Pain!!

sound_wave

hey all..right just started squats..following the post free weights vs machine weights and i am experiencing a fair amount of pain after the exercise..by pain i mean muscular pain not any during the exercise itself.but the day after!! .this normal? any ideas like streches before to loosen out and afterwards to cool down?
thanks

Jak

It is always important to be able to distinguish between the good working pain so to speak and bad damaging injury style pain.

Given that you say you have just started squats, and are likely doing full range of motion, your muslces are simply not used to this. You are likely experiencing DOMS - Delayed onset of muscle soreness.

Stretching fully before and after can help, but will not eradicate the problem at the start. You may find some resources which offer 'solutions', but in my experience it is simple -

just suffer for a little while and within 2-3 weeks of training you will no longer experience DOMS. If you change excersises or intesity they may return, but remember it is temporary, normal and a sign you are getting somewhere.

JAK.

sound_wave

thanks Jak..yeah i though as much that its just a simple case of waiting until the body adjusts to the new strain on the muscles! gotta do them tonight actually..the pain isnt that bad now so ill tear into them tonight..thanks for the advice!!!

Brian Houlihan

If the pain continues even when not excercising see a doctor, could have pulled a muscle etc. but usually pain will go away.