lifting and sleeping

I'm just passing the peak of my planned general strength training (don't
laugh: three 30 minutes sessions out of a total of 7 hours training a week )
and I find that my aching muscles make it hard to sleep. I'm not doing
anything besides stretching after my workouts - certainly no post-workout
feed w/ protein, amino acid, heavy water, nano tech, blah, blah, blah. Is
this just something you live with, or am I mising something (the equivalent
of a headband) that would make my life more comfortable?

Bob
a 200 hour/year kinda guy.

--- Bob wrote:

I'm just passing the peak of my planned general
strength training (don't
laugh: three 30 minutes sessions out of a total of 7
hours training a week )
and I find that my aching muscles make it hard to
sleep. I'm not doing
anything besides stretching after my workouts -
certainly no post-workout
feed w/ protein, amino acid, heavy water, nano tech,
blah, blah, blah. Is
this just something you live with, or am I mising
something (the equivalent
of a headband) that would make my life more
comfortable?

Bob
a 200 hour/year kinda guy.


Ibuprofen and a warm bath?

Also, generally speaking, the more days you have
between strength workout, the more likely you are to
get sore. For example, you may be lifting 3
days/week, but if you are alternating parts (e.g.,
legs on monday, upper body on wednesday, etc), any
given part may go 5-7 days between intense efforts.
If that's the case, you might try rearranging things
so that you do a little bit of everything in every
workout. Or, if you're getting good increases in
strength (and don't want to mess with success), just
figure that "this too will pass", and that the
strength gains that you're seeing will be worth the
discomfort.

Chris C
SLC

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I recall Vladimir Smirnoff stating that the more you train, the more
'modalities' you will require, i.e. massage, sauna, whirlpool.

jw

On Thu, 26 Aug 2004, Bob wrote:

I'm just passing the peak of my planned general strength training (don't
laugh: three 30 minutes sessions out of a total of 7 hours training a week )
and I find that my aching muscles make it hard to sleep. I'm not doing
anything besides stretching after my workouts - certainly no post-workout
feed w/ protein, amino acid, heavy water, nano tech, blah, blah, blah. Is
this just something you live with, or am I mising something (the equivalent
of a headband) that would make my life more comfortable?

Don't know if it will help, but have you tried lifting in the morning?
This would give you more time to recover before hitting the hay.

-Mitch

--- Mitch Collinsworth wrote:



On Thu, 26 Aug 2004, Bob wrote:

I'm just passing the peak of my planned general strength training
(don't
laugh: three 30 minutes sessions out of a total of 7 hours training
a week )
and I find that my aching muscles make it hard to sleep. I'm not

this just something you live with, or am I mising something (the
equivalent
of a headband) that would make my life more comfortable?

Valium.


=====
Rob Bradlee
Java, C++, Perl, XML, OOAD, Linux, and Unix Training

"Chris Cline" wrote
Ibuprofen and a warm bath?

I thought anti-inflamitories (like ibuprofen or nuproxin) shouldn't be used
unless there's an injury. I was told that the minor inflamation is actually
responsible for the changes (greater strength/endurance) at the cellular
level that we're trying to produce by stressing our muscles with weights. Is
this "wisdom" out of date? Is "no pain, no gain" old hat?

Alternating warm bath w/ cold bath therapy does help. I use it after races
to good effect, but it means spending another 30 minutes at the gym (and
it's already past my dinner time :-0.

Also, generally speaking, the more days you have
between strength workout, the more likely you are to
get sore. For example, you may be lifting 3
days/week, but if you are alternating parts (e.g.,
legs on monday, upper body on wednesday, etc), any
given part may go 5-7 days between intense efforts.
If that's the case, you might try rearranging things
so that you do a little bit of everything in every
workout.

I've noticed that that's all true. I do try to get everything in at each
workout. That means just 2 sets (80% x N reps and 105% reps to failure) and
I try to set up "mini circuits" of opposing groups to get the most lifting
in the least total time.

Or, if you're getting good increases in
strength (and don't want to mess with success), just
figure that "this too will pass", and that the
strength gains that you're seeing will be worth the
discomfort.

