um..ow?
 

okay so I upped my fitness routine to include a brisk walk on the days I don't swim (except on Sundays) and tomorrow I'm buying some weights. I've been at it for a couple of weeks now, and all was well. I'm maintaining at a pound under goal. But today the front of my thighs really really hurts! Seriously, I was sooo stiff tonight it was an effort just to walk across college to the computer labs! Is this normal? I am stretching daily and doing warm-up and cool down. Anyone else been through this?

Sore quads are totally normal--at least for me. If you're doing something new with your legs (like walking or lifting or running) your quads will punish you for a while. It should pass as your body begins to acclimate to the new exercise.

(My quads were FURIOUS with me when I first started doing my wall squats. For the first 2 weeks, I would be completely stiff and sore for 3 or 4 days after doing them. Then one day they got used to it and I haven't had a problem. And yet, I opted to cycle instead of run at the gym the other day, and my legs are giving me a hard time again. Grrr! But different activities work muscles in different ways, so a bit of stiffness and soreness is to be expected.)

I had the same experience when I started doing squats. Don't even ask me about the yoga class that introduced me to my hip flexors! :lol: (really you should've seen me try to move the next day, my abs were hurtin' too.)

I would say it's probably normal, if you keep at it for a couple weeks and keep stretching and doing your warmup/cooldown it should get better. In the mean time you can take some ibuprofen if you find it really bothersome. Hot baths in the evening (NOT immediately post workout) seem to help me as well.

thanks guys. at least I know I'm not falling apart just yet :)