Extreme soreness after increasing weight

(George) #1

So I’ve been lifting weights for quite some time now along with doing keto. I do everything at home with a set of dumbbells (curls, hammer curls/crossbody hammer curls, overhead tri extensions, bent over rows, bench press, flys, etc. etc.) along with squats and other miscellaneous things.

Anyway, I had been lifting the same amount since I started, and decided to increase the weight 2 days ago. I only increased it by 5 lbs per dumbbell, bringing me from 40lbs per arm, to 45 lbs, and holy crap, my triceps are beyond sore, downright swollen/feel like its in permanent flexion.

It’s not an unbearable pain or anything, but tender to the touch and aggravated by extending my arm.

I know the soreness is a normal thing (kinda freaked out at first since I haven’t felt this kind of soreness in a very long time), but today I planned on hitting triceps again. Question is, should I do it even though I’m sore, or hold off a few days?

(Allie) #2

How’s your salt intake? I find a salt capsule taken pre-workout to be an amazing tool against DOMS. I always wait for the pain to be gone before hitting the same muscles again.

(George) #3

hmm I’d say pretty average. I do OMAD and eat right after lifting, but my meats and vegetables are always salted. I also started a fast last night so I wont be eating anything before or after today’s workout

(Scott) #4

When I go up in weight I usually go in five pound increments after starting on a very light weight. I do this for two reasons, I don’t want to injure myself and I don’t want to get sore. I am kind of surprised the 5lb increase got to you. Maybe go back to the old weight and then back up when no longer sore.

(George) #5

I’m surprised too. I haven’t been sore after lifting in a very long time, I didn’t expect those two tiny plates to cause any soreness. I’m assuming it isn’t a serious injury or anything, I just don’t know if folks tend to keep working out through it, or wait till it subsides and the muscle repairs. Even with dropping the 5 lbs, I’ll still feel it today, so maybe avoid the tricep workouts and do another day of biceps and chest (what I did yesterday)?

(Katie) #6

Be sure to monitor for symptoms of rhabdomyolysis.

(George) #7

I’ve never really understood how that works. I get that the myoglobin from the damaged muscle goes into the bloodstream, and what the myoglobin breaks down into is what damages the kidneys, but aren’t muscles technically being damaged (torn, ripped, whatever) each and every single time someone lifts weights, making weight lifting dangerous to everyone?

(Allan Misner) #8

It sounds like DOMS. You increased the weight by over 10%, which is a lot. Active rest and stay hydrated. You can workout when you’re still feeling the effects of DOMS, but I’ve found that most people tend to lose focus and intensity. Another day of active rest might serve you better.

(Allan Misner) #9

It isn’t likely rhabdo. The intensity of work necessary to get to that point is far higher. Rhabdo is thrown out about by Crossfit detractors the way saturated fat is by vegans. Crossfit workouts can be very intense, but the number of actual rhabdo cases is miniscule. A standard weightlifting routine won’t do that to you.

As I mentioned above, it is likely a case of DOMS.

As a precaution though, is your urine brown?

(George) #10

No it’s been yellow-ish after my morning coffee, and almost clear anytime after that from my water intake.

I just checked again right now (after you asked), and it’s the usual morning yellow

(Katie) #11

I love CrossFit and do it daily. I have heard of cases of rhabdo that came from relatively simple/easy workouts. It was just a precaution to keep in mind if symptoms do not go away.

(George) #12

Are soreness and urine color the only signs of it?

The muscle groups I targeted the day I increased weight were my triceps and my back, so I have also been having back soreness, which made me think of my kidneys when you mentioned rhabdo. The soreness is there but the urine is completely normal.

(George) #13

Any opinions on lifting while fasted?

I’ve done it before, quite a few times, but is it hurting more than helping?

(Scott) #14

I always run and lift fasted so its all I know. By fasted I mean an overnight fast.

(George) #15

Same here, just not sure about more than 24 hours. So if I work out today, it’ll be the same as every other workout day, except I won’t be consuming anything afterwards. I wasn’t planning on working out tomorrow or Saturday either because I’ll be out and about, (Saturday is when I’ll break my 72 hour fast), but just curious.

(Jay Patten) #16

Sounds like progress to me. Every time you up your weight or start working a new muscle group you should feel some soreness. If you aren’t tearing muscle fibers you won’t see much in terms of muscle gain (though you should still see a gain in endurance).

(Jay Patten) #17

I do it every day. I don’t usually eat until many hours after my workout, and I have seen excellent gains. Much better than when I was a carb burner.

(George) #18

Makes total sense. While my endurance has gotten better with time, I haven’t really seen or felt any major changes in muscle gains, at least not what I’ve been hoping for in the timeframe that I’ve been lifting

I have always had big arms, the kind of big that could pass for someone who used to bodybuild, but has packed on the fat on top of the muscle. I really want to cut that fat and have the visible muscle. But I guess I just have to keep burning fat w/ keto and hopefully the gains will be visible.

(Katie) #19

I do not mean for this to alarm you, I actually doubt that it is rhabdo, but it is worth monitoring. Look at a picture of where the kidneys are located and see if that is where you have pain.

No, just Google the symptoms of rhabdo and check it out.

(Allie) #20

Or you could even do legs. Back needs attention too… DOMS is just part of lifting, if you want to progress. The only times I’m not sore somewhere is when I haven’t been pushing myself. The salt really does help a lot, leg day now only hurts for two days rather than six.