Someone else suggested valium. I guess I'll just live with the aches.
Mostly, I was wonering if someone was going to suggest some recovery drink
component that I should be using, but no one has. That's fine. I would
rather eat a well balanced diet than take supliments (I don't have any
particular vitamin deficincies so I don't take any vitamin pills)


Chris C
SLC

Thanks,
Bob

"Mitch Collinsworth" wrote
Don't know if it will help, but have you tried lifting in the morning?
This would give you more time to recover before hitting the hay.

-Mitch

I'll try shifting to morning workouts. My normal workout is a run followed
by weights (I don't split it into to 2 sessions because that would double
the change/shower/change time). I skip the weights after high intensity runs
(interval, repeats, and hills) because I'm usually too trashed to put the
proper level effort in. That means my lifting comes after 60 to 120 minutes
of running. I guess I haven't tried AM workouts because I wouldn't get to
work until 9 or 10am... But hey, it's just work, right? Ya gotta have
priorities ;-)

Bob

--- Bob wrote:

I thought anti-inflamitories (like ibuprofen or
nuproxin) shouldn't be used
unless there's an injury. I was told that the minor
inflamation is actually
responsible for the changes (greater
strength/endurance) at the cellular
level that we're trying to produce by stressing our
muscles with weights. Is
this "wisdom" out of date? Is "no pain, no gain" old
hat?

You might be right. I think I remember reading that
somewhere recently.

Mostly, I was wonering if someone was going to
suggest some recovery drink
component that I should be using, but no one has.
That's fine. I would
rather eat a well balanced diet than take supliments
(I don't have any
particular vitamin deficincies so I don't take any
vitamin pills)

I agree with you here, too. In past years when I've
been training intensely, I have used some supplements
that are primarily designed to aid recovery (and I did
think they worked), but they were primarily to aid
recovery from duration of effort, not necessarily
intensity.

There is some wisdom out there that says that
consuming a balanced intake of protein and carbs right
after working out will help with recovery because
there is a "window" (30-60 min?) where muscles take up
glycogen and protein at a higher rate. That's the
intended use of the "recovery" drinks out there (e.g.
Endurox), but again, I think they are more directed at
recovery after long duration, not intensity. But
common sense says that if this process (depletion and
resupply) also applies to strength training, so that
recovery drinks (or a good meal) should help there,
too.

I think that muscle pain is usually more associated
with lactic acid-- buildup and metabolic wastes from
the process of getting rid of it. Getting increased
blood flow through the area (e.g., by doing
alternating warm/cold baths) will help speed the
disposal process. I don't recall seeing any powders
or pills that are supposed to help that.

and always remember- advice on this NG (or any other)
is worth exactly what you paid for it!
C


Chris C
SLC

Thanks,
Bob











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"Bob" wrote in message ...
I'm just passing the peak of my planned general strength training (don't
laugh: three 30 minutes sessions out of a total of 7 hours training a week )
and I find that my aching muscles make it hard to sleep. I'm not doing
anything besides stretching after my workouts - certainly no post-workout
feed w/ protein, amino acid, heavy water, nano tech, blah, blah, blah. Is
this just something you live with, or am I mising something (the equivalent
of a headband) that would make my life more comfortable?

Bob
a 200 hour/year kinda guy.

Bob,

Sounds like you're a minimalist type of guy ("certainly no
post-workout feed..... blah, blah, blah."). Have you ever tried a
post workout feed? Do you have some aversion to it. In experience,
(this is anecdotal, not scientific), there are two kinds of
post-workout muscle soreness. The first is commonly referred to as
DOMS, takes a bit longer (hours to days), is typically associated with
inflammation and is likely a result of products produced by
inflammation. The other type of muscle soreness commonly occurs much
sooner (an hour to a couple hours) and can often be alleviated by,....
you guessed it,... post-workout feed. Now I'm not sure what your
nutritional habits are, but I usually don't see this type of
discomfort unless someone is glycogen depleted (long workout) or
doesn't eat enough. Hard to say where it comes from. Could be
oxidation of amino acids due to low glycogen, could be breakdown of
contractile protein. Regardless, a post -workout carb/protein drink
or meal might just help. It's worth a try. Whether it alleviates the
discomfort or not, it will certainly help you recover sooner before
the next workout. You're obviously strength training for a reason,
seems like you would want to accelerate your recovery to the greatest
extent.

Steve

There was an article at fasterskier.com about soreness.

http://www.fasterskier.com/training.php?id=614

JT

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