Is something wrong with me?

NewChapterInMyLife

I recently began toning, lifting, strength training. I am very new to this!! I'm a cardio person and have always been and so at 41 yrs.of age, my arm muscles have just gone kapoot. In fact, I never had them. Even in my younger years, training with Army recruiters when i was at my peak level, i couldn't even do a pullup or girl pushup. I think arm weakness could be hereditary because my mom was the same way..just a theory. My legs are pretty strong...yet i get DOM from butt and leg workouts yet never DOM on my arms. WHY?? You would think my arms would be hurting the worst since it kills me to do even 3 sets of 6 reps w 5 lbs on shoulder presses and lateral raises. I do a whole arm routine including wall pushups, tricep pushbacks, tricep extensions, bicep curls and more. It hurts!! But never ever do i get the DOM on my arms. What's wrong with me? Could it be that this means there is no hope for my arms? Like have i lost the possibility of getting muscle there? I have bat wings. I want toned arms and to be stronger so bad. What am i doing wrong? I hate DOM but it means it's working....So any thoughts?

kimny72

Soreness is not a good measure of what's going on. Most people have some muscles that get sore really easy and other muscles that never get sore. I don't know why, so hopefully someone else will come along and fill in the blanks.

AnvilHead

DOMS is not an indicator that anything is "working". Having DOMS doesn't mean you had a good workout or you're building muscles or getting stronger or anything else. In fact, once you've gotten past the beginning stages of a new workout routine, it's unusual to continue getting DOMS.

If you're lifting hard enough to challenge yourself, using a well-designed routine and progressing in weight/intensity as you're able to, you're doing it right.

Muscle growth happens very, very slowly, and "toned" doesn't necessarily have anything to do with it. "Toned", as most people use it, means you've lost enough subcutaneous body fat for your muscles to be more defined.

Here's a very good read on toning, geared specifically toward women (make sure to read the whole article, as he pokes a bit of fun in the beginning!): https://www.aworkoutroutine.com/toning-workout-for-women/

NewChapterInMyLife

Thank you both. And I will read the article.

Orphia

As a generalisation, you shouldn't feel sore unless you're doing it wrong.

And bat wings are often unrelated to the underlying muscle. If you've lost a lot of weight, and are young, time will mean the skin there "tightens".

mywayroche

I lost DOMS after a few months of working out, that doesn't mean that it stopped working. Getting stronger is a response to stress placed on the muscles, just keep overloading them

MikeSW72

If you have given your current arm routine a chance to work, like a month or so already, then change it up. Different exercises, more weight less reps, or less weight more reps etc. If you have been at it less than a month keep going and try to get another rep in when you can. Try skipping 2 days between strength training. Do weights before cardio. These things have helped me greatly.

Everyone is different but almost everyone will gain strength to adapt to a workout if they have fat to burn or have an excess of calories.