Feeling exhausted after workouts?

RE: Feeling exhausted after workouts?

__steve__ — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 12:39:11 GMT

Have you tried extra iron (Fe)? If your taking any Rx's, see if there could be any side effects associated with what you experience.

RE: Feeling exhausted after workouts?

philoswimmer — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 11:43:16 GMT

I would be really interested in your bp before and after readings. I am not a doctor but, joking aside, I am a hypo, and find this stuff fascinating. My prediction: if you are normal, your bp should go up after a hard sprint. Or at least during it (though how to measure you bp mid-50 is problematic.) Oh, I agree -- my bp is higher during the sprint and even immediately afterward. It's after cooling down that I suspect it might be lower (that's when I feel faint). I'll see if I can scare up a monitor.

RE: Feeling exhausted after workouts?

Former Member — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 10:34:17 GMT

How much are you cooling down? Some smart people disagree with this theory, but it is pretty simple to check and see if it helps you. When you do a hard workout, anything keeps your heart hammering away for a while, I think you need an extended cool down. When you are swimming, your heart isn't working against gravity and it has the aide of periodic muscle contraction to aide flow. If you skip cool down, or only do a short cool down, your heart is working really hard and then you take away all its help. An extended cool down is probably a time thing more than a distance thing. When you first finish your hard set, you want to start swimming to have the muscle contraction to help your heart, but as your heart rate begins to slow down and your catch your breath, swimming slower, doing open turns or even stopping on the wall would prepare you for getting out of the water an facing the full effects of gravity. There was a thread a while ago "Is cool down necessary" where I argued my point and several others supported the counter point if you want to read more about it.

RE: Feeling exhausted after workouts?

swimshark — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 07:55:00 GMT

Try some of these cookies before practice www.bbcookies.com/.../home.php They are energy cookies as well as giving you calories. They taste great, too. I love the chocolate cherry and the chocolate chunk ones. You can find them on Amazon with free shipping for less than going directly through the site.

RE: Feeling exhausted after workouts?

jim thornton — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 07:45:07 GMT

Yeah, I don't think I have any heart problems either, just the low BP. Is there any way to measure that other than investing in a home BP monitor? I may try the GU if my other solutions don't work. I tend to avoid what I see as expensive food products whose ingredients don't look like food to me, although perhaps that perception is not accurate in the case of GU. Ask your teammates. I am virtually certain somebody already has a home bp monitor that he or she would agree to let you borrow for a few days. Who knows? Maybe you could get your whole team to do before and after bp readings during practice sometime? That would make for a fascinating little armchair scientist thread in its own right. In terms of Gu, I agree: it's expensive, the Gel tastes pretty bad (I do like the Chomps better), and it's pretty much a man made food-like substance. The reason I switched to it is that I was getting that bonk problem every practice. For a year, I would force myself to eat little peanut butter crackers before practice (real food, sort of). These worked, but they did a number on my stomach during hard practices. They also really dried out my mouth, something that swimming does even without the crackers. I started brining some Gatorade to help swallow down the crackers. I felt more and more like a little old lady who swallowed the fly. Anyhow, then a triathlete friend told me about GU. I tried it. It worked. It was simply to throw a half dozen in my swimming bolsa so I would always have one. And I have been an enthusiastic GU guy ever since. I buy them by the case online. Still expensive, but not horribly so. GU and tap water is actually cheaper that peanut butter crackers and Gatorade. I would be really interested in your bp before and after readings. I am not a doctor but, joking aside, I am a hypo, and find this stuff fascinating. My prediction: if you are normal, your bp should go up after a hard sprint. Or at least during it (though how to measure you bp mid-50 is problematic.)

RE: Feeling exhausted after workouts?

philoswimmer — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 06:58:06 GMT

RE: Feeling exhausted after workouts?

philoswimmer — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 05:55:58 GMT

Benadryl can have a sedating effect that lasts well into the next day. Maybe if you are a Benadryl lifer, you can overcome this. But if you are taking this drug regularly, even at night, it has just emerged as my No. 1 suspect for your somnolence. I'd put it in as "one, but not the only factor." The benadryl makes for a certain low-level amount of tiredness, yes, but the sprint workouts go far beyond that. And while I am not a lifer, it has been quite a number of months (maybe 6 or so?) so I would think my body would be mostly used to it by now. Before the Benadryl, I was taking Chloritrimeton, which is now hard to find, or at least it was the last time I looked.

RE: Feeling exhausted after workouts?

jim thornton — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 05:05:24 GMT

RE: Feeling exhausted after workouts?

jethro — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 02:12:54 GMT

Two Words: NETI POT The most glorious invention since sliced bread. Funny, I must be the only person on the planet for whom a Neti Pot doesn't work, from what I can tell. I have horrific allergies and post-nasal drip, so my doctor suggested I try one. It did nothing for me, but prescription pseudoephedrine is my new best friend. :bighug:

RE: Feeling exhausted after workouts?

philoswimmer — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 01:46:12 GMT

Two Words: NETI POT The most glorious invention since sliced bread. So I've heard. But my allergies tend to manifest themselves on my skin (rashes, puffiness), and when it gets very bad, my asthma. Sneezy/stuffiness only rarely.

