You DON'T have to be sore to have had a good workout
ninerbuff
Posts: 49,024 Member
I've had the occasional client come to me every now and then and say they aren't getting sore from their workouts and wondering if they need to increase their intensity, resistance or duration.
Well totally depending on what their goal is, I will make adjustments. However since 90% of my clients are just looking for good health and aren't trying to get bigger, or be overly fit, many times I just have to tell them that they are maintaining what muscle they have and keeping up their strength as they age. Occasionally they will get sore if we try different or newer exercises (almost all my clients have a different workout each week), but once they adapt, soreness isn't prevalent anymore.
Point being, you can workout out hard and with good intensity and NOT GET SORE. This doesn't mean your workouts are lackluster. It just means your fitter.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Well totally depending on what their goal is, I will make adjustments. However since 90% of my clients are just looking for good health and aren't trying to get bigger, or be overly fit, many times I just have to tell them that they are maintaining what muscle they have and keeping up their strength as they age. Occasionally they will get sore if we try different or newer exercises (almost all my clients have a different workout each week), but once they adapt, soreness isn't prevalent anymore.
Point being, you can workout out hard and with good intensity and NOT GET SORE. This doesn't mean your workouts are lackluster. It just means your fitter.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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Replies
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Thanks for this info.
If I am trying to make progress rather than just maintaining my level, is lack of soreness a sign I’m not pushing hard enough? I’m tired at the end but not sore anymore.0 -
Not necessarily. If the increase in intensity or resistance isn't too significant, then you may not feel it at all.herringboxes wrote: »Thanks for this info.
If I am trying to make progress rather than just maintaining my level, is lack of soreness a sign I’m not pushing hard enough? I’m tired at the end but not sore anymore.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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I’ve already known I need to step it up more, have been making plans (and also need to acquire more weight for my deadlift, which I just started). It sounds like I should be at least somewhat sore if I’m trying to progress - and not just tired.0
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@herringboxes I've personally found that I'm likely to be sore the first one or two times I try a new movement pattern (like squats for the first time, or moving from regular squats to split squats for the first time), but after that, if I keep doing the movement (once or twice a week) but increase the intensity or volume I'm not likely to be sore again until I take a break for a while then re-start. Soreness to me is more associated with changes in the movements I'm doing regularly, rather than progression.1
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Same for me. Some times a muscle area, usually quads, feels a little DOMS on the next day after I've had progression, but most of the time it's just like you described, it shows up after doing new movements or after a longer than usual gap between workouts.@herringboxes I've personally found that I'm likely to be sore the first one or two times I try a new movement pattern (like squats for the first time, or moving from regular squats to split squats for the first time), but after that, if I keep doing the movement (once or twice a week) but increase the intensity or volume I'm not likely to be sore again until I take a break for a while then re-start. Soreness to me is more associated with changes in the movements I'm doing regularly, rather than progression.
As niner said, and Athlean and others have said same, soreness is not an indicator of a successful workout.
Creatine may help with recovery too.0 -
herringboxes wrote: »I’ve already known I need to step it up more, have been making plans (and also need to acquire more weight for my deadlift, which I just started). It sounds like I should be at least somewhat sore if I’m trying to progress - and not just tired.
I don't think that's true. I pretty much agree with knotmel and Retroguy. Progression is a good thing, but - from a training planning standpoint - gradual progression is usually a good idea IMO. There's a pleasantly taut feeling that for me goes along beside strength progress, but I wouldn't call that "sore".
Being persistently tired, well past the few minutes of "whew" right after the exercise . . . I'd feel some caution about that, if it's routine. Maybe that's just me. For me, persistently being tired is a sign of under-recovery, which can be from some combination of too-fast progression, too-frequent/long workouts, sub-par sleep, sub-par nutrition, or various other things. (Those things are progress limiters, too, IME.)1 -
Ann, I think I’ve felt the “pleasantly taut” thing you mentioned, probably on a low level. So that’s good.
