Group: General Fitness & Exercise

Created: 2011/12/31, Members: 382, Messages: 54581

Various general exercise related discussions. Find out what it takes to reach your fitness goals through daily effective exercise. With so many options we try to find out what works best.

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Recovery time/stiffness?

sailor1029
sailor1029
Posts: 76
Joined: 2003/05/12
Canada
2003/05/15, 05:03 PM
I recently started going to the gym again after a month-long sick leave, and I've been using alot of FT workouts. My question is this. I stay incredibly stiff for as much as 5 days after a workout. I've been doing a proper warmup (Usually rowing, followed by about 8 minutes stretching), and a cooldown, more rowing, more stretching, and a 20-25 minute cardio on the treadmill.

I find that my biceps/triceps and my pecs stay the most sore for the longest, whereas my shoulders and legs are fine in one to two days.

Am I overworking? maybe not eating properly? or will my muscles get used to it and recover faster once I get back into my routine?

Thanks for any advice

-Scott
Ogun
Ogun
Posts: 559
Joined: 2002/08/11
United States
2003/05/15, 05:23 PM
Right off the bat I'm thinking not enough water and not enough glutamine. What's your diet like?

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--There are no versions of the truth.--
Jeff Goldblum, Jurassic Park II
sailor1029
sailor1029
Posts: 76
Joined: 2003/05/12
Canada
2003/05/15, 06:05 PM
well I'm drinking as much water as I can...carrying a water bottle with me everywhere I go and the like. My diet at the moment consists mostly of skinless chicken breasts, rice, cereal, and oriental style noodles. I'm going out to pick up protien suppliments later today (never used'em before) so that I can start on the whole 6 smaller meals a day.

Glutamine? I know nothing about it. What foods is it in, what affect does it have, etc?

-Scott
Carivan
Carivan
Posts: 8,542
Joined: 2002/01/20
Canada
2003/05/15, 06:30 PM
Trade in some carbs for protein, I agree with RW the rowing is also working the forearms and outer chest. Might want to switch for the cooldown to elipticle or treadmill.
I'm hoping the rice is brown, and check the ingredients of the oriental "style" noodles. Sound like alot of starches.

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We must become the change we want to see.


Ivan Montreal Canada (aka SpongeBob Square Pants to some!)
Ogun
Ogun
Posts: 559
Joined: 2002/08/11
United States
2003/05/15, 08:22 PM
http://www.intense-workout.com/l-glutamine.html take a look here on L-glutamine. Sounds like your water is good; maybe it is the protein...I dunno, most people that come here are managing to get 1g per lb of bodyweight in quality protein, some from foods and some from powders. The protein and L-glut (of which is usually already in whey protein powders) does repair work on the muscles. I literally stopped taking Motrin for my soreness and I hit the NitroTech when I want the pain to fade. It's weird. But it works.

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--There are no versions of the truth.--
Jeff Goldblum, Jurassic Park II
sailor1029
sailor1029
Posts: 76
Joined: 2003/05/12
Canada
2003/05/15, 09:12 PM
the rowing is very light, as I've found in the past that it helps me out the next day. The rice has been white up until now, but I can change that really quick. As I've only been trying to get into the diet for about 4 days now, I haven't amassed the knowledge to calculate on the fly, or created a proper schedule yet.

If anyone can help me out, I'd be very grateful. Either respond on here or my email address is sailor1029@hotmail.com

Thanks for your help guys

-Scott
Carivan
Carivan
Posts: 8,542
Joined: 2002/01/20
Canada
2003/05/15, 09:51 PM
Try and stick to complex carbs. Like the brown rice, oatmeal, sweet potatoes, green veggies, etc. For protien, like Ogun says 1grm per pound of body weight would suffice.
I also find that the protein prevents some of the soreness.
Chicken breast, tuna, mackeral, lean beef, pork (the other white meat), lentils, egg whites, are good sources.
Go with only good fats ...olive oil, flax seed or oil, sardines, also good for protein.
Hope this helps. Try and aim for 13 calories per pound of bodyweight.
Eating right will help regenerate good lean tissue.
Hope this helps.

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We must become the change we want to see.


Ivan Montreal Canada (aka SpongeBob Square Pants to some!)