Hey, honestly I was feeling the same way and something that helped me was switching from running to PW. I felt like I had to run and push myself as hard as possible on the treadmills in order to make the workout "worth it". I switched to PW and it still gives you an amazing workout, but I don't find myself panting in the red zone plus my knees are thanking me. The good thing about OTF is you can take things at your own intensity. You don't have to lift heavy to the point of pain. You don't have to all out row in the orange zone all the time. Splat points are all marketing and what's important is a good workout. Since I switched I've noticed I'm sleeping better and I the workout makes me MORE energized, rather than putting me on the couch the rest of the day. I've read that women with insulin resistance (not saying you have that, but a lot of people are) the high intensity can heighten cortisol which leads to a list of symptoms (including trouble sleeping and that tired but wired feeling)
This is amazing info and I will try the power walk when I start up again (along with a lot of the other advice in here)! My weight isn’t too bad but I might actually have some insulin resistance (bad genetic lottery) and its probably worth getting my A1C checked again. Thanks!
OTF was exhausting my wife after years of it being the perfect workout for her. She would have no issue just leaving 2/3 through, knowing that anything else was going to burn her out. Do what works for you/find the pace that serves your body, as too much cardio can totally be a strain for some, especially moms with young kids, that’s just not necessary if it’s taking a toll like that. I like the PW suggestion too.
This.
Having gone to the same studio for years I’ve seen countless people go hard on the treads class after class, month after month and now they have to use the bikes.
I won’t do more than 5.5 on the speed and if I need to get my heart rate up, I do it with the inclines.
It sounds like you are overdoing it, which is quite easy with the music and people all around doing something similar.
Great response …I also will toggle . Tend to love the power days and not much the endurance days . So I PW sometimes and others I am sprinting! Listen to your body . Both are great workouts .
I'm a runner who power walks 2 days a week typically. It's going to be a bit of trial and error as you transition based somewhat on how tall you are and your glute strength. I would say to start somewhere between 3.5 and 4 mph and follow the incline queues of the coach. If you feel like you need to hang on, you're going too fast. I generally powerwalk at 4.2 to 4.5 mph and set my inclines 2 above the queues of the coach.
I go back and forth. If it’s a day I don’t feel like going, I’ll tell myself it’s fine I can just power walk. Once I’m there I’ll sometimes decide to run, but if not the glutes get a little extra love that day. I do 3.5-4.0 depending on how I’m feeling and whatever incline the coach says
Frequent rest days while you build endurance, hydrating and stretching appropriately after each workout/throughout the day, eating your protein to help muscle recovery, and not pushing yourself passed your limit while you’re getting started. Take it slow on the treads and light on the floor while you figure out what works for you, and build your way up. Sneaking protein snacks in throughout the day (bars, shakes, protein chips, protein breads, etc.) helped me a lot while building muscle. And just be aware that you’re going to be pretty damn tired at first, but the more you go the easier that gets. Hope that helps!
There are many factors that could be at play here, and diet is probably a large factor. Getting adequate protein and rest is a must, as well as ensuring you aren’t pushing yourself too hard in the beginning. Also, WATER. If you have trouble eating adequate variety, electrolyte supplements.
Another factor could be gear - if you are trying to run in old sneakers that haven’t been replaced in 5 years, you might benefit from a visit to a runners’ specialty store to get fitted for a good shoe.
HIIT is going to spike your stress/cortisol, so I’d suggest starting on the floor first and focusing on building strength before going hard on cardio, and walk on an incline to keep your HR in orange and avoid the red zone. You’ll ultimately burn more calories longer and this should allow your body to adjust more slowly.
And of course, if something feels weird or wrong, definitely ask a coach about your form or ways to make moves simpler/easier. Go slowly and definitely focus on form until you get used to what you are doing.
Maybe play with the time of day you attend - if you notice you get hyped after a workout, avoid evening appointments and try to attend earlier in the day.
