Strong,Tone Muscles

MarlaChandlerBarton
MarlaChandlerBarton Posts: 141 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Very interested in ideas from mfp friends.... I work out 3 days per week - 1/2 hour cardio and then a 20 min or so dog walk several days a week - the strength training 3 days a week for 1/2 each. That's plenty for me a 59 year old female - and I really push myself. When I was 10 years younger I did the same thing but each time for 2 1/2 hours. Now, I have always thought that "no pain, no gain" means if you give it your all, then the next day or the day after you should be sore each time. Does anyone know if that is true? B/c I always thought if you weren't sore, you didn't push yourself enough and therefore the muscles wouldn't get stronger and more tone. OR is it not true and if you are getting your workouts in and really pushing yourself that you are still getting stronger and tone?

All I want to do is to continue to lose weight until I hit my goal which is about 10 lbs away and become strong and tone (as possible for my age).

Thanks guys!

Replies

  • MarlaChandlerBarton
    MarlaChandlerBarton Posts: 141 Member
    Really no one?:blushing:
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    No, it's not true. Being sore is no indication of effort. It's most common when you start a new program, or change it, or slack off for a while and get back to it (I'm feeling the effects of that last one today).
  • nokanjaijo
    nokanjaijo Posts: 466 Member
    I can tell you that it has never been true for me. I have generally only done exercises toward a fitness goal. Like training kung fu to improve at kung fu, not to get leaner or anything.

    So, I would train to practice. Generally, I would get sore only from doing a type of thing for the first time. Then, as I got better at it, I didn't get sore. Increasing weights would increase difficulty a great deal but didn't make me sore if I were used to the movement. Like, sometimes we had to hold weights and do punches. Sometimes we had to use an iron staff instead of bamboo. Because I was accustomed to the movement, soreness didn't seem to happen. But I did improve.

    Hope that helps some.
  • MarlaChandlerBarton
    MarlaChandlerBarton Posts: 141 Member
    Thanks you two! Ppeciate :)
  • astronomicals
    astronomicals Posts: 1,537 Member
    high rep/ low weight pump workouts will make u burn.... high intensity/ low rep will not.... not after the initial phases as other have already stated...

    keep track of your total training volume and make sure you're slowly increasing it.

    by training volume i mean sets*reps*weight

    so if you did 5 exercises all 2 sets of 10 reps and you used 100 pounds across the board... your daily volume would be 10,000 pounds... if your not recovering fast enough you can reduce your training volume or take longer rest periods between workouts..


    i prefer heavy training over lower weight high rep training... perhaps you'd prefer something in the middle or a balance... its up to you.
  • katy_trail
    katy_trail Posts: 1,992 Member
    DOMS also happens when you're working your body in a way you're not used to. It doesn't have to be a completely different exercise. For example if you don't usually do lateral exercises, doing them might make you sore later.
    If you often do some type of forward lunges, and today you did side lunges
    - sorta like a squating position with 1 leg, and the other leg is straight.

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