Muscle soreness, IT band tightness

[Tom]

I seem to be plagued with extra muscle soreness as I get going this spring. I kind of slacked off downstairs so if I put real pressure on and go out for any length of time my legs just plain ache. I am finding that stretching isn't doing much for relief but one of those roller sticks will quiet them down so I can go back to sleep at night. It seems to limber things up too. My left IT band will get so tight that it makes my knee annoyed just sitting around because it is constantly pulling on it.

I found a bunch of hip flexor stretches that seem like they'd work except my left hip refuses to get in some of those positions!

But here's the odd thing. I was feeling really uncomfortable and went down to do my pushups and situps. I struggled through my five sets totaling 80 of each, huffing and puffing. I got up and walked away and it was like "Hallelujah, I'm healed! It's a miracle!" My legs feel fine and loose. What the hell!? Was it jacking up my heart rate so I actually got some air into things? I'm going to have to track this one to see if there is actually some kind of relationship.

[murphy]

I seem to be plagued with extra muscle soreness as I get going this spring. I kind of slacked off downstairs so if I put real pressure on and go out for any length of time my legs just plain ache. I am finding that stretching isn't doing much for relief but one of those roller sticks will quiet them down so I can go back to sleep at night. It seems to limber things up too. My left IT band will get so tight that it makes my knee annoyed just sitting around because it is constantly pulling on it.

I found a bunch of hip flexor stretches that seem like they'd work except my left hip refuses to get in some of those positions!

But here's the odd thing. I was feeling really uncomfortable and went down to do my pushups and situps. I struggled through my five sets totaling 80 of each, huffing and puffing. I got up and walked away and it was like "Hallelujah, I'm healed! It's a miracle!" My legs feel fine and loose. What the hell!? Was it jacking up my heart rate so I actually got some air into things? I'm going to have to track this one to see if there is actually some kind of relationship.

I had IT band issues a few years ago. Two things turned it around for me: one was including more squats and lunges to balance out my muscles and two was stretching my hips and foam rolling the IT band everyday. The latter was good for short term gains, but the former was totally necessary for me to kick it and have it stay kicked. My guess as to why you might have felt better was that perhaps one of the positions you were in opened up your hips a bit and allowed things to move more like you are used to.

[AntLockyer]

are you eating enough carbs and protein?