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Member
Posts: 42
| Need fitness advice!
For three weeks I've been running, doing situps & squats. Riding 4-5 days a week. At first I was feeling great! I had more energy riding, my muscles felt great, riding felt easier!
Now this past week my ankles can't handle running...but I've been doing a tiny bit on the treadmill. Now it's like my back muscles seize up when I canter, feels impossible to get in that turning position. Cardio wise I feel like it takes the wind out of me. I feel weaker than before I started exercising.
What is with this?? Makes exercising feel pointless if I can only ride half an hour before Im exhausted! |
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 Veteran
Posts: 222
Location: Texas | What about doing some spinning ( I HATE running so that's what I do as part of my stop being fat resolution) and yoga to stretch those tight muscles? My dressage trainer was really in to "equilaties" Pilates for equestrians. Maybe something like that? How is your diet? You have to fuel the body for it to work correctly. (Just brainstorming here) are you drinking enough water to flush the toxins out of your muscles as you work out? Or could you have tweaked or pulled something that is seizing up when you ride? Those are my guesses  |
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Member
Posts: 42
| Married2Rodeo - 2014-03-23 2:06 PM
What about doing some spinning ( I HATE running so that's what I do as part of my stop being fat resolution ) and yoga to stretch those tight muscles? My dressage trainer was really in to "equilaties" Pilates for equestrians. Maybe something like that? How is your diet? You have to fuel the body for it to work correctly. (Just brainstorming here ) are you drinking enough water to flush the toxins out of your muscles as you work out? Or could you have tweaked or pulled something that is seizing up when you ride? Those are my guesses
I dont have one of those bikes, just a treadmill & a yoga mat :/ I'll look into equilaties? That might help with tight muscles. Im big in water, try todrink a quart a day! We mainly live off of steak & potatoes diet lol! Maybe I should add more protein after workouts?
Especially my back muscles seize up while riding! |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 440
Location: The Frozen North | Did you start this routine from doing nothing or were you already running? It sounds like over-training to me. Days off are just as important, if your ankles are hurting you are overdoing it or not wearing the right foot wear. I would get a good video about building core strength, not just sit ups crunches etc. Muscle soreness is one thing, but back pain is something else entirely. Maybe run every other day and walk on days between. |
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Member
Posts: 42
| HurleyGirl - 2014-03-23 2:50 PM
Did you start this routine from doing nothing or were you already running? It sounds like over-training to me. Days off are just as important, if your ankles are hurting you are overdoing it or not wearing the right foot wear. I would get a good video about building core strength, not just sit ups crunches etc. Muscle soreness is one thing, but back pain is something else entirely. Maybe run every other day and walk on days between.
I started frlm not working out, cardio wise i could just about run half a mile on an incline.
How do i know if its "back pain" or just tight muscles in the back? |
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 Expert
Posts: 1218
Location: South MS | You are probably not eating enough each day and often enough - you will get to feeling lethargic... I have been working with a personal trainer for a few weeks now and he said most people cut the calories too much and get to feeling weak after a few weeks
Here is what he stressed to me
1. Resting your body is very important - there needs to be 1-2 days weekly that you dont work out or ride so your body can heal itself and recover
2. Drink a minimum 50% of your body weight in oz of water daily (140#, 70oz water daily)
3. I was eating 1300 calories a day trying to lose with just riding daily and I wasnt getting results - I am working out with the trainer 3 days a week and riding 3-4 days a week - my trainer told me to stay at 1800 calories daily otherwise I would send my body into starvation mode (FYI - I am 145#, 5-4' height) - I can eat more on the days I work out or ride hard but after exercise I need to be at 1800 (so I can eat 2200 calories if I work out and burn 400 calories)
I need 1450 calories for my BMR (basic met rate-how many calories my body needs per day for function properly) He told me that you never need to drop below 1500 calories per day NO MATTER WHAT - also 1/2 of every meal needs to be veggies
I am eating at least 100 calories every 2 hours to keep my metabolism going
4. He told me it is better to walk at an incline than run for us barrel races - we are hard enough on our knees and ankles without adding the added stress of pounding our joints running on a treadmil - I walk at a brisk pace at incline - I go from level 5 to level 9 and go back and forth - he said that walking will leave you in fat burning mode longer and that running is harder on your body trying to heal the muscles after a tough session - he said unless you are training for a marathan the running is not the best cardio to do
Here is a calculator that is true to the amount of calories you need daily to maintain your weight and amt of calories to lose weight - http://www.caloriesecrets.net/how-many-calories-should-i-burn-a-day-to-lose-weight/
Edited by Lmichaels 2014-03-23 4:11 PM
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| If your ankles are hurting, have you thought of aqua aerobics, swimming? |
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 The Bling Princess
Posts: 3411
Location: North Dakota | Do you stretch before and after you work out?? To stay strong you have to feed your body when your working out. If your getting out of breath very easily maybe you should see your doctor. You may have something else going on that is now coming out since your trying to kick it up a notch and exercise. |
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Member
Posts: 42
| Some very good info i didn't know!!!
