Help me decide: Go to the gym today, or not?

[lyorn]

Pro: I have the time, I have the gear with me, I want to get back on track.
Con: Muscles still sore from Saturday's exercises, can barely get out of my chair without pushing off with my hands, there is much wincing, even walking is painful.

Next planned gym-day is Thursday.

Go, or not?

ETA: Thank you all for your advice. I took a one-hour walk on Tuesday evening, had a hot shower with spicy chocolate shower gel, and spent the rest of the evening on the sofa with a pot of tea and my cats, who were happy to have a warm human to sprawl on. Wednesday, I could get out of my chair with barely any pain, and today I was back at the gym and there was actual progress.

Comments

[rydra_wong]

Do not go! When you're that sore, it is not time to work those muscles hard in the same way; it will just trash them and drive you into the ground with exhaustion.

BUT: do something else instead.

Ideally, some kind of active recovery (yoga, stretching, swimming, foam roller time) that will loosen things up, help your muscles recover, and generally keep you on the Doing Something track.

Thursday is not far away.

[lyorn]

Thank you.

This is shaping up to a long walk, hot shower, hot tea evening. Which is nothing to complain of. ;-)

[rydra_wong]

Nope!

And I speak as someone who's just had to take three days off owing to doing waaay too much in a fit of over-enthusiasm and ending up completely exhausted. So this is me reminding myself as much as anything. *g*

[ciaan]

Yes, nice slow stretching after a hot bath sounds like the way to go.