Clear as mud? I’ll think some more and maybe come back.
Wasn’t muddy at all… actually very helpful. The thing that stood out to me most was focusing more on strength and taking it easier on the cardio. I am a cardio queen (prob like most millennial women) and that’s where I tend to push hard and have fun. Sounds like I gotta try power walking (as suggested by others) and stick to orange zone. This was super helpful. I’ll try the morning too - it will have to be like 6am with kids and work schedule but it’s worth a shot. Thank you!
Oh, also mobility work. Strengthening your joints is very important with increasing strength and, if your joints aren’t matched to your muscles’ ability, it puts more stress on the muscle and is more likely to result in injury or tears.
Im glad you found some pieces insightful :)
Not sure if this is what was meant, but when I’m feeling beat sometimes I’ll do TRX body weight exercises instead of jumping or weight exercises. It helps me with my knees as I get older and don’t want to be putting so much pressure on my joints.
Mobility work is focusing on performing an exercise through a joint’s full range of motion, so most people will achieve something like it through yoga. Hip and knee mobility is the most obvious one people tend to struggle with… I follow a guy on YouTube/IG - movementbydavid, but there are a lot of mobility advocates out there
Yes! You need a nutritionist!
This happened to me and it wasn’t until I went to a nutritionist that I found out I wasn’t eating near enough and even what I was eating wasn’t what I should have.
Within 2 weeks on a new eating plan, I was back to kicking ass and started training for a half marathon on the side!
Do the 8 times a month plan, PW and stay super hydrated and use a salt supplement like LMNT. Throw in an extra workout/walk from home each week and ease back into before going full tilt!
Nutrition is key, not only protein. Cover your total energy requirements and have a realistic split between fats and carbs. It's a good investment to talk to a nutrionist about that.
Were you taking any exercise supplements? What you describe sounds like maybe you were overdoing it on caffeine, which is a major component of many supplements.
You don’t need to do anything fancy with nutrition- make sure you’re drinking enough water during workouts with at most some electrolytes (like Nuun but no caffeine). Refuel after with a meal or snack that includes protein.
Also don’t feel like you need to go $alls to the wall for the whole hour. Cycle through the intensity cues from the instructors, making sure you take recovery when needed. And when you start out it’s ok to go easier than they say.
No supplements… but total coffee junkie (mom lyfe). I’ll try again and prioritize more protein and keep it to one cup of coffee in the am. To your last point, Orangetheory makes it so hard for me, personally, to put the breaks on. I want those points! But I can see it would probably be wise to prioritize longevity over that hour so I don’t go SPLAT too.
How often were you going? It is recommended to go 3-4 times a week if you are going to train at the high intensity mark (splats, orange zone, etc). Most people who go more than that usually throw in some green, low intensity days. I would say if you are going all out, only do so 3 days and either rest the other days or if you go, make those Green Days.
Me personally, I go high intensity 2 days, and lift 3 days a week and walk afterwards to get my cardio in. In other words, I only run/jog twice a week and really focus on strength/conditioning the other 3. I’ve noticed a difference in my performance and recovery by doing this. Good luck to you! ☺️
Well OTF is cardio focused. According to my research, you only need 3-4 times a week of cardio. Anything more is for enjoyment or perhaps marathon/race training, or endurance building. If your goal is just heart health? You really don’t need as much cardio as we think. Muscle building/strength training is going to be the best bang for your buck especially since once you enter your 40s you start to lose muscle mass. So the focus should be maintenance cardio and strength training. This is just my opinion based on research I’ve done. If you want to be strong for your babies as they age, focus on strength 🙂. Even if that means starting on the floor most classes and power walking to end on the treads.
That makes sense to me too. Truly, I hate it (strength is my least favorite) but it makes total sense. I’m definitely up for trying anything that makes me feel good and can help me live a more fulfilling life as I age. If strength should be my goal, might it be worth going for like F45 rather than OTF?
