Weight lifting question

maryamalhitmi95

Hello everyone,

For about 9 or 10 months I was doing just cardio. Yes I lost a lot of weight but I'm looking for a more toned body so I started doing JM - 30 days shred. For the first 1-6 days I was lifting like 2 pounds hand weights. On 7th day, I started lifting 4 pounds that's because I stopped getting the sore muscles feeling and I'm afraid I'm not building any muscles. Does that make any sense? I'm new to this lol. But even with the 4 pound hand weights still no sore muscles. I don't know what to do. Is that a good sign or a bad sign? I know my question is stupid but I'm new to this. Should I start holding 6 pounds hand weights? I don't know.

Please help!

feisty_bucket

maryamalhitmi95 wrote: »

Is that a good sign or a bad sign?

Being sore like you experienced at first is sort of a noob thing (DOMS) so it's good that you've gotten over the hurdle.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delayed_onset_muscle_soreness

On the other hand, soreness doesn't really indicate if you're making progress with your muscles or not. Experienced lifters get tired, but not _sore_ in the same way.

Anyways, I'd go with as heavy a weight as you can manage with good form. If you find yourself getting sloppy or feel like something's about to get twisted/hurt, dial it back. Lifting is supposed to be difficult for it to do any good, but if you go over the edge you'll break something. So the goal is to find that line and ride it carefully. It gets easier to sense these things with more experience, so be gradual with it.

chandraminick

Most likely through the while shred, you will need an assortment of weights because each exercise works a different set of muscles. I could only use one pound weights and still maintain good form with front shoulder raises and side lunges, but can use ten pounds on chest press. I think wen tend to overestimate how much muscle they actually build in only a few months. I think a noticeable amount any where other than the thighs takes six months or more even when doing 30 day shred every day. Once I did it for 60 days while doing a squat challenge also, so I learned from experience. You will feel better before you look bulky.