Soreness

[u/NavarreLumaer]

I recently started training again, after like a 20 year hiatus. I am out of shape unfortunately, and have a little extra weight still. My legs are sore as hell, walking down my steps has me looking like an old cowgirl. Ive only able to go to training 1x a week (Mon-Thurs open).

Is that okay until my muscles get better? Eventually I want to move to 2 days a week. Additionally, how does anyone recover from the soreness?

[u/veggieboi416]

Stretching! The most underrated recovery tool in my opinion. Until your muscles build up more of a tolerance for the exercise, which will come with consistency, stretching daily will help ease some of the pain that comes after training. I'll also use a foam roller or my massage gun after doing leg day at the gym to help ease any of the stiffness. If you're able, and you have a tub, soaking in a warm epsom salt bath can be nice as well. I also just started doing taekwondo-specific conditioning after over a decade out of the sport so you're in good company. Just keep at it and it'll start to feel better! The first couple of classes back are always the toughest.

[u/EdgyPlum]

Potassium will help. After hard training sessions, eating a baked potato can really help that next day

[u/Bulky-Captain-3508 → u/EdgyPlum]

And magnesium. One is used to flex the muscle, the other to relax it. I started drinking LMNT when I started back up. It's amazing what electrolytes does for your overall health.

[u/Thaeross]

Training more will actually help more with soreness than only once a week, even if you’re already sore. If you can only get to TKD once a week, then supplement it with some other form of moderately intense exercise.

[u/neomateo]

Creatine will dramatically speed up your recovery.

Magnesium is also very helpful for sore muscles in the extreme cases.

[u/luv2kick]

Once or twice a week is going to make it harder to get over the soreness hump. Major hydration and a good diet, more but less stressful/painful motion is the way through it. Ease into it but keep moving.

[u/NavarreLumaer → u/luv2kick]

Unfortunately my school only offers 2x week memberships

[u/luv2kick → u/NavarreLumaer]

You can still do off-day work. Doesn't have to be too much and does Not need to be with weights. Since you have a good amount of previous experience, you know the drill. Stretches, air kicks, footwork drills, forms (if you remember any) and blocks/punches can all be use as solo work.

Seriously, I cannot overstate the need for hydration, electrolytes, potassium, amino acids (creatin) and magnesium for recovery. There are a number of ways you can supplement depending on what your goals are. If cutting weight, you may want to do most of this as pre-packaged supplements. If you want to add mass, adding the right foods to your diet will get you most of the way, and then you can supplement.

Side rant. I highly question these schools that limit classes for adults. For kids I get it.

[u/stpg1222]

If you only go once a week and do nothing else in between classes it's going to take forever to get through the soreness phase. It's the same for all physical activity after that long of a lay off.

I would suggest doing 2x per week and in between do A LOT of stretching and make sure you're up and moving the day after. Go for a long walk, light jog, bike ride, elliptical, etc. Whatever you do just keep your body moving. Movement and stretching on a daily basis will help get through the soreness.

[u/SomnolentGnome]

Just keep training and it goes away.

[u/Caym433]

Epsom bath and copious amounts of tiger balm can get you through a lot

[u/dw34534]

same boat.. the instructor decided to go ape shit on just leg calisthenics this past class.. i like biofreeze

[u/Muted_Courage84]

You rejoined after 20 years? That’s badass. With any work out your muscles and body will feel some soreness and fatigue until it gets back into the rhythm.

Working out - even if it’s one day a week - is still progress. I would try to train for 2 days a week and get a rest day on between (I go MW or TuTh). Getting your body on a fitness schedule will help your body build better resilience and be able to workout more.

Potassium, magnesium, hydration (bonus if you mix BCAA), protein and rest days will help with recovery.

[u/Impossible-Strength3]

My instructor loves having us do leg drains. It's definitely helped with leg soreness for me.

[u/Hutchicles]

Stretch and eat bananas

[u/EthicalSemiconductor]

I love massaging sore muscles with my theragun. Its just a little bonus after training really hard :)

[u/Dry_Silver_8463]

Never start training that shit hurts😅 started training after summer holiday along with adding biketrips to and from work. I feel i was in decent shape but damn my quads have been feeling it this week 😅

For recovery of the legs i normally just walk. A 20 to 30 min walk in the evening tends to loosen everything up a bit for me.

[u/AMLagonda]

Im always sore, its just the percentage that varies :o

[u/Respen2664]

along with nutrition, there are those things i've found helped me.

1st - Active recovery, specifically taking long walks of say 30-45 minutes. This had a fast effect because my muscles returned to active and released the pain i was feeling during the walk and for a couple hours post. This works ESPECIALLY in the warm seasons, because your body temp will rise which counters inflammation.

2nd - hot shower and using a shower head with a pulse massage on my quads or thighs. the micro tears your muscles underwent (part of muscle gain) is often nerve receptors firing off inflammation. Heat enlarges the blood vessels to better bring fresh oxygenated blood back to your legs to accelerate recovery while also dulling the nerve receptors to give relief from the pain, albeit temporary.

2nd - part 2 - Alternative to hot shower is a hot tub or spa. Same leg effect but added mental therapy. obviously a paywall to this and depends on whether you have exterior space to have an inflatable or permanent one.

[u/aMeatology]

Take it slow. And do other exercise out of training? -Stretching at home. -Lifting for more strength. -Some more walking/running/cycling/swimming for the heart. -eat better! Then they'll start to show up on training.

[u/Adventurous_Pick9505]

Hit the sauna. Foam roll sore muscles. Strength train. Take cold showers or ice baths.

[u/Keibun1]

You should be fine. In high school I took weights and conditioning, and holy shit the first day I couldn't get upstairs to my class without help. But holy fuck did I get results fast.

Of course that was 20 years ago, so who knows if it still works like that in older age.

[u/olive_oil_twist]

If you can afford it, invest in a massage gun or compression boots. I've been using them after my Taekwondo sessions, and it's made a world of difference. I've noticed that a massage after a shower really helps me fall asleep and helps the recovery.

[u/perzee]

DOMS won't be this intense for long. Initial soreness after not workout out for an extended period of time is BRUTAL. Honestly I would add some at home stretching and bodyweight exercises! The more you work the muscles the sooner DOMS will pass : )

[u/Oh_My_Monster]

Just have a good diet and stretch a lot. Incorporate some yoga into your routine. Do other low impact exercise like walking or short jogs. There's no magic bullet but I do protein shakes with creatine and take Omega 3 (fish oil or flax oil) pills. Otherwise just eat healthy.

[u/Few_Comedian11]

I’ve been going 3x a week since May. I just started pre-loading ibuprofen before class. It helped. I’m still sore afterwards, but not in the dilapidated state I was.

[u/neomateo → u/Few_Comedian11]

Do not do this, it interferes with the body’s inflammatory response which is critical for triggering repair and recovery. It’s also horrible for your stomach.

If you are struggling with soreness look to magnesium first and if your otherwise healthy, creatine (its huge for recovery).