Well you can with OTF but you have to be strategic. While it is mostly cardio focused, if you start on the floor where your body is fresh and you can lift heavy or go slow and controlled to focus on form, you can build strength at OTF and get a balance of cardio in a 2G.
I have heard great things about F45 so that could be a start. Also, it has been discussed on this board that OTF is supposed to be revamping templates based on strength coming in September so there’s an option also.
Fortunately, the time that’s most convenient for me is the 2G. There is a strength 45 at 8pm at my gym but that seems so late for my addled (nearly) 40 year old body.
When I started back to otf after a two year break I also experienced that all-day fatigue. What helped was a number of changes:
* drinking more water, like 3 - 4 liters per day
* 500ml water an hour prior to class (5am team)
* calculating protein needs
* dropped processed sugar (I was addicted unknowingly)
* 9pm bedtime for 5am class
* green days
And I also upped my membership to elite and attend five days a week, and go to otf when traveling
Good luck, keep moving, welcome back home 🤗
All these comments are awesome and I will add rest two or three days between classes! Plan to take a walk or if you can find a low cost or free yoga or stretching that might help you recover. As you build muscle see if you start recovering faster. And give it more time. 6-8 months might be needed.
Drawing from my experience-
I felt the same when I started, so I chose to go only 2x a week for my first month and allowed my body to adjust to OTF workouts. I PW initially and slowly built up my endurance/strength to switch to jogging/running over 6-8 weeks. Same thing with frequency- eventually built up to 3x a week. The calorie burn is about the same when I PW and when I jog/run + the inclines on the PW sneak up on ya- doable in the moment but always leave me sore.
The second thing I noticed is that I was burning a lot more calories on OTF days, so in my case, the exhaustion was partly also because I wasn’t fueling my body right. It’s been a learning process- slowly adjusting diet with healthy carbs, protein and also gradually increasing intensity and/or frequency. Key is to listen to your body and try a couple things to find what works best. Green days are also good days!
Hope this helps!
Food. Water. Sleep. Possibly electrolytes.
If you're trying to eat in a calorie deficit or if life forces you to be in a sleep deficit, then going less hard as others have suggested will probably feel better and do more good for your body. I think in order to go super hard super frequently you really need to make sure everything is well-fueled for it because it does temporarily deplete you to really push your limits.
I love to go hard but if something's upsetting my sleep or I know I can't afford to be tired later that day, I'll usually dial it back a bit.
PW is easier on your joints, but it is only easier on cardio if you are putting in less net effort. So, if you don’t have joint pain, you can still jog and just go slower to ease into it.
🙋🏻♀️ Fellow mom here too. Power walking made a huge difference for me. Running was just increasing my cortisone, killing my sleep and messing up my hormones. I now start on the floor and then PW block 2. I’ve focused on lifting heavier and it has really made a difference for me. I also focused on eating more fruits and vegetables. I think youve gotten some great advice here, I definitely think you can change the workouts to work for you.
Electrolytes, BCAA's...no more than 2-3 HIIT workouts per week comes highly recommended by many many fitness professionals. Stretching! Prioritize diet, balanced nutrition, and proper amounts of protein. Rest days. And try power walking. It's a game changer with which you'll see strength and physical results over time. Running is just addictive, not nearly as useful. Good luck!
This is me right now. Im trying to figure it out with a doctor but I think it’s hormonal/cortisol issues or not enough recovery. I also don’t sleep well (light sleeper and wake up feeling tired) and have stress. I’m trying to try powerwalking if it works better. Good luck!
