Working out and muscle soreness

A bit of an opposite of the usual question.

If I lift weights and actually put in a lot of effort while lifting but aren't sore the day afterwards, does that mean I didn't work out hard enough? Usually I do have some residual soreness but recently my muscles are just a bit tired the next day. I use weights that are difficult for me for the last four or five reps.

Thu. Apr 17, 12:26pm

Sore is good - not sore is bad

I have been lifting for about 15 years (I bench 255) and I would say the following:

If you are not a bit sore that is not good. Soreness means you really pushed your muscles and micro-tore up the muscle fibers for repair and growth. Try the following:

1. Increase the weight and drop reps to 10, 8, 6 or drop weight and increase to 12, 12, 12
2. Change exercises up - I went from squats and deadlifts to machine extensions and machine curls last Friday and my legs are still a little sore
3. Do something radical every third week - Change your entire week - go from high reps to low or each bodypart once a week to full circuit each time, or plyometrics or take a break from lifting altogether...
4. Have some more coffee and kick up the intensity!

Those will make you sore agian and make your muscles GROW !

Thursday, April 17, 2008, 1:41 PM

that's great advice pp.

I'm female and lift at the gym, but find I just don't have enough time for cardio. Any ideas? I have 30 minutes at the gym 5x a week during my lunch break and that's it.
I'd love suggestions....today I pushed hard for 10 minutes on the total body elliptical and 10 on the bike. Then spent 15 minutes doing weights. But I don't sweat like other people.

Thursday, April 17, 2008, 2:22 PM

At lunch I start on the eliptical - max resistance - and as FAST and hard as I can then I run a mile pretty fast at the end - done - that is good cardio and enough to make you sweat I hope

I think the bike stinks. Better to go on the treadmill for sure !

Thursday, April 17, 2008, 5:04 PM

thanks for the tip! I'm still new to this cardio stuff, would rather just lift weights, but that's not getting rid of the fat on top of the muscles.

Thursday, April 17, 2008, 5:10 PM

I know exactly what you mean I felt the same way 2 years ago...- you will learn to enjoy cardio I promise - just stick to it and you will get good at it and think of yourself as someone who is good at cardio not just weights - plus you'll be svelt! ;)

Thursday, April 17, 2008, 5:26 PM

Try doing cardio three times per week and spend your time doing that, focused. Then spend your other two days doing strength. You might choose to do cardio two days at the gym, so you can have three days for strength, since you can always go do cardio outside (like a walk, run, bike, or swim) on Saturday. Then, on those strength days, you have 1/2 hour to 45 minutes solely for strength. Rather than try to do both, try to divide it out. And if you need more cardio, try to fit in extra cardio when you get off of work. Can you workout after work for half an hour too? Or take a walk or bike ride after work? I used to work in an 8 story building. I took my two fifteen minute breaks a day to walk up and down the 8 stories in the stairwell. I used the bathroom on the top floor when I needed to go, so I had to walk up stairs to go to the restroom. Fitting in a little extra cardio all day is what you want to maximize your gym time other strenth training, since you seem to not have much time available.

When you train, you might superset, which means that you go from one exercise to the next without a break. This will build a little more cardio into your strength training. You might also research Body for Life. They have a strategy on how to do your sets and reps to maximize your workout. Its hard, though, and you will feel it the next day.

Thursday, April 17, 2008, 9:34 PM

Amazing advice!

During the week when the weather cooperates, I take my two young children for a 2 mile bike ride or a 1 mile walk (that's all their little legs can handle). I am pretty much a single parent (controlling husband who's gone all the time) so he won't let me work out after work, need to get home to feed everyone.

I think I may stick with my routine until I lose more weight and feel I'm not dying for air. Each day I try to increase my time on the cardio machine by one minute. I'll be doing 20 full minutes on the elliptical before I know it!

Friday, April 18, 2008, 9:21 AM

You might try combining some weight work with your cardio on some days - so ~~ if you are doing the eliptical or bike, you can do hand weights at the same time - bicep curls, triceps, etc. You might be able to add some ankle weights sometimes, to work more on your quads.

Friday, April 18, 2008, 3:08 PM

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