# warm ups for lunges



## rachel

Does anyone have some good warm up exercises for me for lunges. We had to do lunges the length of the dojo and back  and my thigh muscles are so sore .thanks


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## jfarnsworth

You just have to keep stretching. Lunges involve quads, hams, and the glutes. Their the largest muscles in the body. Lunges are awesome to build the legs. But really the only way to actually warm up would be to do some treadmill work or stairmaster.


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## lvwhitebir

No matter how much warm-up you did, you would have probably still had sore legs.  The warm-up only prepares your muscles so that they're more pliable, not stronger.  The pain is because you had one terrific workout and your legs are thanking you for it.  It really is a badge of honor that you found a way to tax them.  Now you can walk away being just a little stronger for it.

Now you need to work them a little softer for a few days to ease the pain, maybe stretch a little more.  Then go back at the lunges.  Eventually you won't feel it at all.

WhiteBirch


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## Nightingale

just make sure your muscles are warmed up before you do them... jumping jacks, running in place, or some other cardio first.  Always get blood to your muscles before trying to build them up with strength exercises (either weights or resistance exercises like lunges)


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## rachel

we did our jumping jacks,etc before the lunges, I've just never done them before. The pain is slowly fading and I can definetly tell I got a good workout. I walk 4 miles a day in an hour. I don't know how good that time is for walking but maybe I should walk right before karate?


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## Elfan

The exact cause of the next day soreness you are experiencing(Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness or DOMS for those of you who like to use acronyms to look smarter) is not known.  It generally seems to occur after doing a new stressful movement for the first time.  IE the first time you do lunges/squats/bench presses you will be sore the next day.  Then no matter how  strong you got from lunges, if you switched to squats they would then make you sore.  For more reasons that arn't clear it seems to fade with time.  So next class after you do them you should be less sore and so on.  Sort of counterintuitively the soreness seems to be bessed relived by doing the same thing that made you sore.  So doing a few lunges the next day should make you feal better.

FYI that next day soreness isn't indicitive of a "good workout" so just because it fads with time (it will) doesn't mean you arn't having productive work outs.


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## Nightingale

if you keep doing them, eventually they won't hurt.


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## jfarnsworth

There are many reasons for soreness within the body after a workout.  Most often what happens is lactic acid build up within the muscle strands after a work out. Lunges are so diverse when it comes to exercising the legs they work so many muscles at once this is what your body isn't used to doing. I'm not quite exactly sure what your reasons are for joining the martial arts. It is almost always a good work out while being in class. I personally use lunges only once every 3 weeks in the weight room. The reason for that is, your legs get used to the movement and then it doesn't hurt or burn. I like the soreness and burn because then your body has to grow back bigger and stronger. Another thing is to drink more water. This helps wash out the lactic acid inside the muscle. You should drink half of your body weight in ounces every day anyway. The more you work out the more you should bring in. This will help get rid of soreness quicker. Hopefully this will help.


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## rachel

I joined karate for a couple of reasons. My 8 year old daughter takes kempo and she loves it. It looked like fun so I figured I'd try. Also, I want to tone up and get in shape. I've lost over 40 pounds with weight watchers and I'm only a few pounds off where I want to be. I walk 4 miles a day and it feels great but I want more so I joined kempo and it feels great too.I've only had 2 classes so far but I'm really enjoying it.


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## Elfan

Glad your enjoying it!

Out of curiosity, why do you walk 4 miles every day?  Do you walk to work or just as a nice daily habbit or something else?


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## jfarnsworth

> _Originally posted by rachel _
> 
> * ...  Also, I want to tone up and get in shape. I've lost over 40 pounds with weight watchers and I'm only a few pounds off where I want to be. I walk 4 miles a day and it feels great but I want more so I joined kempo and it feels great too.*



Fantastic!!!! That is really good to hear. I applaud/encourage anyone who wants to get into shape, stay fit, or exercise for any other reason. In the faucility I work out in I do encourage everyone there no matter what they are doing or working on.


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## rachel

we walk for fitness. My friend said if you can walk 4 miles then you're fit enough for karate so I started 4 miles the first day. It's great except for the unleashed dogs but after calling the dog warden a few times that has pretty much stopped.


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## Elfan

Cool, enjoy your walks. :boing2::boing2::boing2:


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## MartialArtist

How much weight you using in terms of the % of your ORM?  Or is it body lunges where it's more of an endurance-type thing?


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