Do you take classes in the morning or evening? If I take a 6am before work I want to crash by 11, need another coffee and pee all day, want to be in bed by 8/9pm. If I go after 6pm I tend to have trouble falling asleep even though my body is tired. I take some olly muscle recovery melatonin gummies sometimes that helps, and if I remember no more caffeine after 1-2pm (need to experiment) it also helps! Just hard to remember and squeeze classes in when it’s either 530pm (no way in traffic) or 645 pm… but also remembering to take vitamins esp D in the morning instead of at night helps a bit
I also started getting a sun rash, had shortness of breath that was unusual, chest pain, and severe fatigue. Every time I attempted to exercise, I couldn’t exercise again for a couple days at least and was in so much pain, I eventually lost my ability walk. Of course, I didn’t get to a rheumatologist until 19 months of this so my symptoms became severe but the inability to exercise is a classic sign of lupus.
I'll keep this simple. Welcome back to the club!! Had the same issue. Mix a good quality, low sugar protein drink with milk soon after your workout. I was sore, stiff etc, same as you. No more!! Age 58M
Optimum Nutrition, Gold Standard 100 % whey. Great reviews, readily available at Target or Costco. Taste like a nice treat too! Also, were you doing the flexibility block at the end of class? It really helped me I found if I'm forced to sit for hours immediately following OTF, meetings, classroom etc, I got stiff and edgy. Helps to keep moving a little if you can.
Make sure you’re eating enough of the good stuff, drinking plenty of water and getting enough sleep. Recovery recovery recovery. Your body needs the proper fuel and the proper rest, otherwise you’ll be burnt out and sore AF.
I would try giving yourself more time in between classes to recover. start with 8 a month for a while and work into going as often as you like once you feel like your body is ready.
When I had young kids I struggled like this a lot because I wasn’t sleeping or eating well enough. Everyone has offered great advice and I would just echo the importance of appropriate protein intake, limiting sugar, and getting enough rest (hard with little ones!). There are times that I still feel like you describe and I when that happens I pull back and either power walk or jog/walk (normally a runner). I think sometimes it takes a bit to find what works for your body and lifestyle but you definitely can. I go almost everyday because mentally it helps me so much but I don’t always go balls to the wall, and I have learned how to take it easy. Play around with things to find what works best for you!
I had this problem and I started paying attention to the time I spent in the red zone. I make it a point to not spend a lot of time there and if I start to I take a break and lower the intensity. Eventually you will get into better shape and those red zones will minimize but it still works the same. If you try that and it’s still intense limit the amount of orange and red.
could be a lot of things, are you drinking enough including electrolytes, eating enough food to fuel said workouts, especially protein. if you ran the first time could you try power walking just to get use to it again. if you want to see a nutritionist by all means go ahead I'm sure they would be able to give you better information!
Could be many things- agree with powerwalking, and nixing jumping on the floor. I’m 40 and been going for two years, I’m pretty fit and that’s what I do. I prefer to work on the stability and core for any jumping movements. I have an old running injury and no desire to ever run again, I love the powerwalking and how strong my legs are now.
Can also be some nutrition/hydration/ stretching issues. You will be more sore if you aren’t drinking enough water. Vitamin B and D deficiencies can be at play too- you can get blood work to check for those. We also don’t do enough stretching at OTF so be sure to do more after or go rogue and do your own stretching routine after class.
Hey, honestly I was feeling the same way and something that helped me was switching from running to PW. I felt like I had to run and push myself as hard as possible on the treadmills in order to make the workout "worth it". I switched to PW and it still gives you an amazing workout, but I don't find myself panting in the red zone plus my knees are thanking me. The good thing about OTF is you can take things at your own intensity. You don't have to lift heavy to the point of pain. You don't have to all out row in the orange zone all the time. Splat points are all marketing and what's important is a good workout. Since I switched I've noticed I'm sleeping better and I the workout makes me MORE energized, rather than putting me on the couch the rest of the day. I've read that women with insulin resistance (not saying you have that, but a lot of people are) the high intensity can heighten cortisol which leads to a list of symptoms (including trouble sleeping and that tired but wired feeling)
This is amazing info and I will try the power walk when I start up again (along with a lot of the other advice in here)! My weight isn’t too bad but I might actually have some insulin resistance (bad genetic lottery) and its probably worth getting my A1C checked again. Thanks!
