How far do you push your body if its sore?

[TheMelvern]

I dodnt know if its my specific body/genes but some times I feel like I cant push it as far as others. I feel like my muscles need more time to recuperate. I honestly had not ran in a year, just didnt have time to so I would work hard in the gym. I have been doing strenuous work in the gym making my lungs burn and I move alot/ bend my legs. Well I went running on Saturday at a track. I ran a mile(4 laps), then I upped the speed in the 2nd mile to finish it in about 7 minutes. My legs were so cramped right after that I couldnt even bounce on my feet until maybe 20 mins after which surprised me considering I use my legs alot. All of Saturday I could move around good but over night they got bad and yesterday I could really feel the soreness. I was trying to intake alot of protein so I could be ready to go to boxing again today but my legs are still sore to the point where it stings walking down stairs. I really want to go to boxing today I already missed 4 days. Whats going on here? What should I do? Im a hard worker and Im willing to push my body but sometimes my body just completely rejects that way of thinking for as tough as I want to be there is nothing I can do about it.

[Rockin']

your body can do amazing things if you allow your mind to let it do those things. it's actually more of a mental struggle than it is physical.

when I was turning pro we basically doubled my workout and punch output. I had actually taken a few months off from any work outs when I made the decision and jumped right in. My muscles burned, my lungs burned and I pushed through it. The mornings will always be the toughest with the stiffness and soreness of your muscles, At one point I could barely get out of bed, I could hardly walk because of the running that was done on the hills but I still got to the gym and fought through it.

the pain and stiffness of your muscles just confirms that you worked them hard the night before, do not miss a day at the gym when you feel like this because working through the pain and stiffness is how you build your body strong, not to mention your mind.

I've been there and any fighter who wants to improve has been there. So when your debating whether or not to go to the gym because you are so sore just remember this, every time you go to the gym already sore and work through out you are growing expotentialy compared to just working out normal. And when you wake up sore get up and do it all again day after day. In a couple of weeks your body will become used to this and it wont be so bad. Soon after you feel nothing after these intense workouts, but you must condition the mind to allow your body to do what you need it too.........Rockin'

[Southpaw Stinger]

Rockin' is right, you have to fight through.

I can only talk more from a drinking perspective. There have been times when I've been on the lash and binged for so many nights in succession, that I'd started pissing blood. Me kidneys and liver ached as though Foreman had found them in bed with his wife.

Me back teeth were beginning to erode away from the constant stomach acid filled vomit, that became part of me morning routine retch.

Despite all this, I still found me way to the pub every night. So what both Rockin' and I are telling you, is that you don't get anywhere when you're not moving.

Get to the gym, son.

[IronBoxer]

I like to play the "War" theme from Rocky IV

The symptoms you've described are that of overtraining and that is no good for a boxer since it can alter his training regimen significantly. My advice to you would be to take a week off(no shame in doing so) and I guarantee you'll feel tons better. Just relax and do some power walking as to not stay idle on your deload week. After that, resume normal training but don't go the point of complete physical exhaustion, this will only setback your goals and tire you out quickly. Get PLENTY of rest and monitor your diet, don't binge on junk food(I know its the holidays but still), train hard but don't wear yourself out. Unless you're preparing for an amateur fight or something of that sort, limit your training cycles to no more than eight weeks. After that, take one week off. Believe me, you'll feel better and get stronger as well.

[Rockin']

I like to play the "War" theme from Rocky IV

The symptoms you've described are that of overtraining and that is no good for a boxer since it can alter his training regimen significantly. My advice to you would be to take a week off(no shame in doing so) and I guarantee you'll feel tons better. Just relax and do some power walking as to not stay idle on your deload week. After that, resume normal training but don't go the point of complete physical exhaustion, this will only setback your goals and tire you out quickly. Get PLENTY of rest and monitor your diet, don't binge on junk food(I know its the holidays but still), train hard but don't wear yourself out. Unless you're preparing for an amateur fight or something of that sort, limit your training cycles to no more than eight weeks. After that, take one week off. Believe me, you'll feel better and get stronger as well.

we're trying to raise a fighter here, not a *****.

you go and do your 8 week cycle with a week off at it's completion. While the other fighters are still training through and after your eight weeks, you go and take your rest. One day of rest every week is plenty of rest and will allow you to grow stronger.

your theory is one that I have never heard in the boxing circles for the 25+ years I've been in it. I would say that the instructions were for a bodybuilder and not a fighter............Rockin'

[jaded]

The key here is...are you able to recover and is the pain injury or lactic acid? If you have caused damage that you are unable to get rid of you are over doing it and need to stop until you have healed or you will get worse and create a chronic injury. If the pain is lactic acid which will eventually shut down the muscle...you want to stop before that happens as well. Are you able to make a good recovery in between workouts and start each one strong...or are you starting to wear down from over-training and having negative progress? How old are you and how long have been doing this?

