Soreness After a Workout

Christizzzle
Christizzzle Posts: 454 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am not new to dieting but have a ton to learn about exercise. What works, what doesn't. What to look for, what is normal. My question is should I be sore the next day after a workout? I have asked many people this question and the usual answer is "if you're sore, great, if you're not, that's great too." But I mean, if I am doing an exercise that I've never done before, shouldn't I be sore? If I'm not sore, does that mean I didn't work out hard enough? I left the gym feeling like jello yesterday and was excited for that tangable souvenir the next day. There may be no right or wrong answer but I'd love to know what you all have to say.

Replies

  • kristinegift
    kristinegift Posts: 2,406 Member
    If it's something new, and if you're new to exercise, you'll be sore. That's totally normal. But sore is not the same as in pain -- soreness is something you can work through, pain is something you should be more wary of.

    Personally, I love the soreness that comes with a good workout. Even if I'm hobbling around a bit the next day, it's still a reminder that I kicked butt the day before :)
  • silverdawnhawk
    silverdawnhawk Posts: 32 Member
    It really depends. Even if it's a new exercise - if it works the same muscles as the old exercise you may not notice a lot of soreness.

    It can also depend on what you ate, how much water you drank, how well you warmed up, cooled down, stretched.

    And time. If I up my weight for lifts, sometimes the doms won't show up until the second day after, and they are mild (like a pleasant lethargy sore not like an omg ow sore).

    Just learn to listen to your body.
  • jjplato
    jjplato Posts: 155 Member
    Kristine is right. Soreness is common when you're starting to lift weights, or when you exercise muscles you haven't exercised in a while. It's not uncommon to have little or no soreness after a workout. It is important, however, to give your muscles time to recuperate, whether they're sore or not -- generally 48 hours. So if you work your biceps on Monday, take Tuesday off for recuperation, and work them again on Wednesday.

    If you felt like jello leaving the gym, that may mean that you worked out hard, or it may mean that you didn't have enough fuel in your body when you started. Did you eat before you went?
  • Escape_Artist
    Escape_Artist Posts: 1,155 Member
    Soreness has nothing to do with how hard you worked. If you do an exercise you have never done before it doesn't mean you have never worked those muscles before, so you might not be sore at all.

    I don't remember the last time I was sore and my results have been great still.
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
    It's normal to have sore muscles, so don't worry if they hurt. BUT, muscle soreness doesn't indicate a good workout. So if you aren't, that doesn't mean your workout wasn't quality.
  • Christizzzle
    Christizzzle Posts: 454 Member
    Great advice guys, thanks!! :flowerforyou:

    I did have plenty of water and had eaten dinner two hours before I went, so that could be the reason for no soreness.

    Also, I remember lifting one day and not being sore the next day and doing only cardio and then the NEXT day I felt soreness from the lifting on the day before yesterday. So maybe I'll feel it tomorrow.

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