Weight training - should I be sore

I have been following the body for life - weight / cardio cycle. I am just trying to tone, not buff up. I did my arms and although they feel a little tired, they are not sore................ Do I need to use more weights?
Thanks

Wed. Jan 11, 8:11am

To tone, but not to bulk up, you should be using the amount of weight that you can lift for 3 sets of 12-15 reps. If you can do much more than that, then yes, you need more weights; if you can't do all that, then you're lifting too much weight. Also, be sure to stretch well, it will also help prevent bulk.

You may be sore or you may not. It'll depend on how much stretching you do, how much water you drink, and probably some other factors too.

If your muscles are tired, though, at least you know you're working them!

Wednesday, January 11, 2006, 10:24 AM

here are also a few tips for lifting weights. These are things I was told really helps when I was in a weight lifting class.

1. Rather than doing like 2 or 3 reps of just 15. Try using a lower weight and see how many you can possibly do. Then wait about 10 minutes and do it again. we used to do bench pressing with nothing but the bar (no weights on it just the 45 lbs of the bar) and we do it about 40 or 50 times before our arms couldnt do another. It really helped.

2. Resistance- Rather than lifting weights normally with your arm, use the same weight that you would normally use but this time rather than just pumping your arm up and down, bring your arm up with the weight and go down very very slowly. This will give your arms a great workout.

Thursday, January 12, 2006, 2:57 AM

It's not uncommon to feel tired...

My running class instructor advised us several things:

1) STRETCH before working out
2) STRETCH after working out
3) Eat and drink something right after you finish working out, to replenish your body of some of the glucogen that was lost (as well as the fluids lost while sweating)... This is supposed to help prevent the exhausted feeling lots of people feel the day after a workout...

Hope that helps.

Thursday, January 12, 2006, 5:53 PM

Ladies you will NOT bulk up!

A lot of the old theory of low weight, higher reps for toning and high weight, lower reps will bulk you up has really been scientifically de-bunked. Unless you are intensively hard-core body building you don't need to worry. In fact building/toning muscle will start to burn more calories and for a longer duration, in other words the muscle itself is constantly helping you burn calories. Pay attention to CORRECT FORM and SLOW, DELIBERATE MOVES. If you're not sure about a machine or form ask a reputable trainer or research fitness books and magazines. This will also decrease your odds of an injury which of course will slow down your progress. I work with a weight at which I really "feel the burn" (NOT joint pain!) on the 10-12th rep, recover for a minute and repeat 2 more sets. When this becomes "easy" I increase my weights, but back off to 8 reps in each saet and then work back up. This has worked very well for me. I'm starting to see toning and definition, and though I've a long way toward my goal...I feel great! Good luck and don't fear the "bulk". DEBS

Thursday, January 12, 2006, 6:29 PM

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