I never stretch before, usually after. Iknow i have a heart murmur but it 90% closed up, my cardiologist has been telling me since I was in middle school to do cardio exercise to build my heart muscle. Finally have a treadmill! The murmur isn't supposed to be noticeable for me.
I will definitely try the brisk walking! I usually eat grapenut cereal with berries for breakfast, turkey sandwich or veggies in olive oil for lunch, steak & potatoes for dinner! |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 440
Location: The Frozen North | There are some great ideas for you here. I am a physical therapist and one thing I will disagree on is that running isn't a good idea as a barrel racer. There is no evidence that running is bad for your knees UNLESS you already have arthritis/injuries or have really bad running form. I hear this misconception a lot, but it isn't true. Also, you want that impact to maintain your bone health! Running isn't for everybody and you need to start low and build up to it. Listen to your body, if you are hurting you are over doing it. "No pain no gain" = injury. There will be discomfort when you push yourself but it shouldn't be painful.  |
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 Chasin my Dream
Posts: 13651
Location: Alberta | Lmichaels - 2014-03-23 3:03 PM You are probably not eating enough each day and often enough - you will get to feeling lethargic... I have been working with a personal trainer for a few weeks now and he said most people cut the calories too much and get to feeling weak after a few weeks
Here is what he stressed to me
1. Resting your body is very important - there needs to be 1-2 days weekly that you dont work out or ride so your body can heal itself and recover
2. Drink a minimum 50% of your body weight in oz of water daily (140#, 70oz water daily)
3. I was eating 1300 calories a day trying to lose with just riding daily and I wasnt getting results - I am working out with the trainer 3 days a week and riding 3-4 days a week - my trainer told me to stay at 1800 calories daily otherwise I would send my body into starvation mode (FYI - I am 145#, 5-4' height) - I can eat more on the days I work out or ride hard but after exercise I need to be at 1800 (so I can eat 2200 calories if I work out and burn 400 calories)
I need 1450 calories for my BMR (basic met rate-how many calories my body needs per day for function properly) He told me that you never need to drop below 1500 calories per day NO MATTER WHAT - also 1/2 of every meal needs to be veggies
I am eating at least 100 calories every 2 hours to keep my metabolism going
4. He told me it is better to walk at an incline than run for us barrel races - we are hard enough on our knees and ankles without adding the added stress of pounding our joints running on a treadmil - I walk at a brisk pace at incline - I go from level 5 to level 9 and go back and forth - he said that walking will leave you in fat burning mode longer and that running is harder on your body trying to heal the muscles after a tough session - he said unless you are training for a marathan the running is not the best cardio to do
Here is a calculator that is true to the amount of calories you need daily to maintain your weight and amt of calories to lose weight - http://www.caloriesecrets.net/how-many-calories-should-i-burn-a-day-to-lose-weight/
Some great points! Lifting weights is a great workout, I hate steady running so I do High Interval Intensity Training instead and lift weights. |
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 Too Many Irons in the Fire
Posts: 1724
Location: Augusta, KS | Lmichaels - 2014-03-23 4:03 PM
You are probably not eating enough each day and often enough - you will get to feeling lethargic... I have been working with a personal trainer for a few weeks now and he said most people cut the calories too much and get to feeling weak after a few weeks
Here is what he stressed to me
1. Resting your body is very important - there needs to be 1-2 days weekly that you dont work out or ride so your body can heal itself and recover