RE: Feeling exhausted after workouts?

bzaks1424 — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 01:37:36 GMT

Claritin, yes... and benadryl at night. Still not fully under control. *sigh* Two Words: NETI POT The most glorious invention since sliced bread.

RE: Feeling exhausted after workouts?

philoswimmer — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 01:31:45 GMT

What anithistamine are you taking? Many of them, including Benadryl, will make you drousy! :afraid:Claritin is now available as a generic and won't make you drousy. And, the generic is very inexpensive at Costco. Claritin, yes... and benadryl at night. Still not fully under control. *sigh*

RE: Feeling exhausted after workouts?

Elaine Krugman — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 01:21:29 GMT

I try to keep an eye on my diet, iron-wise (and sometimes I forget), but no iron pills, no. My main Rx is anti-histamines... can't seem to get my damn allergies under control. What anithistamine are you taking? Many of them, including Benadryl, will make you drousy! :afraid:Claritin is now available as a generic and won't make you drousy. And, the generic is very inexpensive at Costco.

RE: Feeling exhausted after workouts?

philoswimmer — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 01:16:47 GMT

Have you tried extra iron (Fe)? If your taking any Rx's, see if there could be any side effects associated with what you experience. I try to keep an eye on my diet, iron-wise (and sometimes I forget), but no iron pills, no. My main Rx is anti-histamines... can't seem to get my damn allergies under control.

RE: Feeling exhausted after workouts?

philoswimmer — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 11:47:49 GMT

Have you taken your bp before and after a hard practice? If it really does plummet significantly, you should probably get it checked out. Just on a whim, I googled "exercise induced hypotension" to see if there actually is such a phenomenon. It appears that there is. Here is one of the web sites I found: www.cardiosmart.org/.../AskCardiologist.aspx I really doubt you have any heart problems. My money is still on some kind of exercise induced hypoglycemia (which I get every time I don't have GU before practice.) If you haven't tried this yet, I really recommend it. It's not the greatest tasting stuff, but it prevents the bonk quite effectively. Yeah, I don't think I have any heart problems either, just the low BP. Is there any way to measure that other than investing in a home BP monitor? I may try the GU if my other solutions don't work. I tend to avoid what I see as expensive food products whose ingredients don't look like food to me, although perhaps that perception is not accurate in the case of GU.

RE: Feeling exhausted after workouts?

jim thornton — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 06:13:06 GMT

RE: Feeling exhausted after workouts?

philoswimmer — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 05:39:30 GMT

Here's my latest. Earlier this week, many hours after my workout, I found myself at one of those restaurants where you sit on the floor for a long time and stuff yourself full of food. When I got up, I felt very dizzy and nauseous. I went outside to get some fresh air, but couldn't get it under control. Sitting down and putting my head between my knees didn't help. Finally I laid down and put my feet up, and that helped almost immediately. (Yes, I made quite the scene). But I basically felt like crap the rest of the evening. So, my latest hypothesis is that low blood pressure is the culprit, at least partially. My blood pressure tends to be on the low side anyway, and as I get into better and better shape, it gets lower and my dizziness episodes increase. (I've experienced this at other points in my life, unrelated to swimming). Today we did sprints and I was feeling pretty poorly afterward. (Banana was consumed ~1 hr before... I did not like banana in my stomach at all). So, I had some chocolate milk, which definitely helps, and then thought, why not lie down proactively, rather than try to fight through it and then succumb later? So, I put my feet up for just a few minutes. That seems to have made all the difference. I can't say that I am leaping around the room, but I don't feel that overpowering urge to nap. I think my blood really gets pumping while I swim, and then as I cool down in the pool and afterward, less blood is going to my brain and I feel faint. The longer it stays like that, the worse it is for me, until I just completely bonk. And that is my hypochondriac's analysis for the day. :-) Thanks again to everyone for all of the good suggestions.

RE: Feeling exhausted after workouts?

Karl_S — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 11:30:10 GMT

Oh, no banana today -- by the time I remembered, it was too late. :( I tried the watered-down gatorade instead. My stomach even had trouble with that. Argh. More core work. Not giving up. Gatorade in any concentration seems to give me trouble. I like water better if I am exerting myself, and like milk for post-workout recovery. Chocolate milk is arguably even better, but phenylethylamine is implicated as a migraine trigger.

RE: Feeling exhausted after workouts?

jim thornton — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 01:52:11 GMT

Philo, try GU. It really works. I used to have one of the gel packets before every practice but recently switched to the Chomps variety, which I prefer for taste purposes (also more calories in a packet.) If I have a GU, I never bonk. Plus it is very easy on the stomach.