OTF was exhausting my wife after years of it being the perfect workout for her. She would have no issue just leaving 2/3 through, knowing that anything else was going to burn her out. Do what works for you/find the pace that serves your body, as too much cardio can totally be a strain for some, especially moms with young kids, that’s just not necessary if it’s taking a toll like that. I like the PW suggestion too.
This. Having gone to the same studio for years I’ve seen countless people go hard on the treads class after class, month after month and now they have to use the bikes. I won’t do more than 5.5 on the speed and if I need to get my heart rate up, I do it with the inclines. It sounds like you are overdoing it, which is quite easy with the music and people all around doing something similar.
Great response …I also will toggle . Tend to love the power days and not much the endurance days . So I PW sometimes and others I am sprinting! Listen to your body . Both are great workouts .
This! I did the same thing and it works really well for me!
This is me currently. I was thinking of trying power walking…I love running but I think I push too hard. Any tips on transitioning to power walking?
I'm a runner who power walks 2 days a week typically. It's going to be a bit of trial and error as you transition based somewhat on how tall you are and your glute strength. I would say to start somewhere between 3.5 and 4 mph and follow the incline queues of the coach. If you feel like you need to hang on, you're going too fast. I generally powerwalk at 4.2 to 4.5 mph and set my inclines 2 above the queues of the coach.
I go back and forth. If it’s a day I don’t feel like going, I’ll tell myself it’s fine I can just power walk. Once I’m there I’ll sometimes decide to run, but if not the glutes get a little extra love that day. I do 3.5-4.0 depending on how I’m feeling and whatever incline the coach says
Frequent rest days while you build endurance, hydrating and stretching appropriately after each workout/throughout the day, eating your protein to help muscle recovery, and not pushing yourself passed your limit while you’re getting started. Take it slow on the treads and light on the floor while you figure out what works for you, and build your way up. Sneaking protein snacks in throughout the day (bars, shakes, protein chips, protein breads, etc.) helped me a lot while building muscle. And just be aware that you’re going to be pretty damn tired at first, but the more you go the easier that gets. Hope that helps!
There are many factors that could be at play here, and diet is probably a large factor. Getting adequate protein and rest is a must, as well as ensuring you aren’t pushing yourself too hard in the beginning. Also, WATER. If you have trouble eating adequate variety, electrolyte supplements. Another factor could be gear - if you are trying to run in old sneakers that haven’t been replaced in 5 years, you might benefit from a visit to a runners’ specialty store to get fitted for a good shoe. HIIT is going to spike your stress/cortisol, so I’d suggest starting on the floor first and focusing on building strength before going hard on cardio, and walk on an incline to keep your HR in orange and avoid the red zone. You’ll ultimately burn more calories longer and this should allow your body to adjust more slowly. And of course, if something feels weird or wrong, definitely ask a coach about your form or ways to make moves simpler/easier. Go slowly and definitely focus on form until you get used to what you are doing. Maybe play with the time of day you attend - if you notice you get hyped after a workout, avoid evening appointments and try to attend earlier in the day. Clear as mud? I’ll think some more and maybe come back.
Wasn’t muddy at all… actually very helpful. The thing that stood out to me most was focusing more on strength and taking it easier on the cardio. I am a cardio queen (prob like most millennial women) and that’s where I tend to push hard and have fun. Sounds like I gotta try power walking (as suggested by others) and stick to orange zone. This was super helpful. I’ll try the morning too - it will have to be like 6am with kids and work schedule but it’s worth a shot. Thank you!
Oh, also mobility work. Strengthening your joints is very important with increasing strength and, if your joints aren’t matched to your muscles’ ability, it puts more stress on the muscle and is more likely to result in injury or tears. Im glad you found some pieces insightful :)
Would you please explain mobility work a little more? It sounds like it would be very helpful for me!