If you have just started then yes you will find it hard initially and have more pain than you will once your body has become adjusted. Good recovery is crucial to making progress. You will need lots of rest and good nutrition and maybe some massage and heat therapy at the beginning...but if you have a good balance between your training and rest and nutrition...you should feel good. If not...then something is wrong with the mix. If you are constantly feeling pain you can only ignore it for so long before something gives.

I used to spar with a pro and when I would tell him my shoulder hurts he would tell me to ignore it and just work beyond the pain...which is what he would do. I used to think that someday something was going to tear or detach but just did as he said. I couldn't understand how he or anyone could do that indefinitely...and guess what happened...about a year later he detached his bicep. He went from being one of the strongest guys I knew to being somewhat disabled. I can't remember if it was before or after that happened but during the 1st round of one of his pro fights he partially tore his achilles tendon...and finished the fight (a six rounder). His face was swollen beyond recognition from all the punishment he had taken and had to spend 6 months in a cast to mend his tendon. He used to deadlift 500 lbs at 175lbs and do 10 mile runs. Today he can't do anything that he used to be able to do all because he refused to listen to his body and pushed it beyond it's limitations.

The reason why I tell you this is so that you don't listen to people who tell you to ignore pain because it's usually a sign that something is wrong and you will need to make adjustments if that is the case.

[ewzz]

I totally agree there's a limit to pushing yourself, Jaded, just be aware you don't use this as an excuse to be too careful with your body! I used to train like I think TheMelvern does, being scared of soreness and basically seeing an injury everytime something hurt. Guess what? No improvement whatsoever. I was really disappointed until I realized I never pushed myself beyond even my first limit. So I started doing that and feeling the great feeling you have when shomething thet used to hurt (eg your lungs, legs) doesn't hurt anymore. Well, the day after it does of course, but if you just go to the gym and start warming up, you'll feel the lactic acid go away. As some of us mentioned the day after you'll feel even sorer. If you feel like you're too sore to train, just make sure you move a bit so that lactic acid can get out of your muscles. Do some shadowboxing or whatever. Just to give your body its souplesse back. That's the most important thing, listen to your body but don't let it fool you. I think that balance is the hardest thing about being an athlete.

[sammiza567]

your body can do amazing things if you allow your mind to let it do those things. it's actually more of a mental struggle than it is physical.

when I was turning pro we basically doubled my workout and punch output. I had actually taken a few months off from any work outs when I made the decision and jumped right in. My muscles burned, my lungs burned and I pushed through it. The mornings will always be the toughest with the stiffness and soreness of your muscles, At one point I could barely get out of bed, I could hardly walk because of the running that was done on the hills but I still got to the gym and fought through it.

the pain and stiffness of your muscles just confirms that you worked them hard the night before, do not miss a day at the gym when you feel like this because working through the pain and stiffness is how you build your body strong, not to mention your mind.

I've been there and any fighter who wants to improve has been there. So when your debating whether or not to go to the gym because you are so sore just remember this, every time you go to the gym already sore and work through out you are growing expotentialy compared to just working out normal. And when you wake up sore get up and do it all again day after day. In a couple of weeks your body will become used to this and it wont be so bad. Soon after you feel nothing after these intense workouts, but you must condition the mind to allow your body to do what you need it too.........Rockin'

please dont give people uneducated advice.

[IronBoxer]

we're trying to raise a fighter here, not a *****.

you go and do your 8 week cycle with a week off at it's completion. While the other fighters are still training through and after your eight weeks, you go and take your rest. One day of rest every week is plenty of rest and will allow you to grow stronger.

your theory is one that I have never heard in the boxing circles for the 25+ years I've been in it. I would say that the instructions were for a bodybuilder and not a fighter............Rockin'

Who the **** said anything about me being a bodybuilder? Did I tell TS to do curls and other mirror exercises? I'm only telling him how to train properly instead of just wearing himself out day in and day out.

[Rockin']

please dont give people uneducated advice.

I speak from experience

Who the **** said anything about me being a bodybuilder? Did I tell TS to do curls and other mirror exercises? I'm only telling him how to train properly instead of just wearing himself out day in and day out.

When have you ever seen a world class fighter take a full week off of training to "recover"? After 2 days of pure rest your muscle that you have built will begin to discipate. A whole week off and you have regressed your body but your mind may feel strong.

I speak from experience not what I read or what I was told by somebody.

I'll ask Jackie Kallen if she's ever heard off 1 week rest in the middle of training.

I'm curious as to your experince in the ring, I'm venturing a guess that it was limited.

How long should one take away from the ring if they get a black eye, a sore rib, an aggrivated elbow or a stubbed toe or is that all a part of this rest.............Rockin'