I had my second training session on Saturday, and it was fantastic. Again, we focused on legs, abs, and back, as those are the areas I told her I wanted to focus on the most. We did mostly functional stuff, including a LOT of lunges and body weight squats (and, okay, my body weight is still significant!).

Here's the downside... I'm in real pain this time. I was actually fine all day on Saturday and most of Sunday, but last night and this morning have been agony. I frequently get sore after a workout, but it's usually the "good" kind of soreness, where I can feel a deep ache in my muscles that doesn't really inhibit my range of motion or daily living. This feels different. My legs are "buckling" under me, and I'm walking like Frankenstein because it hurts so much to use my quads and hamstrings.

Is this normal? I'm not usually a pain weenie at all, which is why I decided to ask. Is it possible that I just pushed beyond what I should have? I went to the gym yesterday and this morning to do some light cardio, but where it usually helps, today I feel worse!

Any thoughts? Feel free to tell me to suck it up and that this is a good thing. I just want to make sure.

Yeesh....I dunno. Is it too much for you? "Legs buckling" two days later sounds kind of extreme. I have been so sore two days after a leg workout that sitting on the toilet is agony (ok, TMI), but for me the acceptable/not acceptable line is muscle vs. joint pain. I find that I'm excruciatingly sore whenever I totally change my workout, which is what sounds like happened to you. I think that the next time you do a similar workout, you'll be sore, but not that bad.

If you are still in agony 4 days out, tell your trainer. Maybe only ontroduce 1 or 2 new exercises per session? The funtional training is really tough because although you may not be using as much weight, you are using soooo many more muscles than you are used to using in a traditional resistence training program.

Ouch, I feel your pain!

Mel

Hi to both of you. I have had the same problem. I have tried a few trainers but each time I am in so much pain, I don't go back. I am not a pain wussy either! Recently I met with someone who would not even listen to me - just kept talking about himself and how much he was going to put me through.... I feel that if you can not walk up stairs a day after a workout to go to sleep, that is not a good sign. Any suggestions on finding a trainer who will work you out but not slow down your progress because you can't use your legs to even do cardio for days after?

I'm all for pain if it's constructive, but I'm just not sure it was this time... but I woke up MUCH better today. And YES, I'm very frustrated not to feel up to snuff on my cardio. I did it yesterday, but I actually felt worse a couple hours afterward.

Mel, I had to laugh at your "TMI" moment re: the toilet, because that is the HARDEST PART! I feel sooo geriatric, holding onto the wall and the back of the toilet to lower myself down! *Now* who's giving TMI? ))

Thanks for all your advice -- the lat thing totally worked (the extra little weights), by the way. I'm comfortably doing 2 sets of 75 now and one of 70, to failure on the last rep, so I'll be doing 3 of 75 in no time!

Ok, what does TMI stand for ... I do know that not being able to sit on toilet routine, I love that pain !!

tmsohio -- Just keep looking for the right trainer for you! There is one or two out there, but Meg and Mel are probably too far away to train you...

Heh heh -- it's "too much information."

OOOOOOH ...

I've experienced two kinds of pain. The potty pain...whew! Isn't that tough. Yelling from the potty and your husband comes running in 'what's wrong? what's wrong?" Oh nothing...I'm just having issues going potty.... ::LOL::

The second kind of pain I've experienced was when I started my walking routine. My knee would actually pop and I'd be in SO MUCH pain that I couldn't walk--there was no 'working through the pain' believe me!

I think the first kind of pain is good. (as long as you can work through it) but the second kind of pain was not so good. I ended up modifying my walking workout and I feel really good. (At first I thought that since I was new to a walking 'routine' that my body was just adjusting) But after a week, the pain intensified and didn't get better.

But, if you're feeling better today...maybe you did over do it a tad, but not to the point of doing it too much?

Does that even make sense?

I think it is important to be able to tell the differance between "good" pain and the other kind. For me the issue is "Is this pain likely the result of the start of some serious injury, or is just muscles complaining from being asked to actually do something for a change?"

Pain is serious. Our bodies don't generate such a seriously awful warning device just for grins and giggles. And I believe that if any activity generates enough pain over time, then a person will stop doing that activity. The idea of working through the pain is okay if it isn't too bad, but if it is then even the strongest willed of us will eventually say "Aw, screw it, this can't possible be worth it!"

I'm sore right now from Monday's lifting. That's fine. Lets me know that I actually did something. But I can walk, I can work, and yes, I can even go to the bathroom (but my knee does sorta ache when I first bend it to sit!). I lift again tonight. And I am looking forward to it, not dreading it.