Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your current fitness goals include walking around your yard, going up and down stairs, and trying to touch your toes, you are wildly overthinking this.

Keep doing lots of stretching. Focus on moving more, walking for longer times and distances, and lifting heavier weights. You don’t need the internet for this part.

This is the correct answer.

You need strength through range of motion. Massage guns and foam rollers mask the real issue. Once you have strength through range of motion, pretty much all of your symptoms will start to go away.

Not true for me - I need both. I agree that building strength is important, but I still need a regular foam rolling/massage gun and stretching routine after exercise or my muscles get tight.

You should foam roll. Also magnesium spray/lotions can help.

Foam rolling, daily stretching. Barre classes. Peloton App has it all. I know you said you can’t go to a gym but an occasional hot yoga class helps a lots

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your current fitness goals include walking around your yard, going up and down stairs, and trying to touch your toes, you are wildly overthinking this.

Keep doing lots of stretching. Focus on moving more, walking for longer times and distances, and lifting heavier weights. You don’t need the internet for this part.

This answer is not particularly helpful.

First, the OP also says he/she does strength training and ballet/yoga.

Second, I am in a similar situation trying to rebuild my fitness through walking/jogging and just picked up resistance training again. I also get bad muscle soreness and tightness. I agree that strength through range of motion will help- and I'm working on it.

OP, things that have helped me-
1. Look for videos/routines that focus on "mobility". Peloton has some, but they are everywhere.
2. Potassium- a banana after a workout does wonders
3. Rest- don't work the same muscles too close together. Particularly when you are just starting. Give your muscles a few days to rest. If you just keep hammering at them (through weight-training, running, or overzealous strething) it will make it worse

I am the strength through range of motion poster.

I agree with all of this. I would add drinking a lot of water. As in your primary drink all day. And SLEEP. Like real sleep. Also consider magnesium. I started taking it for muscle benefits and it really does help me sleep at night.

I eat a boat load of bananas. Super cheap source of carbs and fantastic for post exercise food and portable and the skin is biodegradable. I usually have a banana and natural peanut butter sandwich after a big workout (2-5 hours) as a meal bridge. I don’t use non real fuel products or shakes after workouts. It’s got what the body needs.

OP-good luck!

Anonymous wrote:PS many thanks in advance for any advice from those of you who know training and muscles better than me!

Lax ball will help. Tight hamstrings start in the back. Also do more rest days and then once your body is used to the workout you can add more days back.

Do 10 minutes of stretching (or more) following you tube videos. I also use a foam roller and fascia blaster.

Anonymous wrote:If your current fitness goals include walking around your yard, going up and down stairs, and trying to touch your toes, you are wildly overthinking this.

Keep doing lots of stretching. Focus on moving more, walking for longer times and distances, and lifting heavier weights. You don’t need the internet for this part.

This answer is not particularly helpful.

First, the OP also says he/she does strength training and ballet/yoga.

Second, I am in a similar situation trying to rebuild my fitness through walking/jogging and just picked up resistance training again. I also get bad muscle soreness and tightness. I agree that strength through range of motion will help- and I'm working on it.

OP, things that have helped me-
1. Look for videos/routines that focus on "mobility". Peloton has some, but they are everywhere.
2. Potassium- a banana after a workout does wonders
3. Rest- don't work the same muscles too close together. Particularly when you are just starting. Give your muscles a few days to rest. If you just keep hammering at them (through weight-training, running, or overzealous strething) it will make it worse

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:See if these stretches feel like they are offering relief https://www.onepeloton.com/blog/pelvic-floor-stretches/

Some of the poses look good for stretching the legs and hips so I will definitely try them.

I don't have any pelvic floor issues whatsoever. Never carried a pregnancy past early second trimester (multiple miscarriages) and so haven't suffered any of the issues that women who carry and deliver often deal with. It's the one blessing of childlessness, actually. Having worked for years in home health I have seen the prolapses and other serious long term stuff that postnatal women grapple with and have much sympathy.

My issues seems more focused back of legs and lower back, but I guess it's all tied together.

I did not suggest that you had carried children. I suggested that you try those stretches based on your description of the issue. I could have also included that I have had similar pain that you are talking about and this collection of stretches deals with tightness in the overall area and seeing if they seem to offer relief will be a good next step. I did not which may have been confusing for you.

Anonymous wrote:If your current fitness goals include walking around your yard, going up and down stairs, and trying to touch your toes, you are wildly overthinking this.

Keep doing lots of stretching. Focus on moving more, walking for longer times and distances, and lifting heavier weights. You don’t need the internet for this part.

This is the correct answer.

You need strength through range of motion. Massage guns and foam rollers mask the real issue. Once you have strength through range of motion, pretty much all of your symptoms will start to go away.

Get a foam roller and/or a massage gun and use them before stretching.

If your current fitness goals include walking around your yard, going up and down stairs, and trying to touch your toes, you are wildly overthinking this.

Keep doing lots of stretching. Focus on moving more, walking for longer times and distances, and lifting heavier weights. You don’t need the internet for this part.

Anonymous wrote:See if these stretches feel like they are offering relief https://www.onepeloton.com/blog/pelvic-floor-stretches/

Some of the poses look good for stretching the legs and hips so I will definitely try them.

I don't have any pelvic floor issues whatsoever. Never carried a pregnancy past early second trimester (multiple miscarriages) and so haven't suffered any of the issues that women who carry and deliver often deal with. It's the one blessing of childlessness, actually. Having worked for years in home health I have seen the prolapses and other serious long term stuff that postnatal women grapple with and have much sympathy.

My issues seems more focused back of legs and lower back, but I guess it's all tied together.

See if these stretches feel like they are offering relief https://www.onepeloton.com/blog/pelvic-floor-stretches/

PS many thanks in advance for any advice from those of you who know training and muscles better than me!

I can't go to a gym or trainer so please don't make that suggestion.

I am doing a fitness program mostly at home with some walking in my neighborhood in addition to walking in my very large garden. Also doing stairs at home, weight training, ballet/yoga poses to build muscle. I suffered an illness for several years which resulted in advanced sarcopenia for my age, so I am in the process now that the illness is resolved of basically rebuilding my muscle mass after years where I had to be sedentary because activity resulted in multiple fractures and other injuries.

Anyway, short version I'm finding I'm very tight in places, especially the hamstrings and where it meets the lower back. I used to be a touch toes with no trouble, very flexible person so this is new and I'm not sure how to fix it. Online I've heard that stretching isn't always the answer, that the muscles can be tight from being overstretched (and I have been stretching) and that the focus should be on building the glutes and quads to build strength around the hamstrings.

Anyone who has also suffered this issue and exercises or methods that worked best to resolve it? The tightness is hampering my fitness regime and I don't want to give up because of it, really need to fix it.