Lifting - Burn vs. failure

Papillon22
Papillon22 Posts: 1,160 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi!
as I take my first steps into the lifting world, I've noticed that sometimes I have to stop an exercise because of how much my muscles burn (happens with shoulders especially) and sometimes I stop because my muscles fail (as in, I can't do another rep) but there is no burn. I wonder why is it that the muscles respond differently and whether this is due to doing something wrong (I work out at home, btw).
Thanks!

Replies

  • Papillon22
    Papillon22 Posts: 1,160 Member
    oh, come on! anyone?
  • guroprincess
    guroprincess Posts: 140
    The "burn" is due to lactic acid. If you want the sciencey explanation, check out Wikipedia:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactic_acid

    If you want the layman's terms, Livestrong has an article about it:
    http://www.livestrong.com/article/446321-why-do-you-get-a-burning-sensation-in-your-muscles-during-strenuous-exercise/
  • MattDustin
    MattDustin Posts: 23 Member
    Hey there! First of all, congratulations on beginning lifting - hope you keep at it and never stop!

    Basically, when you do higher repetition training, the "burn" typically happens. This is due to lactic acid production.

    Lower rep (heavier) lifting is not always enough to create lactic acid, since lactic acid typically occurs with lots of time under tension - or how much time your muscles spend under stress.

    You aren't doing anything wrong, different repetitions ranges are for different goals!

    As a very general guideline,

    1-5 repetitions will increase muscular strength
    6-12 will increase strength and hypertrophy, or muscular size and growth
    13 and up is more endurance - think of the burn. This won't do much at all for strength, but it will burn, and can help you increase muscular size.

    So you aren't doing anything wrong as long as you are lifting for your goals! Hope that helps a little :)
  • Papillon22
    Papillon22 Posts: 1,160 Member
    Thank you both for your replies!
    Too bad muscle burn =/= fat burn :grumble:
    And since my left shoulder is where I usually feel the burn, I guess it means that it is less strong than my right one. Correct?
  • astronomicals
    astronomicals Posts: 1,537 Member
    Thank you both for your replies!
    Too bad muscle burn =/= fat burn :grumble:
    And since my left shoulder is where I usually feel the burn, I guess it means that it is less strong than my right one. Correct?

    Not necessarily... Are you lefty?

    doing unilateral exercises is how you'll find an imbalance
  • Papillon22
    Papillon22 Posts: 1,160 Member
    Not necessarily... Are you lefty?

    doing unilateral exercises is how you'll find an imbalance
    I'm not left handed. I find that my left shoulder burns when I'm doing, for example, a shoulder press (both arms at the same time) while my right one doesn't.

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