Strength TRN*** pain*** suggestions

triplejay1
triplejay1 Posts: 84 Member
edited November 11 in Fitness and Exercise
Ok, i just started strength trn at the end of last week, and yesterday and today i have been so sore, yesterday was my OFF day for strength trn, but today im sched to work out again, so should i go ahead and work out those muscles again even tho they hurt, and will the pain prevent me from being able to lift as much? should i lower the weight ?

Replies

  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    If you are new to lifting I would suggest waiting at least 72 hours between working the same muscle groups. Once you are use to it you can change it to 48 hours rest. For most you only need to hit each muscle group 1-2 times/week but no more than 3.

    If you are doing full body workouts maybe try breaking it up into 2-3 routines, that way you can lift more often without overdoing it on any one muscle group.
  • Grlnxtdr0721
    Grlnxtdr0721 Posts: 597 Member
    Are you working the same muscles every time, or different ones each time? You will be sore when you first start. I would still go ahead and train today, but either take it lighter on the sore muscles or work different ones. Working your muscles will release some of the soreness (I forget which type of gas it releases when you work out soreness).
    Hope this helps some
  • mndamon
    mndamon Posts: 549 Member
    Are you taking supplements? I highly recommend an intra workout supplement like Scivation's XTend. Just sip it while you're lifting and it should prevent some of the soreness. If you want to add a post workout supplement as well you can check into Muscle Pharm's ReCon.

    XTend made all the difference in the world for me. Helped me get through the first tough weeks of P90X.
  • ukprincss
    ukprincss Posts: 5
    You can lower your weights and do more reps, but I have a feeling if you stick with the original weights, your muscles will be fine. I usually have less soreness if I just keep with the original weights and find that after two or three workout sessions, there is ZERO muscle soreness.

    Obviously, if you feel you cannot support the weight, you owuld want to lighten the load, but don't go too light, or you will be in the same position next time you increase.
  • mndamon
    mndamon Posts: 549 Member
    Also, like the others have mentioned, if you're doing a full body circuit lift, schedule it for Monday Wednesday Friday. If you're doing a split then you could do Mon-Wed. Something like this:

    Monday: Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
    Tuesday: Legs and Abs
    Wednesday: Biceps and Back
    Thursday: Abs and cardio
    Friday: Cardo
    Saturday: Light full body circuit or cardio
    Sunday: Rest
  • CU_Ninjaneer
    CU_Ninjaneer Posts: 2 Member
    If you just started strength training then you are probably experiencing some major delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). This is normal especially when first starting out lifting weights. I would say you could safely work those muscles again, but don't go all out. Go for low to moderate weight with higher reps rather than a high weight, low rep type workout. You may find that using those muscles can actually help them feel a bit better by stretching them out and getting more blood flow to them (YMMV), but if it hurts to do any particular exercise, don't do it. You can always just do cardio and call it a day if lifting is painful. DOMS will go away on its own with time. Just don't injure yourself by trying to stick to a routine if your body is telling you otherwise.
  • CU_Ninjaneer
    CU_Ninjaneer Posts: 2 Member
    Also, after seeing some of the other replies I do have to agree that you should not work a muscle group more than once every 3 days (i.e. twice a week max) to allow time for recovery. In the future, you may also find that taking a protein supplement with L-glutamine such as Optimum Nutrition's Gold Standard 100% Whey products soon after your workout can help with soreness. I could tell a difference when I started using it. It won't help with the DOMS you get when putting your muscles through the wringer the first time, but it can help with the regular soreness associated with working out.
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