For you lifting weights

[Gottabow]

How many of you that are hitting the gym have trouble with sore arms and such and also the inability to pull your bows afterwards?  Am I doing something wrong or just over working my muscles with not enough recovery time?Any suggestions would be appreciated..Thanks

[sunny hill archer]

Michael. It took me about 4 weeks to get where I could shoot too. I'm only lifting 3 times a week.

[jonathan creason]

Recovery is just as important as the actual lifting.  Some simple stretching, self message, good diet, and adequate rest go a long ways toward alleviating soreness.

[Spectre]

Originally posted by jonathan creason:
Recovery is just as important as the actual lifting.  Some simple stretching, self message, good diet, and adequate rest go a long ways toward alleviating soreness.

And don't forget hydration. Maybe eat some salty stuff each day.

[dave19113]

ive powerlifted for years... and after a heavy lift day or a powerlifting meet im a lil shakey for like 2-3 days.... no worries ...you will bounce back...

[Biggie Hoffman]

You guys best quit that crap before you hurt yourselves.

[Bowmania]

If you can shoot after lifting weights, your not doing a good job lifting weights.

Bowmania

[meathead]

Just make sure you do your shooting for the day before lifting.

[Pat B.]

Gotta love Biggie...  

When you get a touch older shooting the bow is a good workout, lol...

[Pinecone]

Biggie, you definately have a way with words!  

I have a Bowflex and when I do strength training I am definately sore the next day.  I try to stretch before I shoot and then just draw and let down the bow several times to loosen up before my practice session.  That seems to help a lot.

Claudia

[MSwickard]

Sounds like lifting to heavy of a weight.  Try going lighter and do high reps.  You'll feel it but it's not a painful as straining on heavy low rep stuff.

[ChetterB]

There will be soreness, stretching and recovery is important. I would find it imposible to shoot well after an intense session of lifting. During the lifting session you need to do a good job of fatiguing you muscles or you will see little gain.Good luck Jerry

[Spectre]

If you are working out all the time, you really should address the diet. Nutrition is by far and away the most important part of the workout routine. A good balanced diet and some dietary supplements should do the trick. Your recovery time is the second most important. Your body will "break in" and recover faster as you go, but be sure to let it recover well before hitting it again.
Do your cardio, too.

Drink water, drink water, drink water. Stay away from lactic acids for a while---until your recovery times go down.

[reddogge]

I'm assuming you want to tone your muscles, not become bigger like hulk Hogan.  Less weight, more reps.  Don't overdo it.

[smokin joe]

I have been lifting for ages. I still do and I am an old guy past 60. I am not naturally strong, so I have to work out a bunch to just be average. I don't even try to shoot after I lift. I think the after-lifting weakness would mess up the little shooting form I have. If I shoot in the morning before work and lift after work I can do both in the same day. I try to lift 4 or 5 days a week, and I try to shoot 4 or 5 days a week. Life is busy, so I am not always able to do that.

I alternate workouts -- pulling muscles one day, pushing muscles the next day. Everyone who says to drink lots of water is right. You need to flush the build up of toxins from the workouts out of your muscles.

Hope this helps.

[stalkin4elk]

x2   lift after shooting.

[Trooper]

I'm getting up there in age too, 57, 58 in May.  I still shoot sorta heavy bows 70 to 75lbs and I won't shoot after I lift weights.  I feel like if I do I'll pull something.  Like Meathead said, shoot before you lift.

[poison arrow]

Pain has become a very close friend of mine. Soreness interfears with just about everything I do but hardly ever stops me. I guess if you want to recuperate quicker you will need to take it easy for a dew days and not pick up the bow. Take some naproxin sodium, aleeve hope you feel better. I'm not a BAD @22 but I shoot sore all the time, it's just sometimes the shooting gets cut short.

[jonathan creason]

Learning how to balance intensity and volume are also important when it comes to soreness.  I like to wave load the intensity for squats, bench, deadlift, and push press over a 4 week period.  After that I have 1 week deload and then start a new cycle.  After each primary lift I do a couple of accessories which is mostly just pumping stuff to help with hypertrophy.  With this program I am able to work smarter, not harder, and continually progress.

For anyone that might be interested I use a program that's called the 5/3/1 method that was designed by Jim Wendler.  He's got an e-book available that lays it all out.

[Steelhead]

I am actually stronger and feel great pulling my bows the day after a workout.Its the second and 3rd days after a workout that I feel weaker pulling my bows.I usually take it easier those days but still shoot a few arrows just not as many.I take 3 days off or some times 4 after working a body part out and hit it again on the 4th or 5th  day.As you get older you will need more recovery time between workouts.