Being sore after a workout

paulaswrld

I usually only get really sore after I start a new routine or start working out a new muscle group. Recently, I started doing a bunch of great ab exercises that a friends coached me on. I am ALWAYS sore for a day after doing them. My question is should I push through another workout the next day or wait until the soreness goes away? It's not painful if I go work some more and I feel like I'm achieving more when I do more ab exercises the next day. But I would have no idea if I were actually doing more harm than good.

chgudnitz

No. As with any other muscle exercise, you should rest it the next day. Abs should be treated like all of the other muscle groups. They aren't any more special than the rest. Let 'em rest.

Landon66

Give your muscles at least a day to recover. The soreness is from muscle tissue breaking down. The good thing is that when it rebuilds itself, it will be stronger and have more endurance afterwards.
Your body does need recovery time and if you do full body workouts (legs, arms, abs....) I would suggest 3 times a week. If you do arms monday, legs tues, etc. you could go with doing it every day, just not the same body part two or more days in a row.
I've worked with a couple of trainers and this is the advice I've gotten from them. I'm not expert, but through many years of lifting I've found this to be true for me too.
Landon

sngnyrslp

Off topic, but what ab exercises are you doing? because they sound great and I can't seem to work out my abs right!

Iceprincessk25

Actually, Abs can be worked every day.

mabear74

Most programs don't encourage abs to be worked every day. Even Tony Horton on Ap Ripper X specifically says DO NOT do it every day.

CMomma23

What keeps me from being so sore is taking a daily multivitamin and protein. I like protein shakes (chocolate with banana, yummy :drinker: )

rcatr

almost every trainer and coach I've had has said abs can be worked every day....

That being said...you know your body best. Push if you feel like you can but, personally I don't push so hard that I'm so sore I won't be able to work out a few MORE days :bigsmile:

Iceprincessk25

Your core is considered a stabilization muscle group which means that it needs to be worked everyday since it's keeping you upright and protecting your back. If this were a perfect world it would be engaged all day long. It needs to be worked as an endurance group so it can withstand the workload.

But like the other poster said......LISTEN TO YOUR BODY.

paulaswrld

Off topic, but what ab exercises are you doing? because they sound great and I can't seem to work out my abs right!

I think I have a really weak core to begin with since I don't think I'd done a single situp since my daughter was born almost 4 yrs ago. HAHA! That said, the ab exercises I do are sit-ups while balancing on the ball and also some hip raises. My favorite is where you put the ball between your knees (lying down) and raise. Also, crunches while having your legs rested on the ball. And, that thing where you're suspended and bring your knees up. I do those forward and then side to side. I'm sure my explanations are horrible! :-)