Getting back to exercise… how to reduce the pains afterwards!

[ArianaGrande]

Haven’t exercised for a while but need to get back into it.

Planning to do some short HIit workouts and also some kettlebells and weights on other days.

However,what I find hard is the recovery time. I have to wait about 3 days at least before I can do another workout! It’s a bit un motivating!

is this the way it has to be and I’ll ‘just get used to it’ as my body adjust?

does stretching after help?

any other tips would be great.
For info I’m 46 and don’t think I’m peri just yet. I would really like to get stronger and know that increasing muscle (or at the least not losing it) is super important now.

would like to lose weight too but I am doing IF to help with that,this is more about the strength/fitness.

Don’t wait 3 days, I do alternate days but I do stretch before and after.

For the first week, go lighter than you think you should. A lot lighter.

What you're experiencing is DOMS. It happens when you're new to exercising, have a break, or do exercise that works muscles you don't usually use. When you're exercising regularly you'll rarely get it, unless you're really pushing your limits (eg like doing heavy squats)

So go light on your first week, try and keep moving on your rest days (even if it's just a bit of walking) and build up the weight slowly.

One common mistake is to be really enthusiastic at the start of an exercise plan, go to hard, get crippling DOMS and then decide that exercise isn't sustainable and quit. It doesn't have to be like that!

Warm up properly before exercising and stretch afterwards.

Work out different parts of the body on different days so day 1 do legs so then next day when legs are sore you can train upper body.

Take it easy the first few weeks. DOMS generally ease after the first couple of weeks.

Thankyou for the tips everyone.

I’ll hold back a bit to begin with!

I’ve had crippling DOMS from weights classes but have found that a lighter form of exercise actually helps. So a slow run or a barre class for example

Eating plenty of carb and an anti inflammatory diet helped my DOMS. Also having a recovery day inbetween and two recovery days at the weekend.

If I am especially knackered I might wait 2.5 days, e.g. train on Monday morning then Wednesday evening, rather than Wednesday morning, but that is partly as I have a fixed session on a Friday with my PT so if I change days too much I might not fit my 3 sessions a week in.

I love DOMS. It means my body has worked hard! But the best cure for DOMS is more exercise - but different exercise.

Agree with pp: I strength train regularly and only get DOMS after a holiday or after deliberately going to complete failure on something.

You can split your workouts by body part - eg push, pull, legs so you rotate. Or if you do whole body workouts then have rest days in between when you eg walk, run, swim, Pilates. Dial the weights and reps down a bit, then build up gradually.

I find on the second day of DOMS, I can usually train, once I get into it, as it is on its way out.

I'm not sure about combining IF with strength training. I lost a lot of weight doing IF (skipping breakfast) but now I strength train seriously I do need breakfast most days and general recovery (can't be sure about DOMS specifically) is slowed if I skip it.