I have lactic acid build up and I can't get UP!...

i'm no dr. or anything... but from what i remember reading is that lactic acid is a natural product of anerobic exercize. So unless the intensity of your workout is pretty mild, i think getting lactic acid is inevitable. I've always found that plenty of water and pre and post workout stretching (or even stretching a little bit throughout the day and inbetween workouts helps keep it away.

The brick feeling in your legs could also just be an overall glycogen depleation... if you work out too hard too many days in a row your body doesnt have enough time to recover all the energy and doesnt let your feetsies feel too light and swift..

hopefully some change in workout intensity/stretching/hydration will do the trick.. whenever your body is screaming for help, its always good to listen because it usually means something needs to be tweeked with your training... but even the best of us get hit with the 'brick' feeling now and then... so don't get too discouraged..

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Lara's right. You need to make sure to drink enough fluids daily. Especially since your an athlete in training. Also, you said you went from bike to run--if your workout is more than 45 minutes, you might want to take GU or something like it. Remember to stretch in between too!

Evelyn

Edited by evrunning 2004-05-13 11:02 PM

You know what...thanks for reminding me.
my training partner and i both realized we had not drank enough water that day...AND...I had eaten thai for lunch...I'm sure the extra sodium didn't help.

I've always used a few glasses of red wine to eliminate lactic acid. It may not be scientifically proven, but I sure forget about it for a while :-p

its due to the build up of lactic acid in the blood and muscle tissue. During anaerobic exercise, lactic acid is formed when pyruvate combines with hydrogen with the aid of an enzyme catalist. The lactic acid then goes from the muscle into the blood. After a sustained period of anaerobic activity, the lactic acid cannot be transported from the muscle as quickly as it is formed therefore building up. The acidic nature of lactic acid causes enzymes to denature and reduce in activity levels - therefore...drum roll please.... causing fatigue.

After you train like this for a while, you will build up a "resistance" to lactic acid as your body becomes more efficient in converting lactic acid back to energy molecules (pyruvate). After training it is a good idea to do a proper warm down, and strectch 2-3 hours after training. If you can, get a massage every week to remove the lactic acid. If not, give yourself a rub down/massage with ice.
Have atleast 1-2 rest days in between each anaerobic session or it is possible for the training/exposure to lactic acid to have a negative effect

.::aidan::.

Just another thought, another good trick to get rid of lactic acid after a hard session is a hydrotherapy bath. Jump in an icy cold bath for 30 seconds, then run into a hot shower for 2 minutes. This causes the muscles in your body to contract and expand, and removes the crystalised lactic acid from your body. Its pretty bad the first time you try it (actually, its unbearable no matter how many times you do it...just like a massage) but you will feel alot better in the morning.

::aidan::.

Okay, I think I like Joe's solution better but alas, I think Aidan's is probably gonna do more more good...at least with training...but I'm thinking I can do a mixture of the two? Joe's glasses of wines *after* the workout *while* I'm getting the massage.

Good info...thank you. Glad to know I'll build up resistance to it over time.

nt

Aidan is dead on ..... i know from training for a marathon that the whole reason you do you long training runs is to get the body used to the distance so you can reduce the lactic acid build up ....

the ice baths are evil but very effective ....and a weekly massage is also great

to go off on somewaht of a tangent, i have just discoverd that my health insurance will pay for my weekly massage ...so instead of dropping over $70, all I have to pay is the $10 co-pay

First, are sure that it is lactic acid buildup and not something else, stretched muscles, torn tissue?

I don't get the lactic acid buildup when I jog, haven't had it in years...possibly because I do not much more than 5Km per jog or perhaps because I jog slowly or a combination of both. Nonetheless, I concentrate on my breathing, expelling my breath fully before inhaling. And I do try to only jog every second day to give myself lots of rest. I believe that in time your body will adapt and the lactic acid buildup will lessen.

For you working it out with a big swedish guy named Sven at your beck and call sounds perfect. Does he have a sister named Olga I could call on?



Edited by Machiavelo 2004-05-14 8:11 AM

wow, what kind of insurance do you have??  How lucky are you!

Nothing special, just your standard Blue Cross Blue Shield.

I read its a good idea to loosen up the legs towards the end of the ride to help avoid the problem when you hit the run. It was suggested, and I've used it effectively a few times, to use an easier gear and increase the cadence with a lower effort per stroke, in the last couple of miles of the cycle. This is supposed to help reduce the lactic acid buildup in your legs prior to the start of the run. Don't know if there's scientific fact behind that but it seems to work well for me?

I'm not sure about scientific, Damon--but I know that when ever I do something anaerobic on the bike (like climb a really tough hill), I try to spin out for a minute afterward for the same reasons you named. This is something that other cyclists with really ripped legs and cool jerseys would always say to me, so it must be true!!!

Dana