Keep hurting legs...what's going on?

[mustang_marc]

Twice now in 3 weeks, I've 'tweaked' what I'm guessing is my hamstring. First time, I was on a leg sled machine and stressed my left leg on my last set. Not really heavy weight...maybe about 70% effort for me. Then today, I was doing squats (no machine) and made it through 3 sets ok and at the start of the 4th, I felt it in the exact same spot, but on my right leg. Last time, it took a couple days and I was fine. Just curious if there's anything I should be doing to prevent these minor injuries? I don't push it...as soon as I feel it, I shut it down. As for the muscle, I would say my hamstring, but it doesn't hurt in the back - like when you pull a hamstring. Grab the top of your ham - then rotate around toward your inner thigh about 3 inches. Anyone got any ideas?

[Sleeper]

I can assume you strech it well?

I've noticed for me on leg days its really important for me to bike atleast 10 min to get a good leg pump going.

I dont do much resistance on them 6.0 to 7 but i try and keep the rmp in the high 80s low 90's

[davbrucas]

Regardless of what muscle is affected you have strained an underused muscle.

[mustang_marc]

Regardless of what muscle is affected you have strained an underused muscle.

With your background, I figure you're right... but hard for me to believe. I've biked over 3k miles in the last year. Hard to imagine any muscle in my leg being underused...lol

[mustang_marc]

I can assume you strech it well?

I've noticed for me on leg days its really important for me to bike atleast 10 min to get a good leg pump going.

I dont do much resistance on them 6.0 to 7 but i try and keep the rmp in the high 80s low 90's

Nothing more than standard warmups...which now that I think about it - don't usually warm up the affected area.

[UserX]

Do some light stretching, ride the bike for 10 mins, and do a warmup set (50% weight, twice as many reps) before starting legs.

[03trubluGT]

I pulled a hammy a couple of months ago doing squats on a smith machine.

I gave it a rest for a month, and hit legs at about 50% for the first leg day.

Second leg day I went up to 60% and felt that "oh shit, I'd better stop" feeling, so I gave it another 30 days off (I still did eliptical and treadmill, just no weights).

I'm currently into easing back into legs at 50-60% for the last few times with no problems. I might get a twinge here and there, but then I stop. I hope to be 100% in a couple of months.

At my age you can't just bounce back like I used to.

[ceyko]

I used to bike fairly well and found that there were still some damned supporting muscles that would hurt after weights.

I assume you're watching your form too? I used to worry more about completing the rep then form and now I see people really looking to hurt themselves that way.