2 weight lifting questions

jessrainsb
jessrainsb Posts: 38 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Question 1. My husband says that if you aren't sore all the time, you aren't training right. True or false?

I have been pretty sore, 2 weeks into my new weightlifting program. And It kinda makes it hard to do certain daily activities ( I have 2 small children)

Question 2. Do you get to a point where you just do 'maintenance' lifting, to maintain the muscle you have? I know people are always pushing pushing more and more. But If I get to a point where I'm satisfied with my lifting and muscle tone, can I just maintain it?

TIA

Replies

  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    1) Your husband is 100% incorrect. You'll be sore when adding new lifts, but the soreness goes away with time/repetition. If you're sore all the time, you're training poorly.

    2) Sure, if you want.
  • andezz99
    andezz99 Posts: 56 Member
    I tend to agree with your husband, I work out 5 times a week, mostly CrossFit which mixes things up frequently. The result is your body is never getting used tot he same thing so the impacts are always felt. If you stick to a traditional gym workout Day one 2 Back/Biceps,3 Chest/Triceps, 4 Legs, Shoulders, your body will get used to the routine a little more, even if you mix up the exercise types you will likely maintain your fitness and feel less taxed the next day. Pain is sometimes a by product but you can always adjust your program. Not everyone is trying to get "better and better", we are just trying not to get worse....keep moving!
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    1.) False

    being sore is not an indication of a good work out- it just means you did something you haven't ever done- or haven't done in a while.

    2.) Yes. That's do able.
  • jessrainsb
    jessrainsb Posts: 38 Member
    Thanks! I did deadlifts for the first time yesterday, and didn't think it was a big deal but OMGosh my legs are SORE today! lol
  • No_Finish_Line
    No_Finish_Line Posts: 3,661 Member
    1.) False

    being sore is not an indication of a good work out- it just means you did something you haven't ever done- or haven't done in a while.

    2.) Yes. That's do able.

    i agree... but if your doing something you've never done i'd say thats going to be a more beneficial workout.

    so i wouldn't say a work out that doesn't leave you sore was a waste of time, soreness is proabaly an indication that your going to be improving something lol
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    1.) False

    being sore is not an indication of a good work out- it just means you did something you haven't ever done- or haven't done in a while.

    2.) Yes. That's do able.

    i agree... but if your doing something you've never done i'd say thats going to be a more beneficial workout.

    so i wouldn't say a work out that doesn't leave you sore was a waste of time, soreness is proabaly an indication that your going to be improving something lol

    weighted calf raises on the sled press make me so sore I can't walk the next day- or actually usually all week

    they give me a better work out than my 250+ dead lift does.

    So no- I do not agree with that at all.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I am usually sore when I increase my weight. I am rarely sore these days to the extent that I have difficulty performing normal day to day stuff...that kind of soreness will go away with time...but some slight DOMS is pretty normal if you increase weight or change something up in your routine. My programming has me lifting in different rep ranges and different weights every week, so I pretty much always have a slight case of DOMs.

    I pretty much keep the core of my lifting program the same cycle to cycle (4 week cycles), but I change up my assistance template every 8-12 weeks or so mostly to keep things interesting.
  • dixiewhiskey
    dixiewhiskey Posts: 3,333 Member
    First is definitely false. The only time I get sore now from workouts is when I am trying out a new one that is working a new area of the body OR if I have upped my weights.

    As for your second question, you can definitely do that. You may want to look into different workouts that involve the same exercises and amt of weight you use so you don't get bored.
  • mschicagocubs
    mschicagocubs Posts: 774 Member
    I think if you are so sore you can't move ALL the time, something is not right. You're either doing too much too fast or not having proper form.

    I'm sore when I move up in weights or if I incorporate a new lift in my routine, but it hasn't been so sore that I cannot move.

    Except when I decided to do some old Insanity Ab workouts ... eeek ;)
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    1. False. DOMS isn't an indication of an effective workout.
    2. Sure, if you don't feel like progressing anymore you don't have to.
  • No_Finish_Line
    No_Finish_Line Posts: 3,661 Member
    weighted calf raises on the sled press make me so sore I can't walk the next day- or actually usually all week

    they give me a better work out than my 250+ dead lift does.

    So no- I do not agree with that at all.

    i don't get what your saying i guess. you say that calf raises make you sore, and then you say they give you a better workout then deadlifts do.

    maybe you are being sarcastic.

    maybe you are arguing that deadlifts are a better workout then calf raises. I do not disagree with that.

    I'm just saying that the calf raises were apprently a good calf workout.

    I guess what i'm saying is that if you experince DOMs then you've evidently trained a week point in some way, and that in itself is good training from my prospective.

    not to say that the abscence of DOMs is a sign of ineffective training.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    You said if I did something that made me sore- it was probably a more beneficial work out.

    My point is that calf raises make me sore- but it's not a more beneficial work out- than say- squats- or dead lifts- or almost anything else.

    The only reason why the calf raises made me sore was because I haven't been doing them. It has nothing to do with how effective of a work out it is. That's my point- I'm not being sarcastic- I'm serious.

    Sore doesn't mean good work out.
    Sore means "doing something I haven't done in a while"

    For most people- their calves are not exactly a weak point- so I'm not really sure it's a valid argument to say that just because they made me sore means they are a weak point- if I did a 100 sit ups it would make me sore too- doesn't mean I have a weak core or that I'm training a weak point- my core is just fine- I train it in other ways. But I don't do sit ups- which means- I'd be sore.

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