Advice? My legs are my enemy!

[ATrollFromTheFatBoard]

This just isn't going as planned.

I find that when I do calf raises, my entire lower leg feels strained. Not that good, "I'm tired," burn -- I'm talking that, "Ow, you're really hurting me!" strain. I'm not using very heavy weights, either.

My hamstrings do the same thing. Actually, when I do hamstring curls, I end up with a PAIN down the front of my shins like shin splints. I try not to tense up my legs so much when lifting, but it's hard not to. And my hamstrings tend to cramp, or have PAIN pain while working out, as opposed to "burning, you're working us" pain like I have when working quads.

I am trying to get said hamstrings to catch up in strength with said quads. At this rate, I don't know when that's going to happen. I could easily do more weight on my quads, but I'm not at present, because I read that it's better for the muscles to be equal in strength. Is this the right thing to do?

Am I trying to do too much weight? What is the problem here??


"Ouch."
-- E.T.

 

[ATrollFromTheFatBoard]

Do you have any previous injuries? Spinal curvature? Knee/ankle problems? How often do you stretch?

Previous injuries: other than previous incidents of bursitis in both knees (years ago and that's not where it hurts anyway), no.

Knee problems: my knees will hurt if I do too much running/'jogging. Haven't had any problems with that in a while, curiously enough.

Ankle problems: no.

Stretch: Not much. At all.

Actually the pain is mostly from mid-calf down. Like all the ligaments hurt.

The hamstring pain is definitely muscle pain. It's frustrating because all the weights are clearly too easy, or "Ow, you're hurting me" painful. No burn.

 

[MR. BMJ]

I'm not sure if i am following you right, but i'd make sure that the pain below your calf isn't a strained achilles tendon injury. You starin/snap that baby and you'll be out of commision for awhile. I'd have it checked out. I don't have a clue about the hamstring problem other than it might just be a situation of underdevelopness compared to the rest of the thigh. I'm not the most qualified person in this area, but that is my 2 cents.

BMJ

 

[Daisy_Girl]

I'm with Spatterson on this one - sounds like you are in need of some stretching. Add just 5 min to the end of each workout and stretch the bodyparts you worked. Or some stretch inbetween sets.

 

[ATrollFromTheFatBoard]

Pain from calf raises:

I would say where the Achilles meets the gastroc, meaning at that level on the legs. But the pain is sort of a generalized ache that goes around the leg, on the sides as well as the rear part.

Pain during hamstring work:

Down front of shin, mostly because I can't stop tensing my legs up while I'm trying to lift the weight. I keep pulling my feet all the way up, and ouch! Also the hamstring itself likes to cramp. I can't do any more than 35 lbs or -- instant spasm.

 

[ATrollFromTheFatBoard]

I don't know if they are really shin splints or not. It just hurts where I have always heard you are supposed to get one.

Am I trying to lift too heavy a weight? (God, that would be embarrassing).

 

[Arioch]

Climb a lot of stairs?

If you do not mind me asking, are you rather heavy for your height? (fwiw, I am).

Do you do specific work for the anterior tibialis as well as the calf?

Seated calf raises?

What sort of work do you do for your hamstrings? Just leg curls are not enough. Good mornings and stiff legged deadlifts/rdls should be performed as well.

Adequate mineral intake? Sometimes something as simple as a magnesium supplement can eliminate cramping.

Water intake?

Does your footstrike occur evenly (do you wear out the inside or the outside of your shoes first)?

 

[ATrollFromTheFatBoard]

I can't say that I climb stairs a lot. I live one flight up, but I'm not going up and down incessantly.

Heh heh. From my moniker, you could guess that I am quite large compared to most people on this board. 5'4", and, last I checked, 222 lbs.

No, I don't do anything for the front of the shin.

I tried the seated calf raise thing, but it hurts worse than the standing one. My shoes keep slipping off the board, and I keep having to tense up to try to grip the board. It makes my lower calves and feet hurt big time!

Right now I am doing only leg curls. I am afraid to try those lifts you mention, because I don't know how to do them correctly, have sprained my back BIG TIME in the past, and I don't have a spotter. I wish I did know someone reputable to work with on these. I go to a women's, aerobic-bunny sort of gym, and I don't know if I would trust the folks there to know how to do them either ...

I've been bad about taking my vitamins. (Must resume pill-popping now ...)

I try to drink 2L of water a day. Most days it's more like a liter and a half.

Oh, I have been told by doctors that I pronate. It's why I got knee problems jogging in the first place and can't do much in the way of jogging these days. I know just how much I can do before my knees start complainin', and that's it.

For info: The pain on the calf raise exercise is weight-bearing, but with this hamstring curl thing, the lower leg pain on that is parts that aren't even bearing any weight! ARRGH! It helps to try to point my toes as I bring the weight up instead of flexing my ankles up, but if I do this I find myself unable to do nearly as much weight. And the lower weights don't even feel like anything.

 

[ATrollFromTheFatBoard]

Really???

Cool!!!

But you have to promise not to laugh.

 

[ATrollFromTheFatBoard]

LOL, I meant *at me*!!

Of course I do not believe you would really do that. But I am pretty sure I look quite ridiculous doing some of this stuff.