Some low back, outer thigh soreness/tightness after last session

[billb7581]

I don't think I am injured, back just tightens up after sitting awhile, I went in hot tub last night and that seemed to help a lot.

My squat is pretty puny, but I was thinking of taking some additional warm up sets, and maybe not topping out unless it feels OK.

What do guys normally do to train around stuff like this?

47 years old BTW

[Charlie Davies]

Sore muscles and back twinges are normal.

I am at least a little bit sore about 6 days out of 7, and am sore going *into* workouts about 2/3rds of the time. The soreness normally goes away during warmups.
Despite this, I have been making good progress and remained healthy.
I am 51.

Note that I'm doing a higher-volume intermediate program, that causes more soreness than SSLP normally does.
A lot of people on SSLP don't experience much muscle soreness at all after the first couple weeks, until they get close to the end and it gets very, very hard.

In general, if the pain goes away during warmups, it's fine.
If it gets worse from session to session, you need to change something before it turns into an overuse injury of some kind.

[Nockian]

I experienced some soreness and at one point a fair bit of stiffness and pain. Eventually you actually read the book and figure out that eating, sufficient rest between sets (8 or even 10 minutes), sufficient sleep, active rest on the off days which is light activity, not increasing weight too quickly, warming up with weights but not pushing the point ever closer to the RM and good form are the key. Also, watch out for unintended strains loading up weights, it's funny how we forget to be careful in the heat of lifting.

Eventually I got used to the general aches and now I ignore them completely. Hot baths, plenty of hydration, food and sleep take the sting out of it. The pains usually mean your body is adapting to the new stress so you are getting stronger.

Oh and my squat is pathetic.

[Jeff Brophy]

47 Here as well

Agree with Charlie the stiffness usually goes away with warmups. Volume squat days (6-8 reps, 4-6 sets) tend to get me which require more time between sets (8-12 mins) and ALOT more food before and after. What does your programming look like?

[Evelyn O'Donnell]

Personally, I avoid the soreness and tightness by
1) taking very small increases in my warm-ups, especially for the squat, and
2) eating enough.
3) Don't avoid training because of soreness.

Regarding #2: When my NLP ended, I thought I might cut my calories a tiny bit to slowly lose some fat, but within a week or two I realized I was sore all the time, and dreading the idea of training. Once I got my calories back up to slightly above maintenance, the soreness stopped and I looked forward to training again.

50 year old female.

[billb7581]

Personally, I avoid the soreness and tightness by
1) taking very small increases in my warm-ups, especially for the squat, and
2) eating enough.
3) Don't avoid training because of soreness.

Regarding #2: When my NLP ended, I thought I might cut my calories a tiny bit to slowly lose some fat, but within a week or two I realized I was sore all the time, and dreading the idea of training. Once I got my calories back up to slightly above maintenance, the soreness stopped and I looked forward to training again.

50 year old female.

I have a bit of a different situation. I used to weigh about 315... type 2 diagnosis.. cleaned up the diet and got down to 255 at 6'4" which is a good weight for me to keep the numbers in check.. I kinda have to cycle between 255 and 265 like a bodybuilder.

Right now I am at my upper limit for weight gain, so I may just have to take a jump 1X a week and see how that goes.

Usually I get screwed when I take a jump in my 3rd session of the week.. LOL. Fortunatley workout day is tomorrow.. following W F Sun schedule

[Adam Skillin]

Right now I am at my upper limit for weight gain, so I may just have to take a jump 1X a week and see how that goes.

How much weight is on the bar, and what on earth makes you think you can't add more from session to session without gaining additional weight?

[billb7581]

How much weight is on the bar, and what on earth makes you think you can't add more from session to session without gaining additional weight?

Not much my lifts suck... squat low, due to pulling groin at work, and slowly trying to work back into it. I was squatting a bit more than 2 plates when the injury happened.. not that that is great, just for informational purposes.

Squat 185
Bench 170
Deadlift 255
Press 115

It always seems like when I add weight on the 3rd workout of the week, I bomb, or pull something LOL.

I work a physically demanding job, and dont get enough sleep half the time, so that probably are the other variables that I am missing, but cannot always control.

[Adam Skillin]

Not much my lifts suck... squat low, due to pulling groin at work, and slowly trying to work back into it. I was squatting a bit more than 2 plates when the injury happened.. not that that is great, just for informational purposes.

Squat 185
Bench 170
Deadlift 255
Press 115

It always seems like when I add weight on the 3rd workout of the week, I bomb, or pull something LOL.

I work a physically demanding job, and dont get enough sleep half the time, so that probably are the other variables that I am missing, but cannot always control.

If recovery is insufficient to add weight 3 days/week, the next logical step would be to add weight 2 days/week, not 1. I don't know whether you're at that point or not purely based on those numbers and other details (I would lean towards maybe not though), and I'd like to see videos of your lifts to see if technique is one of those "other variables," but you might find a better solution googling the "Advanced Novice" phase of the program.

[billb7581]

I think I still have some progress to be made on NLP. I still have a few tools left in the box.

1. I probably need a belt
2. I can sub rows out for DL in the "B" workout. I am pretty uncoordinated, PC seems like a tall order with no coaching.
3. My work could friggin hire some people so I can get some sleep!