As for tired, I don’t think it’s too bad. I do have chronic fatigue and have managed to avoid triggering it at the level I’m going at.
I might post seperately, to not derail, to muse about other factors.1 -
How's your iron intake?herringboxes wrote: »Ann, I think I’ve felt the “pleasantly taut” thing you mentioned, probably on a low level. So that’s good.
As for tired, I don’t think it’s too bad. I do have chronic fatigue and have managed to avoid triggering it at the level I’m going at.
I might post seperately, to not derail, to muse about other factors.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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I’m taking Floradix right now because my kid tells me I have bruises all over my legs. (I’m vision impaired/blind).
But then I hear my legs are turning purple so I suspect it’s something else. Sigh.
But the chronic fatigue is not a simple case of iron deficiency, I’ve had it for almost 15 years and was tested up the wazoo.
Anyway, I’m on the iron 👍1 -
Sorry to hear that. Maybe an autoimmune issue? Lol, I have an autoimmune issue called cholinergic uticaria where when I start to heat up and sweat, I break out in hives. Apparently my immune system is really strong and reacts when it senses imbalance in the body whether through allergic reactions or raise in body temperature. Luckily it's temporary and goes away once my body cools down.herringboxes wrote: »I’m taking Floradix right now because my kid tells me I have bruises all over my legs. (I’m vision impaired/blind).
But then I hear my legs are turning purple so I suspect it’s something else. Sigh.
But the chronic fatigue is not a simple case of iron deficiency, I’ve had it for almost 15 years and was tested up the wazoo.
Anyway, I’m on the iron 👍
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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I have a similar condition, actually!
But will start another thread later on. Carry on with the DOMS discussion! 💪0 -
Just wanted to say that on Tuesday, I went all out on two lifts (some external limitations on the others right now). Upped my weight, by the last set was having to rest several seconds between reps just to finish.
Aaannnd. No soreness. Did feel pretty great the next day, though.
This weight lifting stuff is pretty addictive. Sure wish I started 20 years ago. Better late than never!3 -
Weight lifting is like planting a tree. When's the best time? 20 years ago. When's the second best time? Today!3
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I live in a permanent state of doms, tiredness or pain 🙄😢2
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claireychn074 wrote: »I live in a permanent state of doms, tiredness or pain 🙄😢
Do you ever deload?
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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claireychn074 wrote: »I live in a permanent state of doms, tiredness or pain 🙄😢
And hungry.
But that feeling is probably the biggest reason I haven't gone back to powerlifting since the shut down.0 -
TBF I was being glib. I do deload (in a deload week now actually) but I’m also hypermobile (joints hurt regardless of whether I exercise or not) and in peri menopause (more joint pain and interrupted sleep). So training is not the sole source of my aches and pains. I just like to grumble and complain when I’m tired 🤣 But thank you for asking.claireychn074 wrote: »I live in a permanent state of doms, tiredness or pain 🙄😢
Do you ever deload?
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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I always enjoy the the look of horror on restaurant staff faces when I (5’3 and reasonably petite) eat twice as much as my much bigger husband 🤣 if I’m in a volume phase of training my appetite goes through the roof.claireychn074 wrote: »I live in a permanent state of doms, tiredness or pain 🙄😢
And hungry.
But that feeling is probably the biggest reason I haven't gone back to powerlifting since the shut down.
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claireychn074 wrote: »
I always enjoy the the look of horror on restaurant staff faces when I (5’3 and reasonably petite) eat twice as much as my much bigger husband 🤣 if I’m in a volume phase of training my appetite goes through the roof.claireychn074 wrote: »I live in a permanent state of doms, tiredness or pain 🙄😢
And hungry.
But that feeling is probably the biggest reason I haven't gone back to powerlifting since the shut down.
Yep, the hobbit days....breakfast, second breakfast, elevensies.... I DO miss that part of it!1
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