Should I work out even though I'm sore?

LadyTalulah
LadyTalulah Posts: 174 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi! After a two month break, I started working out again two days ago. I really pushed myself to the limit because I felt bad about how much I had missed. Two days ago I did strength training and yesterday was cardio. I'd like to get back into the habit of one day strength/one day cardio but today I'm still so incredibly sore from my last strength training session that I don't know if I should be working out. My muscles even hurt to touch and I'm walking and sitting like a fragile old lady :p I don't ever remember being this sore. Does that mean I should give them another days' rest or should I stop being a wuss and get back to lifting heavy?
Thanks (:

Replies

  • Chadomaniac
    Chadomaniac Posts: 1,785 Member
    what is your workout schedule like . Do you train full body every second day ?
  • LadyTalulah
    LadyTalulah Posts: 174 Member
    Yeah, full body some I'm sore all over!
    Should I train one specific area and change every day?
  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
    Possibly go through your routine, but with much lighter weights to aid recovery instead of seizing up. Get them moving and get some blood into them.
  • Chadomaniac
    Chadomaniac Posts: 1,785 Member
    ...
  • Chadomaniac
    Chadomaniac Posts: 1,785 Member
    You can do that , it does yield results . Personally I prefer a 4-5 day split where I focus on compound and isometric exercises for each muscle . what is your goal at the moment?

    To answer your question , it would be best to avoid training full body if you are in extreme pain and flooded with lactic acid after such a long break . Generally its fine to get back into it , but in your situation it could possibly do more damage than anything . Let it recover for another day
  • LadyTalulah
    LadyTalulah Posts: 174 Member
    My goal really is to build muscle. I'm female, 5'4 and 110lbs. So I'm really not looking to lose weight, I know I need to put on weight and fat to build muscle. I'm not looking for the perfect body and I haven't got a precise goal. I just want to feel and look stronger!
  • JojoEffeckt164
    JojoEffeckt164 Posts: 146 Member
    Mhhh I´d suggest to recover first. Maybe go swimming for cardio this time and take it easy. That way you have done something.
  • Chadomaniac
    Chadomaniac Posts: 1,785 Member
    My goal really is to build muscle. I'm female, 5'4 and 110lbs. So I'm really not looking to lose weight, I know I need to put on weight and fat to build muscle. I'm not looking for the perfect body and I haven't got a precise goal. I just want to feel and look stronger!

    I like that goal . Great attitude

    Firsts things first . Diet : You need to eat at a surplus

    Gym : You can do something like 5x5
    Look into increasing "overall mass' which is generally done through compound movements although I do believe isometric movements are just as important
    Your current workout programme doesn't look like it corresponds to your goals

    If you would like help feel free to add me .
  • DR2501
    DR2501 Posts: 661 Member
    Work through DOMS IMO, your body will adapt. Swimming is a good call though after your weights session.
  • 294Rich
    294Rich Posts: 171 Member
    It depends how sore is sore?

    If you are a bit sore, then do a gentle work out. If you are very sore, then just go for a light walk, to stay loose. If you do nothing, you tend to stay tight and sore for longer than necessary, in my experience.
  • LadyTalulah
    LadyTalulah Posts: 174 Member
    My goal really is to build muscle. I'm female, 5'4 and 110lbs. So I'm really not looking to lose weight, I know I need to put on weight and fat to build muscle. I'm not looking for the perfect body and I haven't got a precise goal. I just want to feel and look stronger!

    I like that goal . Great attitude

    Firsts things first . Diet : You need to eat at a surplus

    Gym : You can do something like 5x5
    Look into increasing "overall mass' which is generally done through compound movements although I do believe isometric movements are just as important
    Your current workout programme doesn't look like it corresponds to your goals

    If you would like help feel free to add me .

    Awesome, thanks! Will try the 5x5 and tweak my workout sessions according to the progress I'm making! (:
  • LadyTalulah
    LadyTalulah Posts: 174 Member
    It depends how sore is sore?

    If you are a bit sore, then do a gentle work out. If you are very sore, then just go for a light walk, to stay loose. If you do nothing, you tend to stay tight and sore for longer than necessary, in my experience.

    Very sore :p
    I think I'll give today a miss. It's not as if I'm completely inactive anyway, I walk my dog for a couple of hours every day in the forest!
    Thanks, everyone. Will definitely try swimming after weight sessions!
  • Morryarty
    Morryarty Posts: 22
    My goal really is to build muscle. I'm female, 5'4 and 110lbs. So I'm really not looking to lose weight, I know I need to put on weight and fat to build muscle. I'm not looking for the perfect body and I haven't got a precise goal. I just want to feel and look stronger!

    Ok YES, REST is essential. When you rest is when your muscle tissue will repair and grow. If you are doing full body then give yourself a minimum of two days rest between workouts. As far as lifting to BUILD muscle you need to do a rep range of 10-12 with a minimum of 3 sets per muscle group resting no more than 1 min between sets, preferably less ( I rest for 20 seconds), and you should use a weight that challenges you on the last few reps of the final set 'DO NOT TRAIN TO FAILIURE! if you do and you don't rest you will tare a muscle. If you are after mostly strength then you lift V heavy, but doing only 5reps and sets per muscle group, this will not give you quick muscle growth but it will give you strength, if you rest and have good nutrition.

    Balance this punishing challenge on your body with Yoga or deep stretching, hot baths, walking Yin and Yang are essential and balance is everything, be kind to yourself after stressing yourself.

    Good luck
    James
  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
    Ok YES, REST is essential. When you rest is when your muscle tissue will repair and grow. If you are doing full body then give yourself a minimum of two days rest between workouts.

