Exercise while muscles are sore?

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Permalink Reply by Sharon on May 9, 2009 at 3:24pm

I've done it and it actually helps because the soreness/stiffness is usually a result from the muscle inactive (like during sleep). This happened to me a couple of weeks ago after gardening - the back of my thighs were extremely sore, I could hardly bend forward. I did some basic work outs and it did improve eventually, but I think if I didn't move around much it would have taken longer to recover. It doesn't have to be strenuous activity, just some kind of movement and focus on stretching.

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Permalink Reply by Megan on May 10, 2009 at 9:10am

I agree, light exercise and stretching and don't forget the water! Those work for me...Just keep moving!

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Permalink Reply by RawClimber on May 9, 2009 at 3:54pm

I climb on sore muscles all the time, I don't think it is bad

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Permalink Reply by Bliss on May 10, 2009 at 12:17am

I am trying to build strength and muscular endurance, not stamina

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Permalink Reply by rebeccaj on May 10, 2009 at 3:46am

if you're sore from the muscle strength that you get in yoga or dance or similar, go ahead and do more, just ease into the sore areas. but if you're sore from doing serious lifting, then work other parts and/or do a cardio cross-training day, which can be really good for easing the soreness and stiffness and speeding recovery. best to keep moving, even if its not your usual workout.

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Permalink Reply by Bliss on May 10, 2009 at 8:41am

Thanks Rebeccaj, I find that a little confusing to be honest, as my arm soreness from downdog can be as bad as arm soreness from cobra pushups or regular pushups. So downdog and cobra are yoga, and regular pushups are serious strength training, and yet.... same soreness, so not sure how it is different for my muscles? Please help me understand

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Permalink Reply by rebeccaj on May 10, 2009 at 8:57am

ok, so you're talking about that kind of soreness. there's soreness and then there's soreness, and there's yoga and then there's yoga. now I get where you're coming from.

in my understanding, a lot of the soreness people get in yoga is from increasing the range of motion and oxygen uptake of the muscle tissue. so, like, if I start to really open up my hamstrings, they aren't sore because of the strain I've put on them, they're sore from being stretched. good to then go in and stretch them out again.

what you're talking about is, indeed, weight-bearing strength building, which is forming microscopic tears in the muscle fiber. if you do 50 sun salutations, it's like doing 150 pushups, basically, very strength building. so I would cross train that by doing a Bikram class which has no (and I do mean ZERO) load bearing on the upper body but is very good for range of motion in the shoulder girdle.

Another thing to work towards - eventually a downdog needs to feel weightless, so there isn't that much pressure going through the hands during the posture. Do this by really engaging the core, belly fully in, tailbone reaching absolutely straight up to the sky (this is how it feels, not necessarily how it looks in your body), like you're a little cartoon mouse being picked up by your tail and just dangling off your tail. At the same time, your heels are stretching down, and the weight in your hands is all in your fingertips, not in your wrists. use your fingertips like a tree frog, and move the weight completely out of your wrists. (and if you're doing that already, please forgive me for presuming you might not be, I just put on my yoga teacher hat and get going and geek out...)

so does that make sense? sore from movement or stretching? move or stretch to work it out. sore from weight-bearing, even in yoga, cross-train or rest. you can do the yoga again that caused the soreness, but you increase your risk of injury and don't increase your benefits. I hope that helps!

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Permalink Reply by Bliss on May 10, 2009 at 12:06pm

Rebeccaj, thank you. Your explanation really helped! I am primarily talking about strength training and muscular soreness. It's interesting how you recommend two different approaches for each. I also appreciate your explanation of the downward dog. Unfortunately, it isn't as easy as it sounds. I really struggle to keep the weight off my wrists, and have found it almost impossible through my years of trying to put the weight in my fingertips. Always open to trying some more though :-)
I have often struggled with the kind of soreness that comes from stretching, as it seems to last a lot longer.
Thanks

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Permalink Reply by rebeccaj on May 10, 2009 at 1:29pm

no, it's not as easy as it sounds! I always wish it was. : ) especially when you see people who make it look so easy and weightless. sigh.

all I can say is - you've got the position of your hands right. now take the weight of your body up through your tail bone and literally (energetically) REACH for the floor with your hands. hang off your tail like a monkey, so all the weight is up - levity, not gravity. and that's not as easy as it sounds either, but by shifting your focus away from thinking about pushing your hands down to thinking about pulling your hips up, you'll lighten the posture.

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Permalink Reply by Bliss on May 10, 2009 at 3:33pm

will try and report back!! THanks!

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Permalink Reply by SchuyBox on May 10, 2009 at 11:13am

From my experience I'd work out when I'm sore just not as intense as the day before. But if you work out for about a week, your in a groove and the soreness goes away

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Permalink Reply by Bliss on May 10, 2009 at 12:32pm

Thanks Schuy, don't you find that when you mix up your workout then the soreness comes back?

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