Can you explain this exercise experience?
I haven’t been to the gym for a month because I normally go with my husband and he has been having back pain. Instead, I’ve been doing 5 days a week of at-home workouts. I usually do HIIT (high intensity interval training) that leaves me gasping for breath and sweating like a pig. I can do a 45-minute video and, afterwards, feel fine. I’ve also been doing some strength training/toning workouts.
On my first day back at the gym, I did about 20 minutes of lower-body workouts on their leg machines and then hopped on the treadmill for a 30-minute rolling hills walk at 4.0mph. I burned about ⅔ the calories I do when I exercise at home, and yet I was completely miserable about halfway through and felt like crap after I was done.
Now, this is just a brisk walk, not jumping jacks and burpees and all of those full-body movements I do with HIIT. It wasn’t even running. Why did it take so much more out of me, and yet burn fewer calories, than what I do at home (for free, I might add)?
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5 Answers
You were working different muscle groups. Just ease back for a few days and then keep it up.
Although you worked out faithfully, at home, your body found a familiar, comfortable routine. When you went back to the gym, you worked different muscles and in different ways. You just need time to adjust.
For your first time back, 20 minutes of strength training plus 30 minutes of aerobic activity must have been too much; your body protested. You might want to avoid the leg machines for a few days, while you become re-acclimated to gym workouts.
Sometimes my workouts used to tire me out other times make me feel great. I put it down to days I was just a bit off-color. You know like maybe run down, just not feeling up to scratch? Or I had worked too hard at my job, or even my cycle. I think its great that you burned more calories at home? That is kind of inspiring.
Today I decided to split it up, strength training at the gym and cardio at home. At 1PM, I did about an hour of upper body strength training and felt fine. I came home, ate lunch, waited about an hour, and proceeded to do a short (but intense) 15-minute HIIT workout. I was very winded by the end and didn’t have enough energy to do the ab workout I planned to do. Instead, I did an extended cool down/stretch. I wasn’t nearly as miserable as I was on the treadmill, but felt a bit nauseous for about an hour afterward.
My husband and I are driving out of town tomorrow to celebrate his birthday, so I’ll be having two rest days instead of just one. Maybe that’ll help.
I don’t know…but I admire your workout stamina!! xx
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