severe muscle soreness

[Jimmy Dean]

so, been hitting the gym up for a bit over a month now, made some progress, not really getting sore that often.

ended up taking two weeks off because I got swamped, then lazy and demotivated.

started a new schedule up this week, including a drastic increase on my bi/back day since the last workout schedule I had sucked for bi/back.




Wake up today, I could not move my arms. it has not gotten any better all day, stretching has not helped, moving around has not helped (both of those tend to help alleviate pain in my legs after a hard workout) I am pretty sure I did not pull anything, I think I would have felt that yesterday during the workout.

the sore muscles are the lower part of both biceps, where they attach to your forearms just below the elbow, and my right teres major I believe (not for sure, best I can figure though, I think that that one is from pulls (real pull ups, not chin ups))

So, any suggestions on getting right quickly?

I skipped the gym today, was scheduled for shoulders, but since it hurts too much to even raise my elbows higher than my shoulders, I was not gonna try. (even though shoulder presses would be using completely differant muscles than the ones that are in pain.....just grabbing and moving weights around and all may strain the injured muscles)

 

[OveractiveBrain]

You have "weekend warrior syndrome." Its not a real medical diagnosis, but it happens to people who take too long off between exercise days, then hit their muscles to the extreme. Ive done that plenty of times, taking a month off and jumping into a bi/tri day left me unable to extend my arms for three days. Eventually, I worked it out, but man that sucks. If you have been lifting for a while, you know the difference between a sore muscle, a pulled muscle, and an overworked muscle. This sounds like overworked. If it doesnt improve in a week, you strained something. Just keep doing what I recommend for what youve got right now, just extend it for a longer time.

In the future, you should ALWAYS have a WARM UP WEEK for the exercises you will be doing over the next several weeks. Just get you muscles used to that many sets, that many reps, even if at low weight. People think of this as "wasting" a week. But, let me tell you, you are going to waste this week anyway with recovery. If you start light, introduce your muscles to what you will be doing to it in the near future, you can avoid the symptoms you are experiencing now.

For you, right now, you should NOT WORK THROUGH IT. Now is the time to take it easy. Dont stop (that will just put you back to where you were before the injury), but rather do some light exercises. Teach your muscles what you are going to do to them, especially the ones you haven't destroyed yet. In the meantime, its going to be stretching the injured muscles without overexertion, warm compresses if you dont use them, Rest Ice Compression Elevation (RICE) when possible if you decide to push through it, and take some analgesics. Any Ibuprofen/Aleve/Motrin/Advil/Goodies/Aspirin will do. Tylenol and excedrin are ok, but they target the pain, not the inflammation thats causing it.

Bottom Line. It is unlikely that you pulled or strained anything. Its likely overuse. In the future, Use warm up weeks when youve take more than a week off to avoid this from happening again. If it does happen, rest everything and do some stretching, treating pain with over the counter analgesia. It will take three or more days to get better. So you dont get fat, just do some cardio, legs are the farthest workable thing from your shoulders.

 

[Jimmy Dean]

ok, thanks. I guess that taking a week of lighter weights would have been ideal.

I am hoping to make it to the gym to do shoulders tomorrow morning, and I guess until it starts to feel better, I will just cut back on the weight. I am sure that my biceps will be fine in a day or two, it is that one in my back that has me worried that it could take a while to heal up.

 

[Hitman]

You know this isn't the first time you've done this JD.

Remember last time we talked about your diet, and how horrible it was/is? This will have a lot to do with your muscle soreness and how fast/slow they recover.

Got to have a balanced diet for things to go smoothly. Be sure to read this too.

http://www.bayoushooter.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33215

 

[Jimmy Dean]

You know this isn't the first time you've done this JD.

Remember last time we talked about your diet, and how horrible it was/is? This will have a lot to do with your muscle soreness and how fast/slow they recover.

Got to have a balanced diet for things to go smoothly. Be sure to read this too.

http://www.bayoushooter.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33215

Diet has been fixed, it is pretty decent. decent enough that in the last month I have lost 5 lbs while putting on muscle weight, lost about 2-3 inches on my waist already as well.

 

[headshot]

Try some Creatine

 

[flamatrix99]

You are having a case of "lack of McDonalds". A couple double cheese burgers or some chicken nuggets and you should be good to go.

 

[mct601]

I am experiencing this now, but I know why it is. I have taken 4 weeks out of the gym due to my job, and now trying to return is punishing.

 

[spanky]

If you ain't sore, you ain't hittin' it hard enough.

 

[Leonidas]

You are having a case of "lack of McDonalds". A couple double cheese burgers or some chicken nuggets and you should be good to go.

Saboteur

 

[Mjolnir]

Coenzyme Q10 for muscle soreness.

 

[OveractiveBrain]

"If you ain't sore, you ain't hittin' it hard enough"

Comments like this came out of the 80s, totally misrepresenting the function of the statement. While you do want to be sore after you lift, you want to be able to go about your daily business the next day. If "daily business" is working at Fed Ex acting as a human forklift, obviously that might not work.

I appreciate the comedy of the statement, spanky, but I urge caution when uttering it. Some people still believe the more pain, the more growth. This is totally false. Small pain means youre a wimp. TOo much pain means injury. Medium pain is ideal.

 

[Hitman]

I appreciate the comedy of the statement, spanky, but I urge caution when uttering it. Some people still believe the more pain, the more growth. This is totally false. Small pain means youre a wimp. TOo much pain means injury. Medium pain is ideal.

I'm quite certain Spanky's joking

nonetheless as you stated there is truth to his statement.

 

[Roadhazzard]

Allowing for the fact that if you haven't died by now you are probably not at risk, extreme muscle soreness can be a life threatening condition. Google Rhabdo. My 15 year old son just spent 4 days in the hospital 2 days after a football practice. It was extremely scary.





.

 

[spanky]

Maybe I should have added *to a degree.

When i was working out hard, I would get so sore that i couldn't walk, shower, etc without some pain. I could do it, it just hurt. Of course, it hurt if i didn't too. Obviously injury is a concern but in my opinion, if im not sore then i need to either work harder or change my workout for that specific muscle group.

 

[Hitman]

My 15 year old son just spent 4 days in the hospital 2 days after a football practice. It was extremely scary.

.

What!?!? he had Rhabdomyolysis from Football Practice?

Did he get hit hard or something?