2. Drink a minimum 50% of your body weight in oz of water daily (140#, 70oz water daily)
3. I was eating 1300 calories a day trying to lose with just riding daily and I wasnt getting results - I am working out with the trainer 3 days a week and riding 3-4 days a week - my trainer told me to stay at 1800 calories daily otherwise I would send my body into starvation mode (FYI - I am 145#, 5-4' height) - I can eat more on the days I work out or ride hard but after exercise I need to be at 1800 (so I can eat 2200 calories if I work out and burn 400 calories)
I need 1450 calories for my BMR (basic met rate-how many calories my body needs per day for function properly) He told me that you never need to drop below 1500 calories per day NO MATTER WHAT - also 1/2 of every meal needs to be veggies
I am eating at least 100 calories every 2 hours to keep my metabolism going
4. He told me it is better to walk at an incline than run for us barrel races - we are hard enough on our knees and ankles without adding the added stress of pounding our joints running on a treadmil - I walk at a brisk pace at incline - I go from level 5 to level 9 and go back and forth - he said that walking will leave you in fat burning mode longer and that running is harder on your body trying to heal the muscles after a tough session - he said unless you are training for a marathan the running is not the best cardio to do
Here is a calculator that is true to the amount of calories you need daily to maintain your weight and amt of calories to lose weight - http://www.caloriesecrets.net/how-many-calories-should-i-burn-a-day-to-lose-weight/
Everything she said. Goodluck! |
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 Dr. Ruth
Posts: 9891
Location: Blissfully happy Giants fan!!! | I think a couple of things that come to mind:
1-have you tried changing your shoes? I have a pair that my knees do all right in and another they do great. I switch off on them as I was told that switching your shoes every so often is actually good for you.
2-how much clean eating are you doing compared to bad food? Have you tracked your food intake before?
3-how much water are you intaking? This is probably key #1. Getting enough water. Drink A LOT
4-what is your sleep pattern? Make sure you get plenty of sleep.
5-what kind of incline are you on? I do 25 minutes on the treadmill every morning. 2.5 minutes of brisk walk and then I run at a good clip and increase the speed every 5 minutes or so and sprint for a minute right at the end. I have a collapsed lung that was only partial to begin with but I dont' ever have an issue.
6-I agree with stretching. Also, do you strength train around the cardio? That has really helped me-especially planks. I do 5 minutes of planks everyday and I HATE it but I know I am stronger because of them. |
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  Damn Yankee
Posts: 12390
Location: Somewhere between raising hell and Amazing Grace | Lots of good points already mentioned. Definitely check your equipment, shoes, etc. 4-5 days a week for someone who has was not working out prior is probably over doing it. Change it up, do cardio some days, lift weights other days, stretch, drink plenty of water, eat right. And don't hesitate to take a day or two off. |
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 Baby Blue's
Posts: 7306
Location: Texas | How old are you? |
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Member
Posts: 42
| Thanks guys! I tried brisk walking at the highest incline my machine has and was able to do so for .7 of a mile before my calves were tired, my ankles aren't hurting but my heart rate did go up so it's still cardio :) |
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 Expert
Posts: 1273
Location: South Dakota | Just a thought but my ankle was hurting and my chiro told me I was an over pronator on that foot. It was making my hips hurt when I used my treadmill. Anyway I got shoes for over pronators and feel much better. |
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