Joint problems and losing motivation?

[andy100]

Hi,

I've started attending kickboxing classes for about 5 weeks now, and after I got over the initial aches from exercising muscles I didn't even realise I had, I've been really enjoying it.

However, due to personal reasons I've only been able to attend an average of one lesson per week out of the two that are taught, and none this week.

Over the last few weeks, I've been made a lot more aware of pains in my knees and hips (which to be fair I've experienced for years, but just put down to general wear & tear/walking a lot/weather/etc). I think that these pains are ligament associated, along with clicking in my knees and hips when I perform kicks in practice.

See my post here: http://www.karateforums.com/aching-muscles-and-training-vt32628.html

Other members have kindly suggested glucosamine to help my joints, and next time I go to see my doctor I'm going to get properly checked out, but I'm finding these pains are really affecting my motivation now.

I generally get bored of things quite easily, but have been enjoying the classes, though the warm-up exercises and stretching have been hard work!

Can other members offer any advice as to whether I'll be doing more damage to, or strengthening, my leg joints by continuing with the kickboxing? If it is more damaging in the long-term, should I consider a different MA, or less strenuous exercise to keep in shape (although I'm only 27, apart from a daily walk to & from work of about 5 miles, my fitness before kickboxing was close to zero, so I'm keen to try to pre-empt 'middle-age spread')? I find the punching and upper body work a lot easier in class, so would boxing be a good alternative maybe?

Sorry for the long post, and thanks for any advice!

Andy

Edited November 4, 2007 by andy100

[BMW]

Hi,

I've started attending kickboxing classes for about 5 weeks now, and after I got over the initial aches from exercising muscles I didn't even realise I had, I've been really enjoying it.

However, due to personal reasons I've only been able to attend an average of one lesson per week out of the two that are taught, and none this week.

Over the last few weeks, I've been made a lot more aware of pains in my knees and hips (which to be fair I've experienced for years, but just put down to general wear & tear/walking a lot/weather/etc). I think that these pains are ligament associated, along with clicking in my knees and hips when I perform kicks in practice.

See my post here: http://www.karateforums.com/aching-muscles-and-training-vt32628.html

Other members have kindly suggested glucosamine to help my joints, and next time I go to see my doctor I'm going to get properly checked out, but I'm finding these pains are really affecting my motivation now.

I generally get bored of things quite easily, but have bben enjoying the classes, though the warm-up exercises and stretching have bben hard work!

Can other members offer any advice as to whether I'll be doing more damage to, or strengthening, my leg joints by continuing with the kickboxing? If it is more damaging in the long-term, should I consider a different MA, or less strenuous exercise to keep in shape (although I'm only 27, apart from a daily walk to & from work of about 5 miles, my fitness before kickboxing was close to zero, so I'm keen to try to pre-empt 'middle-age spread')? I find the punching and upper body work a lot easier in class, so would boxing be a good alternative maybe?

Sorry for the long post, and thanks for any advice!

Andy

PostPosted: Tue Oct 02, 2007 2:11 pm Post subject: Aching muscles and training Reply with quote

Hi all,

Ths is my first post, so I hope that I've posted in the correct forum. I've used the search function too and can't quite find a definite answer to my question, so hopefully you guys can help!

I've just started training in kickboxing two weeks ago (once a week) and my muscles have been very achey after - normally not immediately the next day, but more so on the evening after and the day after that.

The class I've been going to runs classes on a Monday & a Wednesday, so my questions are:

Firstly, will these aches get less as I train more - I walk for about 4 miles at a fairly fast pace (about 4mhp) at least 5 days a week, plus walking to & from the class which is about 3 miles each way

Secondly, whilst I really only felt well enough physically (I also had a bug then, as well as really bad ab muscle aches) to attend on the Monday, but this week I'd like to try and make the Wedneday session too, so do you think that this is a wise move at present?

I'm not very flexible at the moment, and part of my reasoning for taking up kickboxing is to improve this. We do a good rounded warm-up in class before training, but I'm wary of damaging my muscles by over-training, as unfortunately I'm not that fit as yet.

Sorry for the long post, and I hope I make sense!

