Really sore after gym

[Anonymous]

Pretty out of shape but starting back with a personal trainer, mostly doing weights and machines, targeting putting on muscle. I’m extremely sore at least the next couple of days. A couple questions about this. First, will I still see benefits to doing this just twice per week? I’m too sore after to do more. How long will this level of soreness last? I assume my muscles will adjust eventually. Is it bad to be this sore? And what, if anything, can I do to get over the soreness faster?

[Anonymous]

Two days a week isn't enough---aim for at least three, ideally four. Getting your body moving again will help with soreness, as will NSAIDS if you're really uncomfortable. It's normal to be sore when you are first starting out, and over time that will improve.

[Anonymous]

IME the soreness decreases but never fully goes away if you are challenging yourself. As for frequency, you have to do what you can. Two is good and definitely better than what you were doing and three is better but not three in a row.

Again IME after three, it gets to be a burden unless you love it and it’s hard to sustain for that reason. For people like me, who really hate working out but love the benefits (not only strength but also balance and coordination), requiring myself to do too much would put me on the path to failure. So I guess I’m saying you need to figure yourself out.

[Anonymous]

Yes, 2x is enough and actually even 1x can be enough. As you get in better shape you can add more days if you want, but most people i know do their weight training just 2x/week and use other days for cardio or rest.

Getting good sleep can help with the soreness. Stretch, do gentle movement like walking.

If your workouts are too intense, you can get injured, so make sure you’re not over-doing it.

[Anonymous]

Does your gym have a sauna? I think that helps with soreness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Two days a week isn't enough---aim for at least three, ideally four. Getting your body moving again will help with soreness, as will NSAIDS if you're really uncomfortable. It's normal to be sore when you are first starting out, and over time that will improve.

Two days is perfectly fine for weight training for the average person. There is research on this - the results are not dose-dependent for strength training. That is, four times a week is not twice as good as two times a week.

OP’s extreme soreness is not likely something she should just push through. Better to recover and do cross-training on the other days.

[Anonymous]

I got huge benefits when starting going to the gym for the first time in my life two mornings a week about two years ago. The soreness was intense at first, especially trying new moves. It used to be every session and now when I am sore it doesn't last as long nor is it as intense.

[Anonymous]

Talk to your trainer and explain how sore you are. They probably don’t want you to be that extremely sore. And some trainers do push too hard so feel free to decline some addition reps etc. I had a random gym trainer almost give me rhabdo once. Some soreness is normal but being so sore you feel sick and it takes more than 2 days to get over is overdoing it.

I work out at home and my kettlebell deadlifts somehow morphed into stiff leg deadlifts, which way over stressed my hamstrings. A few times I ended up very sore for over 4 days and with muscle weakness. That was way too much for me!

[Anonymous]

Two is fine and for some lifts, one time a week is plenty (assuming you’re lifting heavy). I think the suggestion of a sauna (or hot tub) is great and also make sure you keep moving through the soreness by taking walks, gentle yoga, etc. I get way more stiff and sore if I don’t keep up movement.

The soreness will lessen as your body gets used to the new movements/challenges, but will still reoccur when you try something new/increase weight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pretty out of shape but starting back with a personal trainer, mostly doing weights and machines, targeting putting on muscle. I’m extremely sore at least the next couple of days. A couple questions about this. First, will I still see benefits to doing this just twice per week? I’m too sore after to do more. How long will this level of soreness last? I assume my muscles will adjust eventually. Is it bad to be this sore? And what, if anything, can I do to get over the soreness faster?

2 to 3 days a week is good enough for a beginner, especially if you are over 40.

Warmup each bodypart before doing your real sets.

Don't stretch cold, stretch during or after your workout. Never before, because that's why so many people get injured. Once warmed up, the soreness won't be as bad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Two is fine and for some lifts, one time a week is plenty (assuming you’re lifting heavy). I think the suggestion of a sauna (or hot tub) is great and also make sure you keep moving through the soreness by taking walks, gentle yoga, etc. I get way more stiff and sore if I don’t keep up movement.

The soreness will lessen as your body gets used to the new movements/challenges, but will still reoccur when you try something new/increase weight.

Re:soreness. You have to move through it. One of the best ways is to do the same lifts but much lighter.

[Anonymous]

Another question: Does being sore make you hold on to water? I noticed my weight was up (clearly water weight) and now I just dropped 2lbs. Not sure what the mechanics are of muscle soreness/repair.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Another question: Does being sore make you hold on to water? I noticed my weight was up (clearly water weight) and now I just dropped 2lbs. Not sure what the mechanics are of muscle soreness/repair.

Not for me.

[Anonymous]

Ok, didn’t know if it was related.

[Anonymous]

You are possibly over doing it, but it could also be normal. Drink a lot of water, take advil, keep working out.