Physical activity causes the muscles to deplete the supply of glycogen, resulting in muscle fatigue and the potential to evolve into sleepiness. “The byproducts of energy utilization, like lactic acid, also contribute to muscle fatigue,” he adds.
It's normal to feel more sore/tired after leg training since your legs contain some of the largest muscles in the body.
After a thorough leg workout, it is common to feel fatigued set in. This is because when we workout our legs, we are using some of the largest muscles in our body. These muscles require a lot of energy to contract and relax, which can lead to feeling tired.
Leg days are hard because more than 50% of your muscle is in your lower body and its takes all the stress in about 1/3 of the time instead of closer to 1/2 if you break your workout into push/pull/legs. Lactic acid buildup causes you to get soreness, but it only slows down recovery and is a by-product of working out.
A doctor may also recommend home remedies, such as wearing compression stockings, keeping the legs elevated, reducing salt intake, maintaining a moderate weight, and getting enough physical activity.
Switching positions: People who sit or stand all day can try taking breaks to relieve tired, heavy legs. Changing positions more often can improve blood circulation and reduce fatigue. Limiting salt intake: Cutting down on salt may decrease swelling in the legs that is due to excess salt and fluid retention.
Exercising and using compression stockings can give you a better outcome. Liposuction can help you feel better. Having other conditions like depression, obesity or lymphedema can make lipedema worse. A provider can refer you for counseling, physical therapy or help managing your pain.
"The soreness you're experiencing shows your fitness is progressing." Why does DOMS feel even worse the day after the day after? "Delayed onset muscle soreness typically rears up within 24 hours of your exercise session, and peaks approximately 48 hours later," says Leah.
Difficulty walking after leg day is often a result of microscopic muscle damage caused by intense exercise. Eccentric contractions, common in leg workouts, can lead to tiny tears in muscle fibers. The body's natural response includes inflammation, resulting in swelling and leg soreness.
"Working out when sore is okay as long as it isn't affecting your movement to the point where it's causing you to compensate and do something in a way that's unsafe," says Dr. Hedt. "Muscle soreness can be a deterrent to exercising, but it's temporary and the more you exercise, the less you should feel it.
Working out the legs contributes to overall calorie expenditure, but spot reduction is challenging. A full-body workout, including cardio and strength training, is more effective for belly fat reduction. Consult with a fitness professional for a personalized plan.
Tired and heavy legs could stem from poor circulation, muscle tiredness, poor running form, or imbalances in muscle engagement. Understanding the biomechanical intricacies is the first step in addressing this paradox.
Is training legs once a week enough? Yes. Training legs once a week is good for a 3 day or even a 5 day split. However, if you are targeting your legs specifically, adding a second day will help you with that goal.
Moderate cardio after leg day can actually aid recovery by promoting blood flow. However, intense cardio sessions might hinder muscle growth if they deplete your energy reserves. To balance cardio and leg day: Keep post-leg day cardio light and short (15-20 minutes)
Many people experience acute muscle stiffness because of: Dehydration and electrolyte imbalances. Delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS), muscle pain and temporary inflammation that develops after an intense workout. Insect bites or stings.
Most people feel fatigued and tired while performing exercise. It is normal to be sore, sweaty, and tired after you exercise. Feeling ill or weak after exercising is not normal.
“If your soreness turns into pain or pushes you past your comfort level, it is time to scale back. Also, if pain or soreness starts to dictate how you perform the exercise or if it causes you to modify the activity to compensate, you are doing too much!”
Even if you follow a balanced program like a “push-pull-legs” split, you'll have worn yourself down to some degree if you've been lifting hard. “At a base level, especially if you're lifting hard, that means you have a little systemic fatigue on your lower body by the time you get to leg day,” Samuel says.
After the Workout
Within the first 48 hours following leg day, you will most likely experience delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) in the muscles of your legs which may make it hard to walk, sit, or extend your legs.
Your muscles are weaker when healing from DOMS, so working through the pain won't earn you any strength gains, and may delay healing. The use of lighter weights, stretching, and massage have also been shown to be of little help.
Leg muscles are larger and usually bear heavier loads during exercises like squats and deadlifts, meaning they'll need more time to recover. Beginners might experience soreness lasting 3 to 5 days, while those who are more experienced may recover in about 2 to 4 days, depending on workout intensity and volume.
Check if you have lipoedema
It usually affects both sides of the body equally. Lipoedema can make your bottom, thighs, lower legs and sometimes your arms look out of proportion with the rest of the body. In early-stage lipoedema, you may have bigger legs, a narrow waist and a much smaller upper body.