RE: Feeling exhausted after workouts?

Former Member — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 13:36:21 GMT

Usually it's a sprint workout that will do it. Let's just say that it makes it hard to get work done the rest of the day... Does this happen to anyone else? Yup. I have to admit that I skip a workout if I have a lot of work. I did two tough sprint workouts the last two days and still feel sluggish. I find that I always have to compromise between tough workouts and everyday life.

RE: Feeling exhausted after workouts?

bzaks1424 — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 09:51:23 GMT

Thursday night we had a fun little spring workout. Now the times are slow because I'm slow, I'll have you know I had an average of 10-15 seconds rest. 50 Pull(1:00) 100 (2:00) 25 all out (0:45) 3 1 2 3 2 4 3 3 6 3 4 8 Now - about a week ago - I was swimming 100s on about 1:55-2:00ish. This last week - I've been so busy I haven't been able to lift at all, and I was swimming them on 1:40-1:45! That was exciting - but I can honestly say even though I went 100% all out (I love sprints, and I want to beat all of the other people on my interval - no matter what) on every swim, I wasn't completely cashed out at the end of the night. Now - it could be because I had a hammer gel going in to practice - but that was because I hadn't' eaten since about 3-4 hours before practice... However - I felt pretty decent (tired, but decent) after practice was done. How's it going Philo? Are you doing some twisting motion workouts as well as standard situps? If you want a great book with exercises - I recommend the Abs Diet: Amazon.com: The Abs Diet: The Six-Week Plan to Flatten Your Stomach and Keep You Lean for Life (9781579549985): David Zinczenko, Ted Spiker: Books

RE: Feeling exhausted after workouts?

philoswimmer — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 02:59:01 GMT

How's it going Philo? Are you doing some twisting motion workouts as well as standard situps? Yes, I am, thanks. It's going OK. Still getting wiped out sometimes (see a couple of posts above you). But I'm willing to stick this out a bit and see where it goes.

RE: Feeling exhausted after workouts?

philoswimmer — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 11:19:55 GMT

Two sprint workouts in the last 3 months? That's gonna hurt. I was thinking that we didn't do sprints that often, either, and whether that was a factor. But we do them more like 1-2 times a week. In any case, today was a distance day, but we did a timed 1000 as part of the workout. I pushed it pretty hard and felt really strong while I was swimming and fine when I finished. But after lunch and a shower, I felt lightheaded and tired. After about a 20 minute nap (there was no choice -- I couldn't work), I felt much better. Oh, no banana today -- by the time I remembered, it was too late. :( I tried the watered-down gatorade instead. My stomach even had trouble with that. Argh. More core work. Not giving up.

RE: Feeling exhausted after workouts?

isobel — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 10:53:18 GMT

I also am toast after a sprint workout. I think it's because we very rarely do them. However, last Friday and today we did them. Today was 20 x 100 meters, with an occasional recovery 100. I flew 'em. I surprised myself. I got out of the pool, felt delirious walking to the T (and Boston has finally cooled down for a few days), got home, could barely eat or keep my eyes open; basically was wiped out. Ditto last week. For me I think it is two things: 1. I am not a sprinter. 2. We rarely do these sprint workouts. Also, 3. When we are supposed to swim fast on a lot of rest I often am lazy, but today decided to push myself. Two sprint workouts in the last 3 months? That's gonna hurt. That's my answer for me, because I am quite used to our regular workouts and this is a whole new level of toast. I never went to sleep because I knew I wouldn't sleep tonight, but eventually I made myself an excellent dinner. Now I feel much better. Though I'd like to go to bed and really this is rather early for me. I'm more a 1 a.m. kind of gal. I totally enjoyed today because my lanemate was super. "Just 5 more 100s as fast as we can!" Etc. Also I had fun because I let her go ahead of me, gave her extra time, then tried to catch her and usually did. Plus I like her. I was sleepy even before beginning the workout, even before going to the pool; did not want to swim today. So all around a surprise that I flew those 100s, for me. But the aftermath, wiped out to a level unfamiliar to me (and I did the 10K postal last year) (with no training beyond regular 4K workouts).

RE: Feeling exhausted after workouts?

Former Member — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 16:34:21 GMT

I'm also thinking that spending time in a lower temperature *contact* environment, that lowers your body temperature a bit can have some effect too. I think increase in hunger and sleepiness are perhaps connected. I read a milion times that increase in hunger has to do with exerting yourself in lower temperature. I know from other sports, I can exert myself a lot more on dryland, and not feel *that* sleepy and hungry. Also, whenever I need that nap, it's not just sleep, I'm usually cold too, and need to be very bundled up. Almost like a very very mild hypothermia. I remember when I was working out a lot, year round in an outdoor pool, we always used to run to the divers jacuzzi after the workout. I don't remember if I was feeling sleepy on the days when I didn't go in the jacuzzi. Hmmmmmm! *head scratching*