Muscle soreness after training.

[Fuglydude]

I'm referring to DOMS (delayed-onset muscle soreness) associated with resistance training. I find that I am the sorest after doing a heavy strength work out (most sets w/ 3-6 rep range w/ heavy resistance). I find higher rep/lighter weight sessions (8-14+ reps/set) do not make me nearly as sore as a heavy deads/dips or squat session. I find I'm the most sore 24-48 hours post-training for really intense strength sessions.

Recently I have been trying to change up my program to incorporate a new rep scheme (higher reps w/ lower weight) as I feel my body is getting used to the low rep modality. However, I am finding that due to reduced soreness I feel that I'm not working hard enough in the gym. I always have aimed to kick the crap out of myself at the gym. Feeling beat up and sore is proof that you've worked out hard. It becomes almost addictive after a while. I still getting sore, but not to the same degree as w/ my previous work outs.

Do you guys always aim to be really sore post-training? Are work outs still productive when you have reduced muscle soreness? I feel weird asking question as I've been in the game for a while, but I've never really gotten into training w/ higher reps/lighter weights for any significant period of time. I'm sure there is a variety of schools of thought on this. What are your thoughts?

 

[Drum&Bass]

I think everyone feels the same as you do but in reality soreness or lack there of doesnt mean you had a bad work out. A better way to mark progress is having PR's.

Lets say bench pressing doesnt leave you very sore but last week or 2 weeks ago you pressed 275 for 3 reps which left you sore, this time you press 275 for 5 reps but you feel incredible and dont notice any soreness 1 -2 days later. You didnt work out any less harder...you got stronger and your making progress which is the bottom line.

You may or may not have done more but the goal isnt to beat yourself up day in and day out the gym its to proress in a linear fashion constantly moving upwards.

You just need to learn to appreciate the days that you walk out of the gym having made new progress and feeling great.

As a harcore lifter i know how you feel but the sooner you snap out of the soreness = success mentality the healthier and happier you will be. It just takes a bit of practice.


p.s. the same applies for new programming. There have been times when I've come up with specialized programs that dont leave me sore but I stick to them for a few months to see if they bring me any progress. This happened to me about 2 months ago when I started specializing in upper body training with little to no lower body work. My coworkers and friends saw a difference in the way I looked and lots of women commented (with pleasure) how much bigger I had gotten.

Rarely would I get sore doing my new program but the progress/results (and comments of other people) spoke for itself.

 

[blinkwatt101]

I just keep lifting till I can't lift no more. If I'm sore,I'm sore. If not oh well.
The only time I get really sore seems to happen after legs and after workouts when I go extremely slow putting 100% emphasis on form. Other then that massive amounts of egg whites don't really let me get that sore. They've treated me well.

Dude I NEVER go under 8 reps,I normally stick to 8-15 reps depending on if I want to go 3-5 sets of a certain exercise. It's not worth the risk of injury in my opinion. Been doing it 3 years now. Hasn't let me down. Just make sure your bouncing reps/sets around,mixing up the exercises and days of the week that you do them and your body will never catch up and get used to it. Notice people didn't carry around notebooks and stuff tracking what they lifted in the old days?

As long as your pushing yourself to the limit,it will pay off.

 

[AAAgent]

i love the soreness feeling but my goal is to always keep getting stronger. I realized the only way is to really have a spot to help push you past your limits. The soreness is a plus and i love that feeling.

A nother way that is very effective is to change your workouts but still target the same muscle groups just doing different excercises. i'll do barbell bench for 2-3 week, then switch to dumb bell, then switch to pushups. I keep the consistent soreness that way and i know that im also getting stronger because im tearing the same muscles but in different ways.

 

[mrRuckus]

Notice people didn't carry around notebooks and stuff tracking what they lifted in the old days?

You're just making stuff up.

 

[blinkwatt101]

You're just making stuff up.

Watch documentaries. Study how they lifted. I've watched every video,documentary,video clip on the net I could on Arnold,Franco,Ferrigno and Zane,Coe and Platz. Not once,did they ever write anything down(I've only seen Ferrigno mention calories,no one else),mention how much they lifted in the past, all they worry about is form and intensity. It's all about the feeling to them....Not to mention I'm fortunate enough to actually get first hand advice from some of them. (I just lucked out on a few of my connections)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viIU7lGBP1Y
That is a very good motivational and telling docudrama about Ferrigno and few others that came back to bodybuilding to see if they still had it.

Don't believe any crap you read in magazines. Actions speak louder then words.