In so much pain after Gym Induction

Glowing

Hiya,

I had my gym induction and health check yesterday - the instructor asked me for my goals (loose body fat, build more muscle for definition etc) so he ran through a program with me.

We went through about 10 different weights excercises, he watched while I ran through a set of about 15 with me. The weights were heavy but I was able to finish each set, shaking a bit towards the end.

Anyway, today I'm in AGONY! It hurts to sit or stand, or walk. I expected to be a bit stiff, but not experience the PAIN that I had when I tried to get out of bed this morning. I'm pretty active too, so am so surprised that I feel this way today.

Is this normal? Were the weights too heavy or what?

Thanks, and ouch.

Edit: The program involves sets of 4*15 reps for each excercise ... is this too much considering how sore I am after only 15 of each?!

Jim

Its probably normal. When I started in the gym I was in agony for about a week. Gets easier after that.

Thomas_S_Hunterson

Yea, just keep at it. Pain like that is completely normal for a first time at the gym. It's not that the weights are too heavy, it's just your muscles getting used to strain.

TheBigLebowski

Is 4*15 normal? I only do 2*15.

Glowing

Thanks! But I was hoping ye weren't going to say that! I feel crippled!

I suppose they're right when they say 'no pain, no gain'!

brianthebard

DOMS are awesome,learn to love them.

cregser

It's a good sign when you get pains in muscles you didn't even know you had! It kinda teaches you to use them more. And when the pain wears off you do feel stronger.

Did he walk you through a warm up and warm down aswell? It doesn't sound like it.

I went though a gym induction a few months ago and the instructor showed me all the aerobic machines before moving onto weights. It got the heart pumping a blood flowing before I did any damage to myself. Warm-downs are good for minimising the pain you're gonna feel the next day - removes all the lactic acid.

TBH I tend to stay away from weights though. Muscles tend to build for me when I need them!

Glowing

brianthebard wrote: »

DOMS are awesome,learn to love them.

What are DOMS?

Oh, I didn't do any sort of warm up before the weights, could that have been a factor? He did a quick warm down after, and I went for a swim too.

I found I've gotten the best results in the past by doing weights .... as a female that is. Not trying to build massive muscles, just increase metabolism, and get some definition.

Yeah I thought 4*15 was kinda high too .....

cregser

Glowing wrote: »

Oh, I didn't do any sort of warm up before the weights, could that have been a factor?

I would say definitely. :-)

Edit: You're right about the benefits of weights. I was just speaking of personal preference.

I've always heard that it's better for men to do "fewer of many" and women to "many of fewer" when it comes to weights. E.g. if a man does say 2x15 a woman would do 4x8.

I was just reading about DOMS (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delayed_onset_muscle_soreness). According to wikipedia it's not caused by lactic acid but the reinforcement of muscles after the power exercise putting pressure on nerves. I still think warm-up and warm-down are essential. Not to mention stretching.

brianthebard

Glowing wrote: »

What are DOMS?

delayed onset muscle soreness.

I found I've gotten the best results in the past by doing weights .... as a female that is. Not trying to build massive muscles, just increase metabolism, and get some definition.

Yeah I thought 4*15 was kinda high too .....

4*15 isn't high really,you told the trainer you want to lose fat and get definition,this is the system he was taught to achieve this.Many will say there are other ways of doing it...I imagine you were using light to moderate weight for each exercise too?

Pen1987

weights seem a little heavy considering youre shaking as you finish the FIRST set.

Malteaser!

cregser wrote: »

I've always heard that it's better for men to do "fewer of many" and women to "many of fewer" when it comes to weights. E.g. if a man does say 2x15 a woman would do 4x8.

Why's that??

Kevster

Lol - sorry - that's just total nonsense about how men and women should do weights.

Glowing, it's perfectly normal to feel so 'wrecked' after a tough work-out. When we do weight-lifting, our muscles are literally torn and stretched. Thus, when they grow-back, they grow back bigger. This is how muscle is grown bigger and bigger.

Kevin

cregser

Malteaser! wrote: »

Why's that??

Kevster wrote: »

Lol - sorry - that's just total nonsense about how men and women should do weights.

