Hi all. I am sooo out of shape. I set a goal to do as many reps of sets of 5 lunges, squats, counter pushups that I could. I started out with 1 rep for all.

then the next week, I found I could do 2. I do them to exhaustion. But after 2 days of doing the 2 reps of 5, I was SO SORE. I could barely walk.

I am a night shift nurse on a psyche ward, I have to be able to move fast. Any ideas for getting the soreness out QUICK.

In my experience, gentle walking helps relieve post-workout soreness. If I've tried a new workout that hit some new spots and left them sore, I might hop on the treadmill for a very gentle (say, 3 mph) 15-20 minute walk the next day or two.

The best cure is time and continuing to do the workout. I do not think you will have uncomfortable soreness after you do the workout 2-3 times. After that, as you change up or add new routines, you might feel a little soreness as you hit new muscles, but nothing like that all-over experience of the very first workouts after a long time of not exercising at all.

That is my experience as a layperson who works out - I am sure others with more specialized knowledge will chime in.

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/ma...ticlekey=78966 Here's a link that gives a probably more convincing explanation than the first one i offered.

Walking helps. But also you can prevent a bit of soreness all together. Make sure that after you do these body weight exercises that you stretch your muscles gently but hold each stretch for about a minute. Shortly thereafter eating a banana helps, the potassium helps prevent that soreness. If you need immediate relief try some ibuprophin.

And stick to the workout because the soreness lessens pretty quickly if you continue. Do these kinds of exercises every other day, the soreness means your muscle tore and is rebuilding (which is a GOOD thing) but it needs a day or 2 to heal. If you stop for too many days though you'll continuously get sore each time you do it.

Alternate your shower between hot and cold a few times. Maybe try an arnica cream. Try self massaging and/or foam rolling the bits that are hurting.

Drink lots of water, try to get a good night's sleep in, and it should subside in the next 24hrs. 'Hope you feel better soon!

thanks ladies. a banana will be in my protein shake in the morning. The walking to warm up thing, got me on a 20 minute walk around the hills today. I did my workout right after the walk, and then walked some more. I didn't stretch too much because I read cold stretching wasn't good either, but I did do some light stretching along the walk. so hopefully, I won't be sore, I didn't do it until exhaustion though because I was a little winded from the walk, and my legs got it during the up and down of the steep hills.

defining--the good's night sleep is hard to come by. will try the hot/cold shower trick. thanks.

HOT Epsom Salt Bath helps me!

There are also massage chairs at my gym that are quite enjoyable!

Ibuprophen is going to give you the fastest results, DOMS is inflammatory in nature. While ibuprophen is actually somewhat detrimental to muscle gain it will help with the soreness for work purposes.

Honestly, I've never been crazy about the idea of working at anything to exhaustion, it has a tendency to cause people to get burned out, especially if they're working on their own. Working muscle groups in sets/reps and giving sufficient recovery time between working muscle groups is something easier to live with and gives you measurable results (i.e., I could only do 2 sets of 10 of these two weeks ago, now I can crank out three sets of ten!)

That was a figurative 'night', babe. Quality sleep -in general- helps.

Stretch after your work out. It's important because it helps to release the lactic acid build up in muscles which a cause of the soreness. Don't stretch cold.

Renew me, since I am starting out so out of shape, my goals are to exhaustion. that is the only way I can meausure my progress. I seriously could only do 5 reps and I was exhausted. The next week, I could eek out 2 sets of 5...and that was it.

of course 3 days later, I was sore as all get out...which I thought was a good thing until I couldn't climb stairs or pick up the baby.

wannabe, yes, I will definitely stretch after the workout. I have a problem with the warm up stretching because like I said...I just get into it...and forget, but stretching while walking seemed to help.

I am armed with some good advice. I got in a workout today, and I will try again on Friday. Though I work Friday night. That will also give me a week to recover before work again.

I am not sure if it did anything..but I got out the double stroller in this 75 degree weather and pushed the toddler and the baby down and up a steep incline.

I will second everything, but especially the foam rolling. Info here.

Agree. I also ice my knees after working out

I am going to look into the foam roller