Cheers,

Andy

Andy,

First of all, I don't think you give yourself enough credit. Your daily 5 mile walks alone are good enough exercise to keep you healthy (aside from diet and etc.). Not only that but you walk 3 miles each way to and from your kick boxing classes.

I suspect then you are in decent shape assuming your diet and lifestyles are ok (and such frequent walking is a "lifestyle" too). What you are not in is athletic shape, but few people are including most people in the military. Even some athletes aren't even in athletic shape (such as some of the overweight boxers you see sometimes).

No one needs to be in athletic shape unless they either wish to or need to for competitive reasons. There are plenty of lean older men and women on the island of Sardinia who carry buckets of water up and down hills daily (no running water) and walk just about every where they go. Life expectancy on that island surpasses the U.S. average.

To first experience soreness on the 2nd or 3rd day after a workout, and not the 1st day after a workout, is normal. In fact that is usually when it happens. Generally the 2nd day is bad and the 3rd day can often be even worse. It's important to do some light exercising when during this period.

Once your body gets use to whatever level of workout you're typically doing, you'll cease to experience all this soreness.

I'm not sure why your knees and hips are clicking. Hopefully you don't have arthritis (sp?).

Kickboxing and boxing can have some intense workouts - not always though. It can greatly depend on the gym/school you go to and or the trainers you have. Kicking itself requires many more calories (energy) than punching, so a good kickboxing school will only up the intensity of your workouts as you improve. In general I would same similar goes with boxing.

If you switch to western boxing - again it will depend on the gym you go to - the workouts may be fairly hard. The first gym I went to my coach tailored each program to each individual, and usually he would increase the reps each week. He operated under the school of thought that you kept going up in reps in things such as push-ups and sit-ups until you could do a thousand or more of them each day. So if you were doing 100 push-ups but could only do 50 non-stop, you rested for a bit and then kept going until you eventually completed the other 50. Inclined treadmill, speed riding the stationary bike in 3 different positions, weight lifting and jump roping along with the push-ups, sit-ups, jumping jacks (again reps from 50 to over a hundred or in the several hundreds) some other exercises and bag work and shadow boxing was done 5 days a week every time you came to the gym. Saturdays we did whatever we wanted in the gym.

The gym I go to now has a much more simple and far more easy basic workout. Although, they can turn up the notches there too if they want. I've had very easy workouts there and very, very, extremely, hard workouts there. Doing several series of sprints and then jumping into a 5 mile run and all sorts of crazy stuff.

If your kickboxing program is Thai boxing or made up some elements of Thai boxing then I would suggest you stick with that rather than going to western boxing. Thai fighters train hard and they also - in my opinion - are much more deadly than western boxers. Either way you'll get in good shape doing kickboxing.

P.S. It'll be hard to get in athletic shape only going once or even twice a week to the gym. You need to go at least 5 days a week and preferably 6 days a week.

I haven't trained 4 or 5 days a week at the boxing gym in over a year. I may go once or twice a week (I haven't in over a month now though). Serious boxing coaches don't like this but oh well.

[andy100]

Thanks for the reply BMW.

I guess I do underestimate my 'lifestyle' of walking a bit! That helped to keep me relatively slim & fit for a long time, but a combination of trying to quit smoking (failed ) and a 'health' appetite all my life (and an increased alcohol intake over about a year - thankfully now more controlled) caused the classic beer gut to start developing, which started me wanting to take more of an increased interest in my fitness.

As I've never really been one for going to the gym or participating in sports, kickboxing seemed ideal as it's always seemed like a great sport, workout and MA (which would help to increase my fitness, stamina, coordination & flexibility). As I think I said before, I do get bored of things pretty easily, and with winter now almost here (along with the associated dark nights, cold and viruses doing the rounds) I guess it's a lot harder to stay motivated.

Our classes are taught in a squash court, so there's no gym or bags to train with. Classes consist of bodyweight exercises (push-ups, crunches, twisting sit-ups, leg raises, squat-thrusts & jogging on the spot) followed by varied stretching, and then the last half an hour or so of practicing with focus mitts or training pads. We do incorporate some Thai boxing styles into training (or will as we advance beyond the basics) and our teacher is a really nice guy who's experienced in a few different MA's.