    Wrong
    As far as lifting to BUILD muscle you need to do a rep range of 10-12 with a minimum of 3 sets per muscle group

    No you don't
    resting no more than 1 min between sets, preferably less ( I rest for 20 seconds),

    You're doing it wrong
    and you should use a weight that challenges you on the last few reps of the final set 'DO NOT TRAIN TO FAILIURE! if you do and you don't rest you will tare a muscle.

    Not true
    Balance this punishing challenge on your body with Yoga or deep stretching, hot baths, walking Yin and Yang are essential and balance is everything, be kind to yourself after stressing yourself.

    Yoga, hot baths and Chinese philosophy is that?
    Good luck
    James

    Yeah... they'll need it.
  • Riemersma4
    Riemersma4 Posts: 400 Member
    Rest is always a key, but forgotten, part of working out.

    A little Yoga can be healing for soreness, my experience.

    Thoughts for your workout schedule. Here is what I do:
    Sunday - Long walk with the dog of 4 - 5 miles.
    Monday - Chest and back
    Tuesday - Lower body
    Wednesday - HIIT cardio
    Thursday - Shoulders, biceps, triceps
    Friday - long cardio
    Saturday - full body workout (yoga, P90X Core, other...)

    Best!
  • Morryarty
    Morryarty Posts: 22
    Ok YES, REST is essential. When you rest is when your muscle tissue will repair and grow.

    Wrong
    As far as lifting to BUILD muscle you need to do a rep range of 10-12 with a minimum of 3 sets per muscle group

    No you don't
    resting no more than 1 min between sets,

    You're doing it wrong
    and you should use a weight that challenges you on the last few reps of the final set

    Not true
    Balance this punishing challenge on your body with Yoga or deep stretching, hot baths, walking Yin and Yang are essential and balance is everything, be kind to yourself after stressing yourself.

    Yoga, hot baths and Chinese philosophy is that?
    Good luck
    James

    Yeah... they'll need it.

    With respect IronSmasher, Your glib reply was unhelpful to the OP and dismiss for no good reason, all of the above advice I have given is sound and proven and your comments are ill thought out and unproven.
    1/Rest is important, this is when your body repairs. FACT
    2/A Medium to high rep range with a challenging weight and short rest interval is challenging and intense and will build muscle FACT
    3/It is wise to include some form of stretching and relaxation after exertion. FACT

    I would remind you that the idea of a forum is to offer advice to someone. Now I'm not going to enter into discussion with you. anybody can google the basic training protocol I have outlined above and see that it is a useful and proven approach.

    Feel free to offer the OP some sound helpful advice yourself, then they can choose. but stop wasting all our time by coming across as a troll

    No offence intended

    Regards
    James
  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
    Why have you edited my response in your 'quote' James?
    Your deliberate misrepresentation of my comments makes your troll comment rather ironic, don't you think.

    I answered the OP's specific question earlier. Now I'm wondering why you answered questions that nobody asked, with nonsense?
  • Morryarty
    Morryarty Posts: 22
    Why have you edited my response in your 'quote' James?
    Your deliberate misrepresentation of my comments makes your troll comment rather ironic, don't you think.

    I answered the OP's specific question earlier. Now I'm wondering why you answered questions that nobody asked, with nonsense?

    With respect, I have edited down the quote to simply convey the same message, but in a less long winded manner, the editing has in no way diluted the core of my response to the OP.
    If I choose to be generous with advice, to give someone extra time that is my choice.

    Furthermore, I have and I am being polite to you, so Is it possible that you could not be rude to me. You do not know me so why are you so flippant! Would you talk to someone like that in the gym? I have gleaned quite a lot of knowledge in my 35+ years of Weight training, Martial Arts, Boxing, Cycling, Running and Yoga. as I am sure you have in your time training in whatever it is that you do. Can we to agree to disagree on this. It is true and indeed fair to say that there are many training protocols out there and everyone is different and will respond differently. Hopefully the OP can pic amoungst all the advice offered and now go forward with researching and finding what works for them, our role is complete, I see no reason for this being an argument. It is very common for misunderstandings to happen in forums and I hope you can see that is a clear case of that.

    If you feel the need to reply…please try not to be rude, it is always best and it avoids this kind of exchange.

    Regards
    James
  • ahowe07
    ahowe07 Posts: 12
    Ok YES, REST is essential. When you rest is when your muscle tissue will repair and grow. If you are doing full body then give yourself a minimum of two days rest between workouts.

    Wrong
    As far as lifting to BUILD muscle you need to do a rep range of 10-12 with a minimum of 3 sets per muscle group

    No you don't
    resting no more than 1 min between sets, preferably less ( I rest for 20 seconds),

    You're doing it wrong
    and you should use a weight that challenges you on the last few reps of the final set 'DO NOT TRAIN TO FAILIURE! if you do and you don't rest you will tare a muscle.

    Not true
    Balance this punishing challenge on your body with Yoga or deep stretching, hot baths, walking Yin and Yang are essential and balance is everything, be kind to yourself after stressing yourself.

    Yoga, hot baths and Chinese philosophy is that?
    Good luck
    James

    Yeah... they'll need it.

    Your advice is really bad and dangerous. You should keep it to yourself. I do all sorts of workouts. Your muscles need a rest period for the fibers to rebuild. Stretching and realxing immediately after working out has been proven to increase your energy over the day. Yoga and such exercises are GREAT for sore people. I did a bodyflow class (yoga/pilates/tai chi) and it greatly improved my soreness.

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