Aching muscles and training

andy100 · White Belt

Hi all,

Ths is my first post, so I hope that I've posted in the correct forum. I've used the search function too and can't quite find a definite answer to my question, so hopefully you guys can help!

I've just started training in kickboxing two weeks ago (once a week) and my muscles have been very achey after - normally not immediately the next day, but more so on the evening after and the day after that.

The class I've been going to runs classes on a Monday & a Wednesday, so my questions are:

Firstly, will these aches get less as I train more - I walk for about 4 miles at a fairly fast pace (about 4mhp) at least 5 days a week, plus walking to & from the class which is about 3 miles each way

Secondly, whilst I really only felt well enough physically (I also had a bug then, as well as really bad ab muscle aches) to attend on the Monday, but this week I'd like to try and make the Wedneday session too, so do you think that this is a wise move at present?

I'm not very flexible at the moment, and part of my reasoning for taking up kickboxing is to improve this. We do a good rounded warm-up in class before training, but I'm wary of damaging my muscles by over-training, as unfortunately I'm not that fit as yet.

Sorry for the long post, and I hope I make sense!

Cheers,
Andy

Daisho · Yellow Belt

Hey andy, welcome

it is completely normal to feel muscle aches after any workout that causes that muscle to repair.

my advice is to make sure to be replenishing yourself postworkout (i usually stop at the 7-11 and pick up a muscle-milk drink, or i'll wait until i get home and make myself a protein shake), to make sure the repairing of the muscle doesn't have a catabolic effect.

If the aches feel more like joint aches, then i'd try and remember to eat some nuts daily, for essential fats that help "lube" up your joints.

I wouldn't push myself to do anything that my body isn't prepared for. Regardless of what the class is doing, if i feel my heart-rate to be waay elevated, i'll take a minute, or if we're tumbling and i feel a tug in a muscle, i'll stop for a few minutes and flex it/stretch it, and generally make sure i haven't done any damage. This doesn't mean i don't push myself, it just means i have to be responsible for my body first, then my training second.

if you want more specifics, you should checkout the Advice Plz thread that's going, as a few KF members have been helping someone with a similar issue.
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andy100 · White Belt

Thanks for the welcome and the reply Daisho.

Basically, what you've outlined is what i thought, but I wanted to get some advice from those who have got some experience. I would've asked the class trainer, as he's a really nice guy, but he was still doing some training with another more advanced student at the end of the class, so I didn't want to wait around to bother him.

Actually, the thing's I've really been fancying when I've left the class is a can of coke and a bottle of water. A couple of hot showers and a hot bath filled with Radox today will hopefully help the aches for tomorrow!

As long as I'm not too achey tomorrow, I'd really like to make it to the class, but I'm a little worried that I may well not be able to 'hack' the pace of the class, as most of the rest of the group are more advanced/fit or had previous MA experience over me. I know it's a bit stupid but I found it was a little hard on my concentration and confidence at the class yesterday because of it!

I guess I'll have to see how I'm feeling tomorrow, and maybe try and hve a quick chat with the class teacher before-hand about my fears, though I'm sure he'll be fine & understanding about it!

Damn my unfit body!

bushido_man96 · KF Sensei

If you think that you are too sore, then you may want to do one class a week for a few weeks, until your body gets more acclimated to the training, and then add in the second class. Otherwise, the info give by Daisho seems very sound to me.

Welcome aboard!

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Success is where preparation meets opportunity.

www.chiefswarpath.com

andy100 · White Belt

Thanks for the reply Bushido_man.

Actually, apart from a tiny bit of muscle ache in my legs and shoulders I'm feeling surprisingly good today. I think (unless I get a lot more stiff as the day wears on) I'm going to go to class tonight and see how it goes. I think like Daisho suggested, if I'm finding the workout too much I'll just have to take a couple of mins break to recover between sets. That and a milkshake on my way home too!

I'm also going to speak to my teacher about some suggested extra stretches and exercises to do once or twice a week at home between the Wednesday & Monday sessions to try to improve my flexibility a bit more.

Thanks for your help guys!

Andy

bushido_man96 · KF Sensei

Well, if you are just a little sore, than yeah, go for it. I think that Daisho's information is good as well. I don't know much about protein shakes and recovery, etc., so I would go with his suggestions.
_________________
Success is where preparation meets opportunity.

www.chiefswarpath.com

andy100 · White Belt

Well I did go after all and noticed a definite improvement in my flexibility and style already! I didn't notice the soreness at all during the lesson either.

I guess my body's already adapting to the exercise. Classes twice a wekk is definitely the way forward!

learning kempo-karate · Orange Belt

Hello, New and unuse muscles will aches if never use before. A sign you are now using those mucscles again. The soreness will go away after a few days or so.

Aches and soreness NO one enjoy these pains....only thing NO pain NO gain....so THIS IS GOOD , just temp, till you go to the next level of using additonal more muscles.

NO pain...NO gain....except this....just is temp (for life).

If you stop for a while...then when you start again...it happens again the aches and pains....NO STOP!

Aloha (not wanting to start again here)....gotta and gotta go hard too! Ahhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaa,sore,sore sore... where's the ACETAMINOPHEN -A a pain reliever....)

Fish · Blue Belt

One thing I find is that the muscle soreness after a tougher than usual workout often occurs on the second day after the workout (not the day after). Eventually, your body will get used to the level you're working at the moment, and you'll be less sore in general, but you may still get sore after doing a harder workout than usual or after doing one that targets particular muscles more than usual.
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You can walk with the power of a thousand generations." Bruce Cockburn

bigscottius · Yellow Belt

I might have a piece of advise for you. I played college football, and the day after the game all of us travelers would meet on the track and go for a light 10-15 minute jog. We would keep it extremely light. We wouldn't push hard enough to really get exercise, but our strength and conditioning coach said that helped with the lactic acid in our muscles. You could try that.

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