New to exercise - it is killing me. Advice?

[YogaHurts]

Hi folks

I am new to exercise and its making me realise how out of shape I am. Tuesday night I did a 1hr workout class at my local gym, I did 1hr Yoga yesterday and 1hr tennis tonight. This is my 2nd week of exercising.

Anyway, since starting, my body is in agony. Yoga particularly hurts (mostly during). My weekly LBT kills me in the days afterwards but feels OK at the time.

I feel like I've been hit by a car or something. The pain feels 'muscular'. The abs are the most tender.

I had to cancel 2 workouts 3 weeks ago (which should have been my first week) as the first workout left me in so much pain. Tennis seems easier, is this because it's cardio?

Yoga has bands and LBT has weights.

I am a 29 year old. 5ft 2. 8stone 5lbs. No known health issues.

Please tell me it will get better? I really want to get more supple and move more. I'm finding it so difficult.

I think maybe you need to build it up more gradually. Going from nothing to 3 x 1hr a week is quite a big jump.

Sounds like it's too much too soon and you're not giving your body enough time to recover in between. Could you try more gentle exercise over the next few weeks then build it up a bit each week once you feel less unfit and in less pain? Well done so far though! It does get easier after the initial 'shock' phase

Was thinking the same! It's a lot to start with. You're not that unfit if you can do all that 😃

Yes, it will get better!

But maybe you need to slow down a little?

Can you do some short workouts at home in between gym classes? Try Lucy Wyndham Read - she has lots of easy workouts on YouTube. Growingannanas has lots of excellent HIIT workouts, including some very short Tabata sessions.

Also try stretching every day - this really helps with flexibility. Again, lots of short stretch workouts online. Try this by Rebecca Louise:

A strong core makes exercising sooooo much easier! Yes, planks and crunches require a fair bit of work initially, but it'll stand you in good stead. Try these:

Bowflex 3-minute plank ( try to do this most days)
Rebecca Louise's Best Abs
Caroline Girvan's Braced Abs & Core.

Weight training is also important. Have a look at Caroline Girvan's EPIC Beginners. Somethin to aspire to...

I’m going to go against the grain and say push through. The movement will stretch the muscles and help with stamina and tolerance.

perhaps drop any weights/resistance bands for the next class after a gruelling one. But I would maintain the schedule and add in some walking in between to keep supple.

baths with salts will help with muscle pain.

Also add magnesium powder to your routine. A scope on water before bed every evening helps with sore muscles.

*scoop IN water obvs.

Thanks for all the workout suggestions and the magnesium in water sounds like it could help!

I might go for 30min workouts next week, instead of the hour and see if it helps the pain. Ease myself into it a bit more.

I am building up confidence to go to the gym. I think I need an induction as have no clue re the equipment but maybe a mix of gym time and workouts would help.

Stretching thoroughly after a workout is really important and should help ease the discomfort. It's easy to skip it but don't be tempted - 5 to 10 minutes after each workout should help.

If you are going from being sedentary to suddenly exercising it's going to cause pain your muscles are stretching and breaking. If it's OK once you've warmed up you should be OK to push through but if you are in significant pain then rest or exercise a different muscle group, it sounds like you are doing lots of full body workouts.

Work at including more physical activity and stretching into your day to day life, work on increasing cardio and stamina. Things like zumba or refit revolution on YouTube and make sure you stretch thoroughly.

Also, drink lots of water but not more than 300ml every 90 mins or you'll just pee more.

1 hour!

I've been exercising since January and I can barely do a whole hour now.

You need to step it down massively - 30 minutes max, must be labelled beginners and low impact. Otherwise you will just get despondent, injure yourself and give up been there so so many times

An hour of yoga is a lot from nothing. Break it up with several classes of 20 - 30 mins a week to start with.

Your muscles will hurt the next day, particularly with yoga as you may be waking up little used muscles.

Also tennis is explosive cardio exercise, so there will be lot of stress on the leg and arm muscles in particular.

There is also a common misconception that yoga is easy exercise because it is not cardio. That is definitely not true. Yoga will help you build strength and flexibilty but don't force it too early, flexibilty will come with time.

It sounds like it is just DOMS, which is perfectly normal when starting new exercise.

Are you doing stretching to warm up your muscles before you exercise and at the end of the session stretch out and warm down? This will take a lot of the stiffness away the next day. You should only exercise every other day not on consecutive days. Also remember to walk in between exercise days.

OP you can buy some long stretch bands to help with warming up and cooling down muscles. It helps with flexibility too.

It gets better, I promise.

It’s hard when you finally find the motivation, but your body says no! Im building up again from nothing and having to exercise every third day at the moment.

I also have to stretch so, so, so much. Like a Ridiculous amount. At the moment, I need to do a minute of stretching for every two minutes of exercise. Even after LBT and yoga, I can’t recommend enough.

Warm up properly
Stretch afterwards
Hydrate properly throughout the day
Eat protein and carbohydrate after your workout.
Get enough sleep
Some Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) is normal but you might be going to hard too soon.
Yoga shouldn't hurt afterwards.
You can use less resistant in LBT - gave you told the instructor you're new to things? Ask for some gentler modifications.

If you keep feeling c sore the risk is you fall of the wagon and don't build up long term benefits.

Absolutely this.

When I started I thought Pilates would be nice and gentle. Actually I was rubbish at it as I had no muscles at all, couldn't do most of the moves, wasn't flexible and it didn't even get you sweaty for an endorphin high.

6 months on it's OK, the improvement has been dramatic, but I'd still rather do some resistance or cardio.

Also look up DOMS. When I started I was living on ibuprofen due to this.

Rest days and stretching are as important as the actual exercise. If you don't do those things, and if you keep up the pace of exercise you're doing you'll either give up as it's all too much or you'll end up hurting yourself.

I exercise one day and the next day either have a very gentle swim or spend a good 30 minutes stretching. It's sustainable and a pleasure rather than an onslaught.

On the days you have the muscle pain (doms) try and be gently active to Loosen it off. Walking, cycling etc.

The muscle pain is your body adjusting.

I used to do a 1hr yoga session with fit young things when I was neither of those.

Dropped back to 30 minutes yoga and a separate strength session which did warm up to loosen every up

The pain/stiffness afterwards sounds like DOMS (delayed onset muscle strain) which is fairly typical when taking up a new exercise plan. Just make sure you mix things up and include rest days in between so your body gets a chance to recover

Agree with PPs, too much too soon.

It will get better though!

I once went to a meta fit class having not done in any exercise in years 🙈. I was nearly sick after it.

I wouldn't do a class again without having some level of fitness. As in I'd go to the gym 3 times a week for a gd few weeks and try to build it up before attempting classes again. Then u can set ur own pace and know when to stop for rests etc.

I actually haven't been back to a class since I just do my own thing at my own pace and prefer that.

It does get easier, starts hurting less and u will start to surprise yourself and it feels good!

Agree with others, sounds like DOMS and perfectly normal when doing new, or different type of exercise that work muscles that you don't normally use. If you're using weights/bands that will definitely be the case, but persevere, strength training is good for you and it will get easier/less painful. Have rest days (they can be active rest days - short walk, stretching session), and make sure you stretch properly after exercise classes.

Is the yoga a beginners class? It's tougher than people realise. Perhaps speak to the teacher for some guidance or try some YouTube beginners yoga at home for some daily practise to get your body used to it (Adriene is popular) .

I don't love the gym, but yes, definitely have an induction before you try it out.

Good luck!