Sorry, looks like I got that wrong :rolleyes:. I'm racking my memory for when I was first told that and it was the P.E. teachers in my secondary school when they first got a gym installed. But having looked into it seems I remembered it wrong. It should be fewer reps of heavier/intense weights to build muscle (presumably what men would want) and more reps of lighter weights to tone muscles (presumably what women would want).

wrote:

Link
To start out, let me clarify that if I suggest 10 reps on a given exercise, that does not mean pick a comfortable weight, do 10 reps, and then stop. It means pick a weight that only allows you to complete 10 reps, while bringing you very near muscular failure. If you train alone, as I do, then for safeties sake, stop 1-2 reps short of muscular failure on exercises that put the weight in a dangerous position, and which could cause injury upon achieving muscular failure and losing control of the weight. It is fairly well accepted that to add mass, lower rep ranges, (6-10), are most effective, while for so-called toning, higher rep ranges, (10-15), work best. That being said, I recommend doing 8-12 reps for most major body parts. Pick a weight that allows you to successfully complete 8 reps, then add 1 rep every workout, or as often as possible. When you reach 12 reps, increase the weight by approximately 10%, and start all over again. Of course, there are exceptions;

Boston

The scary part is that you really will learn to love them. Its as powerful a sign of progress that you're going to get.

Hanley

cregser wrote: »

Sorry, looks like I got that wrong :rolleyes:. I'm racking my memory for when I was first told that and it was the P.E. teachers in my secondary school when they first got a gym installed. But having looked into it seems I remembered it wrong. It should be fewer reps of heavier/intense weights to build muscle (presumably what men would want) and more reps of lighter weights to tone muscles (presumably what women would want).

How exactly does one "tone" muscles?

And from that link; "It is fairly well accepted........while for so-called toning, higher rep ranges, (10-15), work best."

Who is that accepted by? And maybe you can explain why it works best?

Boston

Yes, don't put much faith in loaded statements which start off with "Its can clearly be seen...", "It obviously follows..." or "It is generally accepted...". There is no one size fits all, and the only way to know if something applies to you is the understand the reasoning behind a statement.

ronbyrne2005

I went back gym in last few weeks after around two years off with injuries. The DOMS has been pretty intense and the fact i cant get much sleep at moment slows my recovery. I had'nt lifted a weight in over year but its amazing how quick the strength came back over past several weeks. Even managed dumbell bench press despite my bicep tenditis still acting up.

Don't get too hung up on sets*reps people. Theres no ideal number. A woman looking to achieve a "toned" look, could achieve this by lifting as heavy as possible for say 5 reps for 3/4 sets (once a week on each body part) . Another woman could achieve same results(in terms of bodyfat/appearence not pure strength) by lifting a lighter weight more times for more sets.
A proper trainer will tailor your programme to your goals and to your abilities and timeconstraints etc.
Diet is most important thing in achieve "toned" look anyway but resistance training is also necessary but not as important.

cregser

Hanley wrote: »

How exactly does one "tone" muscles?

And from that link; "It is fairly well accepted........while for so-called toning, higher rep ranges, (10-15), work best."

Who is that accepted by? And maybe you can explain why it works best?

Sorry, can't help you there. My main point was about warming-up and I seem to be clarifying clarifications on personal preferences on weight lifting. As I said, I incorrectly remembered weight-lifting advice from a female PE teacher. The link I used helped me to remember the advice. I can't really stand by it because, as I said, I don't even do weights all that much. There does seem to be a consensus but I can't tell you who exactly that is.

If you're really interested you should find an organisation you trust (university,media outlet) who has done a study on it and see what results they've come up with.

Glowing

Thanks for all the replies so far. Although I'm getting confused now

I'm still aching today, but am considering going to the gym this evening. Is this a good idea or should I wait for the pain to subside totally?

I'm dreading those weights because I just feel it's too many reps. The weights were surprinsingly heavy ... I think they were 3 kilos each for one excercise, and 40k for outside leg machine? Does that sound high for someone who is just starting out after a long break? Thinking back now, I realise I got very little instruction on how to build up the number of reps, do I build up to 4*15 or just do as many as I can. Might have to go have a chat with the instructor again.

Brian?

Glowing wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies so far. Although I'm getting confused now

I'm still aching today, but am considering going to the gym this evening. Is this a good idea or should I wait for the pain to subside totally?

I'm dreading those weights because I just feel it's too many reps. The weights were surprinsingly heavy ... I think they were 3 kilos each for one excercise, and 40k for outside leg machine? Does that sound high for someone who is just starting out after a long break? Thinking back now, I realise I got very little instruction on how to build up the number of reps, do I build up to 4*15 or just do as many as I can. Might have to go have a chat with the instructor again.

I think whether you go to the gym tonight or not is a personal thing, but I always go when I have DOMS. Take my advice below with a pinch of salt as I'm no expert, its what works for me.

