New weights program - was sore, now not - help??

nixism
nixism Posts: 258 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey guys, I had my old program for about a month, and my legs were killing me after every lower body weights session - like I'd almost struggle to walk. I've just had a new program done, that should be "harder" than the last one, but my legs when I do a lower body session on this new program aren't hurting at all...?? Perhaps my new exercises are not hard enough?

These are the types of exercises I'm doing for legs / lower body...
Bent leg Deadlifts with 15kgs
Olympic bar 20kg squats
Single leg squats to the bench (own weight)
Single less press 35kgs

Any ideas??

Replies

  • gmallan
    gmallan Posts: 2,099 Member
    What was your program before? How is the weight that you are lifting feeling? Can you lift heavier? What are your reps and sets?
  • Bakkasan
    Bakkasan Posts: 1,027 Member
    After about 4 cycles the soreness will not be nearly as much of a factor as when you begin. You want sore, push harder. A LOT harder, you can do it.
  • nixism
    nixism Posts: 258 Member
    I'm doing 3sets of 8reps for all movements, which I'll look to increase to 10, then 12reps.
    If I can do that, I should be lifting heavier.

    The Olympic bar weighs 20kgs (not loaded), which I am squatting... I'm not sure it's enough, as I'm not feeling it - I do when I do the movements, but then I feel fine in the day or so after - which prior I would have been hurting (in a good way).

    Hmm...
  • Cyclink
    Cyclink Posts: 517 Member
    Soreness means that you overdid it and your body needs to heal the damage before it can increase the strength and/or size of the muscle. It's not a good thing to aim for as a sign of "doing enough".
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    soreness or lack thereof is not an inidicator of a hard or easy workout. it's just soreness. don't spend time seeking it out. instead spend time making sure you progressing upward on the weight and reps you can lift or pull.

    going up in weight and/or reps is a sign of effective workouts, not soreness.
  • hatsdown
    hatsdown Posts: 14
    If you want the sore feeling back, stop working out for a few weeks. Then hit it again.. It will come right back. What are you a masochist?
  • Remo_Williams
    Remo_Williams Posts: 73
    soreness or lack thereof is not an inidicator of a hard or easy workout. it's just soreness. don't spend time seeking it out. instead spend time making sure you progressing upward on the weight and reps you can lift or pull.

    going up in weight and/or reps is a sign of effective workouts, not soreness.

    ^^ This is correct. Also soreness is often an indicator that you have waited too long between workouts. If you were to take a month off of all lifting, and then started back, you would be sore again. Including new movements, especially ones that make you stretch (like dumbbell flyes, stiff-leg deadlifts, etc.), will induce soreness until you adapt.
  • sirthickness
    sirthickness Posts: 133
    soreness or lack thereof is not an inidicator of a hard or easy workout. it's just soreness. don't spend time seeking it out. instead spend time making sure you progressing upward on the weight and reps you can lift or pull.

    going up in weight and/or reps is a sign of effective workouts, not soreness.
    ^^^^ being sore after a workout is not necessarily a good thing. As long as you are noticing strength gains you are doiing just fine.
  • triggsta
    triggsta Posts: 140
    Honestly? I have the hardest time these days to get sore. I have to stop weight training for like a week and then get right back into it to feel any amount of soreness. I'll have a stiffness to some muscles some days, but nothing a good stretch and warmup can't solve. I push myself to fatigue for every strength training exercise I do (usually 3-4 sets, 12 reps max, but the last set will usually only be 8 since I increased weights and the last two are super tough to finish). I've pushed myself to 210 lbs leg press, 110 lb hack squat, and 50 lb chest press but still I barely get sore.

    I've had people suggest I drastically change my workout, but honestly I'm not to worried about not getting sore. Why? Because then I can get right back into my workouts and not worry have to wait until my muscles feel better. I can do more strength training throughout the week (though usually only 3-4 days a week of it). And it's not like I'm not noticing fat burning or muscles building. My quads are starting to look mighty fine and my biceps/triceps are really toning up. Every day I notice my muscles getting stronger and more toned, so I'm not complaining :)
  • wmagoo27
    wmagoo27 Posts: 201 Member
    I had my old program for about a month

    If your old program was working, and you only ran it for a month, why did you change? I wouldn't change up programs until I become bored, or the program stops being effective, whichever comes first.
  • nixism
    nixism Posts: 258 Member
    OK, thanks guys for your replies - I guess I was equating "soreness" with "muscles working"... ie: feeling it after the workout.
    I will continue with this program and see how I go.

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