Ow Ow Ow

[nfotxn]

Ow Ow Ow, I can barely touch my nose or scratch under my chin. But after a few weeks of cardio I finally started to do some weight training. I started with arms 'cause I figured I had the most turn-around time to heal, arms being important things to use in my various occupations. So I pushed the extreme and blasted the max leaving me as weak as a kitten. I'm not sure if 55-70lbs is a lot to start with... then again those could have been Kilograms... which I doubt 'cause 150lbs is a lot to lift with your arms. But, shit, it certainly feels like it.

... OW!

Next time I will stretch more. I need a book on stretching or something.

Ow!

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/_janie_jones_/]

jeez, 50–70 lbs?! i think i'm tough and i lift like 10–15 lbs max :P

[mjollnir.livejournal.com]

Stretch AFTER the work out.

Warmup before or you'll do damage. Stretch after or you'll waste the stretch. A lot of people stretch before and it doesn't hurt, but then you go work out and just tighten those muscles up again. Stretch after. Plus it helps reduce after-gym soreness.

[bigredlug.livejournal.com]

Drink lots of water before and after too. The soreness is always worst at first. That will get some better, though I still don't believe those who say you can have gain without pain. It always hurts to me.

[emramesha.livejournal.com]

An amazing book on stretching is entitled Stretching by Bob Anderson which you can look at on the Chapters website here. Stretching should be done as part of your warm up to help loosen up and relax the muscles before using them AND stretch AFTER for a developmental stretch to increase your flexibility and muscular relaxation. And the water is a great idea to prevent dehydration, but you should also get some sort of protein in your stomach within an hour of working out to help reduce soreness.

[(Anonymous)]

If you're talking curls that might be a lot to start with. Contrary to popular believe starting out high does not give you as much bang for your buck. Patience is the best case scenario when weight training. One builds muscle through tears in the muscle (which then heal). Thing with starting off high is that you get larger tears that take longer to heal and may cause scaring that will inhibit future growth.

Try this, find a weight that is comfortable start out with two sets of fifteen on your three major macro movements (row, bench, squats) minimum three times a week. Then as you get comfortable with the weight reduce your reps and increase the weight (15 --> 12 --> 8 --> 5). When you are on your fives you should be pushing to failure meaning that, with your spotter, you should be pushing your weight so that you don't necessarily get through your whole set of fives.

When you're done your fives you go back up to your fifteens. Your new starting weight for fifteens should be 20% higher than your ending weight for your last fifteens. Then you go through the whole cycle again.

You might ask where I got this from. I'm lucky enough to have a buddy of mine that now owns his own gym. He's also Mr Natural Canada and a scientist.

[nfotxn.livejournal.com]

Nice! Thanks mystery comment, this is exactly the kinda info I totally need!

I need to start carrying a log book too. So much to do!

[jongrizzman.livejournal.com]

Please ensure to use a condom with that advice, it WAS anonymous.

ba-dum-bum.

[nfotxn.livejournal.com]

I will wear a condom to the gym tomorrow.

[flintlodger.livejournal.com]

being sore sucks. there are ways to avoid it.

• eat bananas (not a joke – fatigued muscles love potassium and niacin.)
• drink as much water as you can stand to (the more water you have in your body, the more easily your blood can bring new oxygen to the muscles. being hydrated also helps your body process the lactic acid that causes the feeling of soreness).
• in addition to stretching for a few minutes before, and a lot more than that after, stretch DURING your workout, in between sets. (it not only keeps your muscles from cramping up while you work out, but stretching during the workout also gives you something to do with yourself while you allow for a couple of minutes (and more importantly, oxygen) between sets. allowing longer pauses between sets is also rumoured to help your muscles get big faster than if you "choke" them with more immediately consecutive sets.)

drink more water and eat more bananas... take your time when you're there, don't kill yourself by overdoing it, because you won't ever want to go back to gym!!!