Make sure and stay well hydrated and warm up properly i.e. 5 minutes of cardio and then stretching . For each weight excercise you are going to do, perform the excercise with a really low weight for 15 reps, this should warm up the muscle group properly. Then do your 4x15. Eg, if you are doing 30Kg on your 4x15 on the leg press, warm up with 10Kgx15.

Personally I don't see the point of doing 15 reps as it teachs the muscle endurance rather than encourages it to grow, AFAIK.

As for the weights being "surprisingly heavy", there's ZERO point in lifting them if they are not heavy. If you can do 15 reps with a weight it is not too heavy, if you can complete 15 without a struggle you need to increase the weight.

tommba

The routine seems abit suspect. Starting a total new guy on 10 exercises of 15 reps for one workout is just way too much. Not to mention that you struggled to complete the first workout? Pretty insane, newbies should always start off extremely low. Strength gains in the first few months of progression isn't to do with muscle increasing in size, it's more to do with the muscles "learning" the lifts. Going straight onto heavy weights gives your body no time to learn the lifts and is just an accident waiting to happen, not to mention you won't progress as fast. I'm not saying you shouldn't lift heavy, but you will progress faster starting off if you ease into the heavy weights so you can get the techniques down, esp for compound and free weight lifts.

Go to www.bodybuilding.com and start reading, particularly in respect to rippetoes workout (starting strength). You'll spend half the time in the gym, do half the exercises and you will gain strength at close to the fastest possible rate. You need to build strength in your posterior chain to be able to handle the weights needed to put on muscle. Alot of people make the error (or are told to by 120lb fitness instructors) to start off on workouts just like you have been given. The internet is a great resource, go to that site and you can't do much wrong.

Glowing

Hi again

Back from the gym, tried to complete the program and failed miserably. After warming up, I felt pretty good, but I don't think I could complete any full set of exercises even when resting for a good bit in between sets.

One of the moves involved lying on an inclined (upwards) bench on my front, and leaning over the end from the waist down - then lifting 2kilo weights in each hand up and over, one arm stretched out either side - supposed to strengthen my back? Well to do 60 of these on my first visit to the gym seemed rediculous!!!! I don't think I did 10, and now my back feels like it's seizing up.

Tommba, thanks for the info. I'm a girl if I didn't make that clear! Not interested in body building as I told the guy, just want to strengthen and lose body fat. I'll have a read of that site anyway .... EDIT: Some great articles there, thanks!!!

The weights I was told to lift included 3kilo in each hand, 5 kilo for a tricep thing, 10 kilos for lunges, and 30 kilos for outside legs ..... not sure how that compares to what a beginner (female) should start with.

Now I'm just annoyed at the gym instructor ... am I just being too soft and moany, and should I just get on with it and stick to the program as best possible?

Thanks again all!

flywheel

ah now, it's ok to ease into it a new routine... try doing 2 sets for the first week, then see if you can push it to 3 sets over next week or two... also if you are shaking after your first set then it sounds like you may be lifting to heavy... again try to see if you can pop the pin down (decrease weight) and feel the shake closer to the final set

the work you do in the gym is supposed to enhance your day to day life, not curtail it through pain or discomfort... but as you progress and your body adapts you will be able to handle more of a challenge... but don't feel under pressure to overdo it just because someone has written these set and reps down for you, look at it as a goal to achieve over the next few weeks eh?

impressive to see it hasn't put you off going... it can do for some people, keep up the good work, and ease into it a bit more, enjoy

g'em

Glowing wrote: »

One of the moves involved lying on an inclined (upwards) bench on my front, and leaning over the end from the waist down - then lifting 2kilo weights in each hand up and over, one arm stretched out either side - supposed to strengthen my back?

Did it look a bit like this? If so that's a hyperextension, and yes it can be very tough on your back, although that's partly to do with incorrect execution - not your fault btw, it is, for want of a better word, more of an 'advanced' exercise, and it can be tough to get used to the right positioning and getting used to activating your hamstrings and glutes to pull you up.

What exactly are the exercises that your instructor has given you in the program? Sometimes they come with all sorts of fancy fandangled but ultimately unnecessary exercises when the the simple ones would suffice and be much more efficient.

Glowing

Hey, it was like this: http://www.healthstylesexercise.com/catalog/images/2698_Nautilus_Hyperext_lg.jpg
but with 2 dumbells - and was told to extend arms up and outwards into a star shape. ouch! Surely lifting your body weight would be enough without adding an extra 4 kilos to the mix? Will have to ask for guidance on this because my lower back is in bits today.

