good - smoking is a bugger for clearing lactic acid
during exercise - that will get better as the muscles come to recognise that 'oh crap, this is serious - it's becoming a habit) --
During exercise - I use tricks that when I do get either sore or exhausted - I swap muscles -- like - if I get some sort of problem at high cruise speed walking - like I had for a while - shin splints ----------- I would give them momentary rest - by running sideways (if one can call it running). I also tried skipping - like a child skips along when happy - that works really well - but, quickly tires one. - Then you go back to the normal walk.
I've discovered (which real bike people probably all know) - that I can change?? whatever it is by changing pedal rate - like - if the pedal rate is high - I get relief by going up a gear or two - and vice versa. etc etc.
Yes - I understand exactly when you say you can feel the muscles growing - I like the feeling.
Post exercise - I've rarely ever done anything beyond rest - SLEEP - muscles LOVE SLEEP - it's when they do their thing. ----- They need to have protein in the body to do it - no protein - no party.
When walking I assume that you are really swinging your arms - that helps clear the lactic acid etc that's gone into the lymph nodes - it's mechanically pumped out.
other than that - it's just time I think.
My experience is that when you get serious - your body WILL go through complaint periods - but, you will get through them unless there's something that's really kaput with the body.
I would say that if you get something that happens - you get a signal - like a part of a muscle that's painful - unusually painful - where the rest of it isn't complaining beyond the norm - then, for heavens sake stop -------- wait a while and see what it does - perhaps a few days etc..
If you do some damage by 'soldering on' - you may well be looking at a year plus of healing that bit.
I did a stupid thing on the monkey bars in Tassie - in 2019 -- I put full weight on my arms - and, I'm sure that was the event that tore a little hole in one of my biceps ------------(which I saw crystal clear on a sonar image) -- that took about 18 months almost to repair to be pain free.
Only now - I'm beginning to work on the top half of the body - and, no full weight on the monkey bars for me - at first - very soon - I want to start lifting myself on the horizontal bar - BUT - I'll use assistance from resistance bands -- I'll try taking at least 1/3rd of the body weight away at first - just to see what it feels like - I may well take away half of it - go by feel.
Resistance bands I've only recently discovered - they are fantastic. But, if you haven't used them and give them a try ------------ for gods sake - start very very small and do NOT do much - they are sneaky - you do a tiny bit with them at first - and, they tear so much out of you that it's ridiculous - have a look at some pros using them - within a very very short time - they are puffing.
I use them for building - plus - I have discovered that if I use them before I go out either walking or riding - that I'm absolutely charged up for heading out in a T shirt - easy - down to zero degrees - don't feel a thing.
My favourite temperature for exercise is between + 5 and 10 degrees .
It's when I prefer to do the longer distances - 40 km and above. Below zero is good - but, the hands, feet, ears can get cold - the rest is fine. (headbands are good - they keep the ears warm - but, allow the head exposure when you're running hot).
Humidity makes a difference as well of course.
Anyway - keep going - good luck -------------- take pictures - take pictures - take pictures - you won't believe the difference.
