Hey - I've just started working out - doing the Biggest Looser DVD - the one with Bob and I've done it three days in a row. Man those lunges are killing me. All of the workouts have lunges!! My quads are SORE.

Any advise??

I'm a dancer, (that's why I'm on this site in the first place to fit those skinny-girl leotards) I know A LOT about sore muscles, The best thing to do is to stretch before AND after you excersize. Then take long, hot baths to sooth your aching quads, and to plain out relax. Another tip is to drink L-Glutamine (found at health food stores) It repares muscles and helps balance out muscle/fat ratio. (drink it 2X a day, once in the morning and once after you excersize) Hope this helps!

I have the exact opposite problem: I'm running 40 min on the elliptical machine, and then I don't feel sore at all, but I definately feel like I'm working when I'm on it. Should I up the intensity? ( I don't have more time to run for longer)

Swingchick -- after you finish your cardio do some lunges and I'm almost positive you will be sore ... I find most cardio doesn't make me sore, well unless I run 15k or more, but my regular cardio doesn't ... Upping the intensity would make you sore a bit too in the beginning...

Sue67 -- If you have never worked out before working out every single day at first may lead to major sorenes, like you have, getting discouraged and injury. Maybe you can do the DVD every second day and walk on alternate days till you get used to it...

Thanks, that's a good idea (even if it does involve evil lunges), I should probably add in some squats while I'm at it. I really do hate those two though!

Swing you HATE my all time favourite exercises!! Oh my, Oh my, we're gonna have to change that

The BL dvd made me sore too. It will get better, I promise. Actually, the whole first week I was sore. I'm almost finished with the second week and I feel much better.

Happiegirl - thanks - I really like the DVD so I'm not going to quit. I hope to see the results that they did on the show!!

Just remember, you won't do it in the time they do

I hate lunges, they make me sore, but I love lunges because my inch loss has sped up on my thighs and hips and derrierre since I started doing them regularly.

I'd go with doing them every second day (you might actually hurt more on day 2) on your off day, do a half hour stretching session, I'm sure there are some great stretch dvd's out there (I have a trainer who does a mean supple stretch session)

My quads and hamstrings get terribly tight! If you have a pool nearby, you might try swimming a few times a week, that helps my muscle tightness a lot (and I was in a bathing suit at my highest weight and no one said a thing, but I get lots of nice comments now!!!)

I think it's the fact that my gluteus maximus (butt muscles just sounds wrong) isn't used to being worked (I have strong thighs and quads), so it doesn't like squats and lunges. But that is the muscle group that I would most like to see improve... Thanks for the suggestion of working it every other day. Any suggestions for tricking my body into building up my butt muscles so they don't hate squats and lunges so much (other than squats and lunges )? I'm currently doing about 40 min on the elliptical 4-5 days a week (at just under a 12 min mile), and doing some stability ball ab exercises M and F, plus dancing 3-4 nights a week (swing, which is why my thighs are strong- but it's also a signal that I am doing something wrong in my dancing, because my butt should be getting worked fairly hard as well, or so I'm told).

If you have access to a gym, see if they have a "donkey kick" machine. That'll work your glutes.

--Janis

A "donkey kick" machine? What is that?

Well, without a machine, you go down on all fours, (hands & knees) and raise one bent leg behind you repeatedly.
http://homepage.mac.com/czar/offseas...tructions.html
(scroll down until you find "donkey kicks")
http://www.altusathletic.com/muscle_...3&muscle_id=11

The donkey kick machine basically mimics this movement, but with different weights you can add to it.
http://www.atlantic-fitness.com/imag...ation/6114.jpg
There are different variations than the one pictured, but basically, anything that mimics this movement. But I've read that mostly the best thing for butt is squats, although this one's a good one for some variation.

The donkey-kick machine is on the agenda for me tonight!

--Janis

Thanks for the pics busker, I searched and searched today and could not find any...Squats, lunges and their variations are the best IMHO for a good butt...