The other exercises were walking lunges (with 10 kilos), inclined dumbell chest press, seated shoulder press, squats with a gymball between me and the wall, outside thigh machine, situps with back kept straight, leg raises on captains chair thingy, and lastly, the lying dumbbell triceps extension.

How do they sound?

g'em

Glowing wrote: »

Hey, it was like this: http://www.healthstylesexercise.com/catalog/images/2698_Nautilus_Hyperext_lg.jpg

sorry, yeah, I didn't put the link in my above post That's a hyperextension alright, and yes, bodyweight would be more than plenty if you're just starting out.

Glowing wrote:

The other exercises were walking lunges (with 10 kilos), inclined dumbell chest press, seated shoulder press, squats with a gymball between me and the wall, outside thigh machine, situps with back kept straight, leg raises on captains chair thingy, and lastly, the lying dumbbell triceps extension.

How do they sound?

So the instructor is telling you to do 4 sets of 15 reps for each exercise three times a week?

If that's the case you're essentially doing a full body workout each time you go to the gym. Nothing wrong with that, but it's totally understandable that you're struggling a little bit.

My own personal inclination would be:

If you're going to keep doing it three times a week either drop the sets to 2*15 or drop the reps to 4*10

Ask the instructor to make you a split program - one day work on legs and abs, another day do a chest & arms, and on the third day do back and shoulders.

Procasinator

I've been doing the same exercise, and can find it a bit tough on the lower back. The exercise itself seems easy, just the lower back starts to tighten after 8 reps or so. I've done with bodyweight and extra weight and run into the same problem.

Is to do with the flexibility/strength of the lower back?

Glowing

Procasinator wrote: »

Is to do with the flexibility/strength of the lower back?

Or glutes/hamstrings according to G'em?

I guess you're better off losing the weights until you're certain the technique is correct? Else you'll end up like me - walking like an old lady! :P

g'em

Procasinator wrote: »

Is to do with the flexibility/strength of the lower back?

It can be about poor hamstring flexibility, poor execution, poor back strength.

Often people go at hypers with a lot of vigor and throw themselves up and down like a mad yoke. This is one exercise though that you're better off taking your time and doing it slowly - pull your ass cheeks together and engage your hamstrings, make sure that these muscle groups as well as your back are doing the pulling.

Of course the other consideration is your abdominal strength - no point in working on your back if you don't have strong complimentary abs. Less sit-ups, more leg/ knee raises, planks and supermans.

Hanley

Glowing wrote: »

Or glutes/hamstrings according to G'em?

I guess you're better off losing the weights until you're certain the technique is correct? Else you'll end up like me - walking like an old lady! :P

Not flexibility, but motor control (ie firing the correct muscles at the right time to complete the movement)

Procasinator

g'em wrote: »

It can be about poor hamstring flexibility, poor execution, poor back strength.

Often people go at hypers with a lot of vigor and throw themselves up and down like a mad yoke. This is one exercise though that you're better off taking your time and doing it slowly - pull your ass cheeks together and engage your hamstrings, make sure that these muscle groups as well as your back are doing the pulling.

Of course the other consideration is your abdominal strength - no point in working on your back if you don't have strong complimentary abs. Less sit-ups, more leg/ knee raises, planks and supermans.

I got a feeling it a bit of all the above. Might keep doing them and focus a bit on the hamstrings because I don't think I have been doing this. I have however been doing them controlled and slowly.

My abdominal strength probably needs improving, and of course this is very important to support the back et al during exercise, so I better focus a bit more on this.

jimi_t

I'm having the same problem; tried to get into weights and I was dying completely the next day. I stretched out fairly comprehensively (I used to play rugby) and was bench pressing about 30kg 3x20.

Managed the first set shaking for the last few reps, 15 on the second set and then 10 on the last set - definitely couldn't have put more than 2 on either of the other two set without my arms giving out, no way I could have hit the twenty. Was taking about a 2 minute break between sets and did a warmdown/stretch down (did a few squats as well but I'm desperately unfit).

The next day I literally couldn't move my arms over my head to stretch... is this DOMS or just poor technique/stretching? Four years ago I was benching 50kg 3x15 no problem, would max the machine with the same reps and not feel parapelegic the next day - that was at 16 and barring my appaling stamina I would of thought I was physically stronger now.. evidently not :rolleyes:

Jumpy

Its DOMS. I am in the same boat at the moment due to time off the gym.
Give it 2-3 days and it shouldnt happen again if you stay regular.