There are two light-contact sparring sessions a week in addition for more advanced students, but these happen in work hours so I can't make them ever. Sadly there is a real lack of kickboxing classes or 'proper' MA gyms in Oxford.

The leg joint pains are a big worry, and I do wonder whether the impact of walking badly (and being slightly flat-footed) don't help, but I am going to get checked out, as well as speak to my kickboxing teacher. Plus I'm going to get some glucosamine to try to help. I'll keep you posted anyway!

I guess I just need to decide whether I want to put in the extra effort to continue, and maybe over time (and when finances improve a bit more) try to start going to the gym in addition to classes, or just embrace the Homer Simpson lifestyle in totality...

Thanks,

Andy >

[bushido_man96]

I guess I just need to decide whether I want to put in the extra effort to continue, and maybe over time (and when finances improve a bit more) try to start going to the gym in addition to classes, or just embrace the Homer Simpson lifestyle in totality...

Definitely don't do this! If you have to tailor your workout to your body, then make sure to do so, that way, you can keep up your training. Boxing may be the route you want to take, if your knees are suffering that much.

Also, losing weight may help your knees, as well, if this is a preceived problem.

[andy100]

I guess I just need to decide whether I want to put in the extra effort to continue, and maybe over time (and when finances improve a bit more) try to start going to the gym in addition to classes, or just embrace the Homer Simpson lifestyle in totality...

Definitely don't do this! If you have to tailor your workout to your body, then make sure to do so, that way, you can keep up your training. Boxing may be the route you want to take, if your knees are suffering that much.

Also, losing weight may help your knees, as well, if this is a preceived problem.

Thanks for the reply bushido_man.

I'm not overweight at all really (I'm still well within my BMI, and in fact have toned up the 'flabbiness' around my waist already) so don't think that's the problem with my knees. I just need to watch them, and keep up motivation!

[bushido_man96]

I have to watch what I do to my knees as well. I used to do a lot of explosive plyometric type exercises, but I have scaled those back recently, and my knees feel much better than they did.

[andy100]

Well, I hate to admit it, but I've missed the first class that I was able to make in the last two and a half weeks (I've missed the last 4 lessons due to family commitments).

Admittedly I've had a long & tiring day mentally at work, but my legs and knees are still aching a lot. Over the last few days they've felt a bit better (possibly due to being off work sick for the last two and a half days of last week, so I was just sitting around the house relaxing), so I was holding out high hopes for attending class tonight. Despite this, and with trying to motivate myself all day, when it came to the time to leave to walk to class, I just really couldn't bring myself to get ready. I feel a bit down about it, hence I'm posting my thoughts here, but I'm not sure whether to try and build up the motivation to start again next week. I mean, I've ordered some glucosamine which should be with me soon, but after missing 5 classes now, I'm dreading the physical exercise and stretching that going back would entail.

I suppose if I'm honest with myself, I do lose interest in things pretty quickly, and have never been sporty or particularly active, so do wonder whether this again was just a passing 'fad'.

Have any other members here faced the same dilemma, and have any suggestions as to how I could re-motivate myself?

Cheers guys,

Andy

[bushido_man96]

It sounds to me like you are losing the mental battle with yourself about going to class. Many people are mentally worn out after a tough day. It is the few of us that are able to pull a little bit more together to get to a few hours of MA training.

Your body hurts, and that makes it easy for you mind to make an excuse not to go. You need to get past this, and just make yourself go to class. After you do it, you will feel so much better about going. You will feel some energy, and you will get a good night's rest, too.

Ignore your mind, and go to class.

[andy100]

You've hit the nail essentially on the head, bushido_man. The problem is that my body's physically tired too, and I am worried about my legs and knees, which just gives me the excuse I need not to go. That and the walk there in the cold...

[bushido_man96]

Get to a doctor about your knees. They may need some work done on them. Then, find a way to supplement your training so that it doesn't stress your knees so much. Talk to your instructor about this, and he should be able to help you out.

The key to success in the Martial Arts isn't training through your injuries; it is in training around your injuries.