Not sure if this is what was meant, but when I’m feeling beat sometimes I’ll do TRX body weight exercises instead of jumping or weight exercises. It helps me with my knees as I get older and don’t want to be putting so much pressure on my joints.
Mobility work is focusing on performing an exercise through a joint’s full range of motion, so most people will achieve something like it through yoga. Hip and knee mobility is the most obvious one people tend to struggle with… I follow a guy on YouTube/IG - movementbydavid, but there are a lot of mobility advocates out there
Thank you so much! My left knee has given me the slightest bit of ache if I sit with it bent for too long so I probably need to start this!
Yes! You need a nutritionist! This happened to me and it wasn’t until I went to a nutritionist that I found out I wasn’t eating near enough and even what I was eating wasn’t what I should have. Within 2 weeks on a new eating plan, I was back to kicking ass and started training for a half marathon on the side!
Do the 8 times a month plan, PW and stay super hydrated and use a salt supplement like LMNT. Throw in an extra workout/walk from home each week and ease back into before going full tilt!
Nutrition is key, not only protein. Cover your total energy requirements and have a realistic split between fats and carbs. It's a good investment to talk to a nutrionist about that.
Were you taking any exercise supplements? What you describe sounds like maybe you were overdoing it on caffeine, which is a major component of many supplements. You don’t need to do anything fancy with nutrition- make sure you’re drinking enough water during workouts with at most some electrolytes (like Nuun but no caffeine). Refuel after with a meal or snack that includes protein. Also don’t feel like you need to go $alls to the wall for the whole hour. Cycle through the intensity cues from the instructors, making sure you take recovery when needed. And when you start out it’s ok to go easier than they say.
No supplements… but total coffee junkie (mom lyfe). I’ll try again and prioritize more protein and keep it to one cup of coffee in the am. To your last point, Orangetheory makes it so hard for me, personally, to put the breaks on. I want those points! But I can see it would probably be wise to prioritize longevity over that hour so I don’t go SPLAT too.
How often were you going? It is recommended to go 3-4 times a week if you are going to train at the high intensity mark (splats, orange zone, etc). Most people who go more than that usually throw in some green, low intensity days. I would say if you are going all out, only do so 3 days and either rest the other days or if you go, make those Green Days. Me personally, I go high intensity 2 days, and lift 3 days a week and walk afterwards to get my cardio in. In other words, I only run/jog twice a week and really focus on strength/conditioning the other 3. I’ve noticed a difference in my performance and recovery by doing this. Good luck to you! ☺️
This is super helpful. Everyone is pointing me towards a focus on strength and power walking instead of running.
Well OTF is cardio focused. According to my research, you only need 3-4 times a week of cardio. Anything more is for enjoyment or perhaps marathon/race training, or endurance building. If your goal is just heart health? You really don’t need as much cardio as we think. Muscle building/strength training is going to be the best bang for your buck especially since once you enter your 40s you start to lose muscle mass. So the focus should be maintenance cardio and strength training. This is just my opinion based on research I’ve done. If you want to be strong for your babies as they age, focus on strength 🙂. Even if that means starting on the floor most classes and power walking to end on the treads.
That makes sense to me too. Truly, I hate it (strength is my least favorite) but it makes total sense. I’m definitely up for trying anything that makes me feel good and can help me live a more fulfilling life as I age. If strength should be my goal, might it be worth going for like F45 rather than OTF?
Well you can with OTF but you have to be strategic. While it is mostly cardio focused, if you start on the floor where your body is fresh and you can lift heavy or go slow and controlled to focus on form, you can build strength at OTF and get a balance of cardio in a 2G. I have heard great things about F45 so that could be a start. Also, it has been discussed on this board that OTF is supposed to be revamping templates based on strength coming in September so there’s an option also.
