yip, just once the muscles are warm! At the end of the day static stretching is a great way to improve flexibility.

Well trained folk like yourself could look at PNF stretching as well, i think you find it to be a great benefit.

Hanley

My point is tho, to say NEVER to stretch before training when you know thatsome of the people here take alot of what they see written as literal and do no more research on the matter is a bit irresponsible.

They see "no stretching" and completely over react and assume all stretching is bad for them. They don't think "oh maybe I can do something to makemy muscles more malable before I stretch, Icould try dynamic work too".

davyjose

Hanley wrote:

Dynamic warm ups such as shoulder dislocates, torso twist, windmills with your arms, step overs, bodyweight squats, lunges, high kicks etc could be used, this is the sorta stuff I do personally. But the problem with these is most people don't know what do with them, or how to implement them, or what they're trying to achieve with them.

Hanley, could you elaborate on this? I've recently added dynamic stretches into my warm-up (most of what you've mentioned above) and have noticed greater flexibility, but I never presumed there could be any major problems with what I'm doing!!!

BaZmO*

Hanley wrote:

My point is tho, to say NEVER to stretch before training when you know thatsome of the people here take alot of what they see written as literal and do no more research on the matter is a bit irresponsible.

They see "no stretching" and completely over react and assume all stretching is bad for them. They don't think "oh maybe I can do something to makemy muscles more malable before I stretch, Icould try dynamic work too".

I think that's the problem with newbies to fitness in general.

People tend to go gung-ho into training at the beginning trying to get as much information as possible and then start to pick and chose different theories on best practice policies. Sometimes a little knowledge can be dangerous.

Personally, I tend to warm up pre-lifting by doing windmills and the like for a few minutes and then before each excercise I'd lift a much lower weight for about ten reps to get the blood flowing and then I'd stretch before getting into the proper lifting. Seems to work for me.

Dragan

Hanley wrote:

My point is tho, to say NEVER to stretch before training when you know thatsome of the people here take alot of what they see written as literal and do no more research on the matter is a bit irresponsible.

Not really.

IMO you should never stretch a cold muscle. It's just silly and begging for an injury and will cut down on the effectiveness of stretching to begin with. This is the advice that i would give to anyone, and will continue to give in future.

It seems to me that you are drawing a similarity between a dynamic warm up and static stretching, though i might be missing the point there?

Froot

Where's my Cat? wrote:

I never stretch cold muscles before I work out, it is considered far more beneficial to stretch after the workout. A gentle warm up would probably do you more good, a light to brisk walk or a jog or a 5 min cycle on the exercise bike at a low level.

I stand to be corrected though.

7 minutes tbh

Yeah dont go stretching your quads before a warm up and then go leg pressing or whatever you kids do nowadays. Maybe warm up by getting on the bike, cross trainer, rowing machine or treadmill and get the blood pumping. Working the muscles will get the blood to where its needed once your heart rate has been elevated. Once your workout is done follow their other advice and do your stretching etc.

The muscle soreness you are most likely experiencing goes away after one or a few sessions, depending on your body. It reminds you that you havent used the muscle in a while :P