Muscles not getting sore anymore?

peachfigs

Recently I did some HIIT style workouts, and the next day I could literally not walk, and had to rest all day. I had REALLY hurt my butt, legs, stomach, and arms, I could barely even sit down on the sofa to watch TV :laugh:

I've done the workout twice since, and it still hurt, but gradually hurt less each time.

On my fourth go two days ago, I am not hurting at all! It was such a killer workout, why has it wore off so fast?

Does this mean this workout is useless for me now? I even tried doubling the reps and I still didn't get pain.

Crankstr

It's fine not to be sore.

Soreness is not an indicator of an effective workout, do not worry.

Seajolly

It's fine not to be sore.

Soreness is not an indicator of an effective workout, do not worry.

Yes, this is true. When I workout more, I don't get sore. Are you working out more than usual? Just because you're not sore doesn't mean it isn't working though! Just means you're in better shape.

ModoVincere

it's called adaptation....your muscles learn how to cope with the stress.
change up your exercise routine (ie, try some squats with weights) and you can find that soeness again.

peachfigs

It's fine not to be sore.

Soreness is not an indicator of an effective workout, do not worry.

Yes, this is true. When I workout more, I don't get sore. Are you working out more than usual? Just because you're not sore doesn't mean it isn't working though! Just means you're in better shape.

Thanks guys!! So if I just keep going, I should still see results? I definitely feel the burn DURING the work out, but no soreness after.

Crankstr

WHat else do you do?

I lift heavy weights, and on the off days do some kind of cardio...but still even with that I am not as sore as i used to get, unless I add a new exercise.

peachfigs

WHat else do you do?

I lift heavy weights, and on the off days do some kind of cardio...but still even with that I am not as sore as i used to get, unless I add a new exercise.

At the moment I am doing the HIIT workouts on The Daily Hiit (Formerly known as Bodyrock TV) along with yoga and some cardio. I'd really love to start lifting but I have no idea where to start!

Seajolly

It's fine not to be sore.

Soreness is not an indicator of an effective workout, do not worry.

Yes, this is true. When I workout more, I don't get sore. Are you working out more than usual? Just because you're not sore doesn't mean it isn't working though! Just means you're in better shape.

Thanks guys!! So if I just keep going, I should still see results? I definitely feel the burn DURING the work out, but no soreness after.

Yes but I'd suggest changing it up. Don't stick to the same workout, or yes, you will stall and not see a difference anymore. But as long as you're doing a few different things, you'll be good.

donahm01

you"ve got to change it up a bit! your body gets accustomed to work outs then plateau's

marycmeadows

change up your workout - increase the weights...... gotta keep confusing your body - and to me if I'm not sore, I didn't workout hard enough. period. *Unless it's a recovery day or something*

shinkalork

it's normal....thank god it is too...I would go crazy!.

Stop for a week and come back at it...you will see.... it will be back full time

Your body and muscles just get use to it....they still work but your system can deal with the lactic acid better and muscles breakdown is less painful etc...

Keep it up.

KarenJanine

Your body adapts to an exercise and soreness will lessen over time as it is less of a shock to the muscles.

Try switching around your workouts, targeting the muscles in different ways. E.g. with legs try doing different types of squats and lunges such as front squats, back squats, static lunges, walking lunges, Bulgarian split squats, goblet squats, etc etc. Each target the muscles slightly differently.

Hearts_2015

bump

JonathonMars

I started to weight lift recently--first time I was SO sore for three days after. Every since been fine immediately after. I went up in weight yesterday, and I'm a BIT more sore than I have been, but not horrible like the first time. I have also been told not to worry about soreness or the lack of soreness--a LOT of things go into that which has nothing to do with intensity. But I do also think there might be something said for changing it up. If you aren't sore after changing it up, that's okay, too.

d2footballJRC

You don't feel pain/soreness likely for 2 reasons.
First, after awhile of training your muscles become more able to clear all of the latic acid away from the cell body, so that pain the next day due to cellular fatigue disappears.

Second, after awhile your brain becomes used to the signals from your nerves that signal pain when your muscles are building/growing. If continuously stimulated, and not given any other feedback the brains pain center will eventually ignore certain pain stimulus from certain areas, so that it doesn't effect other parts of the brain.