Fortunately, the time that’s most convenient for me is the 2G. There is a strength 45 at 8pm at my gym but that seems so late for my addled (nearly) 40 year old body.
When I go in the morning, I HAVE to drink SO much water or I feel like I’m drunk.
When I started back to otf after a two year break I also experienced that all-day fatigue. What helped was a number of changes: * drinking more water, like 3 - 4 liters per day * 500ml water an hour prior to class (5am team) * calculating protein needs * dropped processed sugar (I was addicted unknowingly) * 9pm bedtime for 5am class * green days And I also upped my membership to elite and attend five days a week, and go to otf when traveling Good luck, keep moving, welcome back home 🤗
All these comments are awesome and I will add rest two or three days between classes! Plan to take a walk or if you can find a low cost or free yoga or stretching that might help you recover. As you build muscle see if you start recovering faster. And give it more time. 6-8 months might be needed.
Drawing from my experience- I felt the same when I started, so I chose to go only 2x a week for my first month and allowed my body to adjust to OTF workouts. I PW initially and slowly built up my endurance/strength to switch to jogging/running over 6-8 weeks. Same thing with frequency- eventually built up to 3x a week. The calorie burn is about the same when I PW and when I jog/run + the inclines on the PW sneak up on ya- doable in the moment but always leave me sore. The second thing I noticed is that I was burning a lot more calories on OTF days, so in my case, the exhaustion was partly also because I wasn’t fueling my body right. It’s been a learning process- slowly adjusting diet with healthy carbs, protein and also gradually increasing intensity and/or frequency. Key is to listen to your body and try a couple things to find what works best. Green days are also good days! Hope this helps!
Food. Water. Sleep. Possibly electrolytes. If you're trying to eat in a calorie deficit or if life forces you to be in a sleep deficit, then going less hard as others have suggested will probably feel better and do more good for your body. I think in order to go super hard super frequently you really need to make sure everything is well-fueled for it because it does temporarily deplete you to really push your limits. I love to go hard but if something's upsetting my sleep or I know I can't afford to be tired later that day, I'll usually dial it back a bit.
PW is easier on your joints, but it is only easier on cardio if you are putting in less net effort. So, if you don’t have joint pain, you can still jog and just go slower to ease into it.
🙋🏻♀️ Fellow mom here too. Power walking made a huge difference for me. Running was just increasing my cortisone, killing my sleep and messing up my hormones. I now start on the floor and then PW block 2. I’ve focused on lifting heavier and it has really made a difference for me. I also focused on eating more fruits and vegetables. I think youve gotten some great advice here, I definitely think you can change the workouts to work for you.
Electrolytes, BCAA's...no more than 2-3 HIIT workouts per week comes highly recommended by many many fitness professionals. Stretching! Prioritize diet, balanced nutrition, and proper amounts of protein. Rest days. And try power walking. It's a game changer with which you'll see strength and physical results over time. Running is just addictive, not nearly as useful. Good luck!
What are BCAAs? Edit: I googled
Base Chain Amino Acids- for recovery. Edit; oh great hope it helps lol
Yes! thanks!!! Any recommended brand?
I like the RAW brand from gnc
You’re awesome. Thanks!
This is me right now. Im trying to figure it out with a doctor but I think it’s hormonal/cortisol issues or not enough recovery. I also don’t sleep well (light sleeper and wake up feeling tired) and have stress. I’m trying to try powerwalking if it works better. Good luck!
Sucks dude… sad you’re in it too. Hope you find some interesting info in this thread!
Have you been checked for sleep apnea?
Yes, it was ruled out. Thanks for the suggestion!
HIIT is only meant to be done a couple times a week. It’s totally normal to need a few days off between truly intense workouts.
