New Routine, Tired, Sore, help!

[lolliepop]

Hi, I am kinda new here. Great advice and inspriation from you all! I wanted some feedback on what I have been experiencing lately.First my story... I have been working out for a few years now. I have been switching up my exercises and lift moderately doing 3 sets of 12 reps. My focus used to be on cardio, endurance. I was always involved in competing in endurance sports, cycling-road races, running - marathons, 1/2 marathons, etc. Anyways, I have gone for it! I want to change my focus to fitness. I love the look of nice strong, lean muscles! For the past 3 weeks I have been lifting HEAVY, asking for spots when I needed, 4-5 sets of 8-10 reps. I have been doing two days on and one day off for weights. I have been using the Elliptical and Stairmill machines, WOW, great machines! Cardio is 4-5 days a week about 1 hour sessions. I also have been doing HIIT twice a week. I am supposed to workout today and I am SORE!!! I know switching things up I would be sore and tired but sometimes I find it's hard to do my second day of weights because I am so sore. Do you just go for it anyways? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks girls. Lolliepop

[ironman1964bc]

If you are trying for the lean muscular look, then may I ask why you are doing that much aerobics?

You are sore because your body is getting no rest. You also do not need to do that much aerobics either because of your past. In fact, I would forget about aerobics altogether and just do sprints or hill climbs 2 or 3 days a week. If you are lifting heavy, then 3 days a week is enough of that too. Aerobics are ok if you need to lose a few pounds but since you are and have been an endurance athlete, I really doubt you need to get any smaller. It is time now to build some muscle. If you still want to run, then do sprints. Look at pictures of women marathoners compared to Marion Jones and that should convince you on what kind of running you should be doing.

My suggestion is 3 days of lifting a week and 3 days of sprints a week done on non lifting days. Take the other day off. Make sure you get alot of protein and good rest too.

[mommy*2*3]

I remember when I used to be sore every day when I first implemented a heavy hard core weightlifting program. It's only been 3 weeks, the soreness will lessen with time as your muscles adjust to the workout. To relieve some discomfort try to take a hot bath to relax those muscles and you can rub in a sportscream if you can stand the smell :)
To me it's "no pain..no gain" and I always shoot for soreness. I don't get sore as much anymore. So I try to change my workouts to shock my muscles. I have to say that after a couple years of heavy training, I still get sore at least 3 times a week.
To answer your question on soreness and training...I would continue to train if you're sore but that's just me. I don't think I would be where I am today if I slacked off because of muscle soreness. That has never stopped me.
You may want to supplement with Glutamine immediately after your workout. It helps with muscle recovery. This has been one of my staples that I take every day.

[Mo_ria]

How exactly are you setting up your two days on, one day off? Do you do a split or are you doing total body? I found that when I used to do total body or even upper/lower splits, I was way too sore all of the time. Now I do a split like this:
chest/biceps
legs/abs
total rest
shoulders/triceps/cardio
cardio
back/hamstrings (I double up on this because it is my weakest body part)
cardio/abs

I am still sore, but it is bearable.

Mo

[terracotta]

honestly, I think your problem is the cardio + weightlifting is leading to overtraining. It takes the muscles about 3 weeks to be ok with a program and I don't like doing cardio in those first 3 weeks at all. Cardio slows down your recovery so if you want to move away from the marathon stuff into the weight training stuff I would consider reducing your cardio a bit.

[lolliepop]

Thank you all for responding. Yes, I do want to be more muscular. My focus is not on competing in endurance sports anymore. I kinda thought it might be the cardio doin' me in. This next week I will do less cardio and see the difference. I have been do a split of:
Chest, Shoulder, Tricep
Back, Bicep
Off
Legs & Abs
Off
REPEAT
I pulled the workout out of an old Muscle & Fitness Hers, a friend of mine had. I'm so glad to have found this forum. All of you thanks again and I will keep you updated.

[Shea125]

My first thought is OVERTRAINING. Slow it down a bit, like the others have said. I love the sore feeling, but you have to get in proper recoup time, or you'll just keep tearing down the muscles.
I do not agree, however, that you should stop cardio altogether. 3-5 days a week, mixng HIIT and steady-state (you can probably cut that down from 60 min. to 30-40 min.) should suffice.
Maybe try mixing up your split a little too, so you don't train upper body on back-to-back days, ie:
Chest, tris, shoulders
Legs, abs
Off
Back, bis
Off
Repeat

Also, what is the volume of your weight workouts - sets, reps, total number of exercises, number of exercises per muscle group...? That may have something to do with it too. More is not always better.

[lolliepop]

Shea123, I will try the upper body idea, no back to back. I hope that will help in giving me a little bit of recovery time before I hit it again. I was going to try to switch up reps, sets and exercises monthly. One example:
Chest, Shoulder, Tricep
Chest press 8-10 reps, 5 sets
Incline DB press 8-10 reps, 3 sets
Arnold press 8-10 reps, 5 sets
DB Lateral raises 8-10, 3 sets
E-Z Curl Ext. 8-10, 5 sets
Cable press down 8-10, 3 sets
Next month 3 excercise for each body part and 12 reps, 3 sets.
I will definitely put some these suggestions given to work because I am tired of being tired. I'm excited to make this change in my life and want to keep it that way. I will try to make a plan for this week. I will post it for futher advice and suggestions. THANK YOU ALL!!! I guess I'd better get to work.
Lollliepop

[terracotta]

Great! And while you are at it go ahead and start a journal!

[vanessa40]

Thanks..i was looking for a new routine..i was going to start one with HIIT on the same day as my shoulders but from the reading i have been doing here today i see that it is better to do cardio on non-lifting days..thanks again

Vanessa

[lolliepop]

Terracota, I know a journal would help too. Okay let me get my ish together and I will start a journal.
Lolliepop

[lolliepop]

Shea125, I am going to try your routine suggested. I took today, Monday off because of feeling on the tired side. I would really like to start my routine on Mondays though. Well, this week I will start tomorrow Tuesday. So how does this look just for this week?
Mon - Off
Tues - A.M. Cardio HIIT, PM Chest , Shoulders, Tricep
Wed - PM Legs & Abs
Thurs - A.M. Cardio HIIT, no weights
Friday - A.M. Cardio Moderate- Back, Bicep
Saturday - Off
Sunday - REPEAT Start with Tuesday workout
I just wasn't quite sure on things because I really needed to take today off.
Thanks a mill.
Lolliepop

[Shea125]

Looks okay. See how it works for you, if it helps. Though, maybe try 2 steady-state cardios to each one HIIT, cuz 2 HIIT sessions per week should be sufficient. On the current repeat, you will have some weeks with 3. But, see what works for you. Also, on that last day, where cardio is doubled with weights in the AM, I'd recommend weights before cardio - you'll get more out of your training, and will be more likely to maintain good form throughout. :) Good luck.

[lolliepop]

Thank you sooo much for the advice and encouragement. I'll give this a try and hope it works, I know.. if not, a tweak here and there outta do. I'll keep you posted.