I run home from work, a good 40 minutes, three times a week. Last week Iwent to a body sculpt class that left me aching and in pain for five days. I’m fit, so how did this happen?
Fitness is made up of several components – including cardiovascular stamina of your heart and lungs, endurance and strength of your muscles and flexibility of your joints. Your existing running programme will provide some local muscle endurance of your legs. However, the absence of any specific resistance exercises for your upper and lower body means these muscles are unused to being worked, while your existing “fit” leg muscles would have to contract in different ways. If the teacher incorporated a lot of eccentric work (when a muscle lengthens under tension, in exercises such as slow squats and lunges with a body bar) additional muscle soreness can be quite common when you start out.
Introducing resistance training will help you achieve a more balanced programme – try adding lunges and squats on park benches and walkingout press-ups. From standing, roll your upper body down so your hands are on the floor (bend the knees if necessary), then walk hands out to a full press-up start position. Complete a press-up, walk hands back and roll up. An easier option is to press up from your knees. Soreness for five days, however, suggests possible micro-muscle damage. Tell the instructor so modifications can be offered, pace yourself and build up effort. Brisk walking after resistance training will stimulate blood flow, encouraging removal of waste products that contribute to soreness, too.
· Joanna Hall is a fitness expert (joannahall.com). Send your exercise questions to Weekend, 119 Farringdon Road, London EC1R 3ER ([email protected]).
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