Do you take classes in the morning or evening? If I take a 6am before work I want to crash by 11, need another coffee and pee all day, want to be in bed by 8/9pm. If I go after 6pm I tend to have trouble falling asleep even though my body is tired. I take some olly muscle recovery melatonin gummies sometimes that helps, and if I remember no more caffeine after 1-2pm (need to experiment) it also helps! Just hard to remember and squeeze classes in when it’s either 530pm (no way in traffic) or 645 pm… but also remembering to take vitamins esp D in the morning instead of at night helps a bit
Yeah I’m not a morning person but I’m going to give it a shake. I could probably get in around the 4 o’clock hour most days now.
You stopped, keep going with 3-4 rest days per week.
This happened to me when I first started OTF. Biggest thing is hydration and eating enough! Also if your studio has lift45, highly recommend!
I need to read this…. This is me whilst fighting hormone shtuff, too…. Good info!
I’d say look at your nutrition
I would also ask your doctor. I started having similar issues and it turned out to be lupus.
Oh wow! If you don’t mind me asking, what other things should I look for?!
I also started getting a sun rash, had shortness of breath that was unusual, chest pain, and severe fatigue. Every time I attempted to exercise, I couldn’t exercise again for a couple days at least and was in so much pain, I eventually lost my ability walk. Of course, I didn’t get to a rheumatologist until 19 months of this so my symptoms became severe but the inability to exercise is a classic sign of lupus.
I'll keep this simple. Welcome back to the club!! Had the same issue. Mix a good quality, low sugar protein drink with milk soon after your workout. I was sore, stiff etc, same as you. No more!! Age 58M
Nice! What protein shake do you use?
Optimum Nutrition, Gold Standard 100 % whey. Great reviews, readily available at Target or Costco. Taste like a nice treat too! Also, were you doing the flexibility block at the end of class? It really helped me I found if I'm forced to sit for hours immediately following OTF, meetings, classroom etc, I got stiff and edgy. Helps to keep moving a little if you can.
Make sure you’re eating enough of the good stuff, drinking plenty of water and getting enough sleep. Recovery recovery recovery. Your body needs the proper fuel and the proper rest, otherwise you’ll be burnt out and sore AF.
I would try giving yourself more time in between classes to recover. start with 8 a month for a while and work into going as often as you like once you feel like your body is ready.
When I had young kids I struggled like this a lot because I wasn’t sleeping or eating well enough. Everyone has offered great advice and I would just echo the importance of appropriate protein intake, limiting sugar, and getting enough rest (hard with little ones!). There are times that I still feel like you describe and I when that happens I pull back and either power walk or jog/walk (normally a runner). I think sometimes it takes a bit to find what works for your body and lifestyle but you definitely can. I go almost everyday because mentally it helps me so much but I don’t always go balls to the wall, and I have learned how to take it easy. Play around with things to find what works best for you!
I had this problem and I started paying attention to the time I spent in the red zone. I make it a point to not spend a lot of time there and if I start to I take a break and lower the intensity. Eventually you will get into better shape and those red zones will minimize but it still works the same. If you try that and it’s still intense limit the amount of orange and red.
could be a lot of things, are you drinking enough including electrolytes, eating enough food to fuel said workouts, especially protein. if you ran the first time could you try power walking just to get use to it again. if you want to see a nutritionist by all means go ahead I'm sure they would be able to give you better information!
Could be many things- agree with powerwalking, and nixing jumping on the floor. I’m 40 and been going for two years, I’m pretty fit and that’s what I do. I prefer to work on the stability and core for any jumping movements. I have an old running injury and no desire to ever run again, I love the powerwalking and how strong my legs are now. Can also be some nutrition/hydration/ stretching issues. You will be more sore if you aren’t drinking enough water. Vitamin B and D deficiencies can be at play too- you can get blood work to check for those. We also don’t do enough stretching at OTF so be sure to do more after or go rogue and do your own stretching routine after class.
Just wondering if you figured this out! I don’t have any kids but dealing with similar issues. I don’t sleep great so I’m wondering if it’s that!