The absence of pain/soreness does not mean that you aren't working them hard enough. Try not to do the same routine more then 2 weeks or so on average. Not to chase after soreness, but to not give your body a chance to adapt to your routine.

BeachGingerOnTheRocks

I don't tend to get muscle soreness like I used to. Just tweaks here and there.

I sometimes get DOMS in my triceps a couple days after dead lifts. But only if I push it a little too hard.

Hendrix7

there is no need to change workouts to "chase getting sore" this is not productive.

Getting sore is not progress, only progress is progress.

Running 1000 metres in a faster time than you did before is progress, regardless if you get sore or not afterwards.

hitting a squat personal best is progress, regardless of if you get sore afterwards.

forget soreness.

Changing routines too often is the reason a ton of people don't make the progress they should do. Bodies do not adapt to routines if you lift 1 extra rep, 1 extra kilo and push yourself that little bit more every session, like you should do. you can make steady gains on the same routine for months if you implement progress properly.

peachfigs

there is no need to change workouts to "chase getting sore" this is not productive.

Getting sore is not progress, only progress is progress.

Running 1000 metres in a faster time than you did before is progress, regardless if you get sore or not afterwards.

hitting a squat personal best is progress, regardless of if you get sore afterwards.

forget soreness.

Great perspective, thank you.

Schmelvie

The amount of soreness is not a direct reflection of how hard your muscles worked. And a lack of soreness is not an indicator "that your body got used to the exercise, and therefore you need to change it up."

DOMS (aka muscle fever) is not even entirely understood. But the general consensus is that it occurs after particularly intense or unfamiliar exercise, and is sort of a protective response.

What is known is that repeated bouts of the same exercise will result in less muscle soreness, although not necessarily less muscle "damage". Which means, your muscles are still breaking down as much as the initial effort that caused the DOMS in the first place. In fact, the absence of DOMS in subsequent workouts generally help people work out even harder, which means a greater work load and adaptive response from the muscles.

While it is true that the body can adapt to exercise and that it should be changed up periodically, DO NOT use soreness as the measuring stick.

danimalkeys

I'm going to agree with the "it's ok to not be sore" group here, and not chasing soreness as a measure of a good workout. What you want to measure is progress, not soreness. If you are adding weight to the bar at regular intervals, then you are making progress and you don't need to change anything. In reality, you don't need to change your routine until you stop making gains. At that point, you evaluate what isn't working and make small changes.

The whole idea of "confusing" your muscles is a fallacy. Changing routines around only gives that routine zero time to work for you, and you'll flounder around and wonder why you aren't making progress (unless your only goal is to be sore all the time). People used to do this on the powerlifting boards all the time. "I tried the Coan cycle, it didnt' work". "How long did you try it" "A month". There's the problem, you need to stick with it for 4-6 months minimum to let the program work.

Stick with what you are doing. Add weight to your lifts regularly. You will make progress.

purplekty

It's fine not to be sore.

Soreness is not an indicator of an effective workout, do not worry.

Yes, this is true. When I workout more, I don't get sore. Are you working out more than usual? Just because you're not sore doesn't mean it isn't working though! Just means you're in better shape.

This makes me feel better...because I was wondering the same thing...and i've been uping my workout becasue I wasn't feeling sore anymore...I love the way you put that "Just means you're in better shape" lol Proud moment right now....Thank you!!

JonathonMars

I do have to say--I DO feel like a lot of people glorify being sore, or belittle those who don't work so hard they are sore or throw up. I mean, I guess that's enjoyable to some? Maybe I'm just a wimp.

Actually, I am a wimp. But I mean--I knew that.

rybo

there is no need to change workouts to "chase getting sore" this is not productive.

Getting sore is not progress, only progress is progress.

Running 1000 metres in a faster time than you did before is progress, regardless if you get sore or not afterwards.

hitting a squat personal best is progress, regardless of if you get sore afterwards.

forget soreness.

Changing routines too often is the reason a ton of people don't make the progress they should do. Bodies do not adapt to routines if you lift 1 extra rep, 1 extra kilo and push yourself that little bit more every session, like you should do. you can make steady gains on the same routine for months if you implement progress properly.

This^^^

If you change too much you never know if you are progressing. Stick with it & forget the idea of making your body "guess"