If I'm not ALWAYS sore the day after exercise...

lyndsloo

should I up my workout routine? I do on average about 40-60 minutes of pretty high intensity. It may sound odd, but I love being sore. It really shows me that I worked my body. What do you guys/girls think?

pawprint061

I kinda wondered the same thing... I'm sore right after but a few hours later it's gone.... what does that mean exactly?

bjberry

I'm just guessing, but it sounds like you two are in pretty good shape! :drinker:

carrieliz81

I think if you stop being sore after a workout, it means your muscles and body are getting into really good shape! At least, that's what I take it to mean. When I come back to working out after a long absence, I always go through a week or so of major soreness (which makes me feel productive and healthy) but then the sore muscles don't show up anymore, I think because I'm better able to handle the workout. I don't know.... I would take that as a great sign that you are on the right track!

KiriKiriKiri

I LOVE the burn after a workout as well too Question...do you always do the same workout routine? Try to mix it up a bit. It's not uncommon to not feel that burning feeling on some days, and then feel it on others. Try kicking up the intensity though...push yourself. Mix up your routine, that will stimulate your muscles. I ALWAYS get that feeling after doing pilates, no matter what!

questionablemethods

I know what you mean. I like the reminder that I have worked my muscles. However, it also typically means that I am holding water and thus won't see a loss on the scale. It's just water weight, but frustrating all the same.

That said, I have generally heard that DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) is not necessarily an indication of a good workout. Or rather that NOT getting sore doesn't mean you didn't challenge your muscles. It can be more beneficial to try to measure your progress and workout effectiveness on changes in strength. Can you squat more/deeper than a few weeks ago? Can you do more pushups now than two weeks ago? Those types of changes are going to give you a more consistent indication that you are still improving in fitness.

pawprint061

I LOVE the burn after a workout as well too Question...do you always do the same workout routine? Try to mix it up a bit. It's not uncommon to not feel that burning feeling on some days, and then feel it on others. Try kicking up the intensity though...push yourself. Mix up your routine, that will stimulate your muscles. I ALWAYS get that feeling after doing pilates, no matter what!

I change it up.. I feel it for awhile but it goes away.... I have a pudge and I'm far from in shape. I have been doing lower intensity work outs because if I up it too much then I get the not so good pain.... then I can't do anything

kspeach

I was just thinking about that today!

Sometimes I'm tender or a little sore, but rarely have been 'sore' sore.

A lot of my initial soreness was from not stretching. Once I started stretching, that helped my soreness a lot.

I like the 'burn' feel after a good workout, as long as I can still walk!

duckfan06

It means you are getting into shape which is good. You also have to continue to increase the intensity of your workout. If you aren't sore the next day it means you really didn't push hard enough. Great sign though!

lyndsloo

Great, thanks! I definitely try to switch up my routine. I do a lot of high intensity workouts, including circuit training, hiking, running, kickboxing, and 30 Day Shred.

I just love feeling a burn, especially when I'm wearing heels the next day and I feel sore in my butt and legs muscles.

I'm going to increase my exercise to an hour/hour and a half, and see what happens.

Thanks for your help.

fishlover888

I know what you mean. I like the reminder that I have worked my muscles. However, it also typically means that I am holding water and thus won't see a loss on the scale. It's just water weight, but frustrating all the same.

That said, I have generally heard that DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) is not necessarily an indication of a good workout. Or rather that NOT getting sore doesn't mean you didn't challenge your muscles. It can be more beneficial to try to measure your progress and workout effectiveness on changes in strength. Can you squat more/deeper than a few weeks ago? Can you do more pushups now than two weeks ago? Those types of changes are going to give you a more consistent indication that you are still improving in fitness.

I totally agree. I'm in an exercise physiology class right now and we talk a bit about DOMS. it happens mainly from eccentric muscle contractions, which is when your muscles are relaxing. for example, running downhill or the downward motion of a bicep curl. when you do an exercise more often your body becomes more efficient at it and i think they said this can lead to easier eccentric contractions so less doms. not sure though, i do tend to space out in class! ;-) but personally, i only get sore when i start a new exercise. more stretching also decreases doms

but in the end, measures of strength are the best way to find out if you had a good workout. you can also consider using a heart monitor for cardio-you have probably heard this before but you in case you haven't, they recommend you workout at around 70% of your max heart rate, which is roughly 220-your age-here is a cool target heart rate calculator: http://www.stevenscreek.com/goodies/hr.shtml

i think you are probably doing a great workout already, but switching to new motions or higher resistance should give you the burn if you want it!