This chicks sore from lifting...rest or keep going?

curvykim78
curvykim78 Posts: 799 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I've been weight lifting for about 2 weeks now. I'm super sore today from my workout yesterday. Is it better to work through the soreness and keep going or should I take it easy and skip the weights today, maybe walking on the treadmill or a rest day? I'm trying to figure out what works best...and open to ideas. What do you think?

Replies

  • curvykim78
    curvykim78 Posts: 799 Member
    :)
  • thunderchld
    thunderchld Posts: 46 Member
    My routine is something like:

    Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday - Cardo for 45 to 60 minutes (Tredmill, elliptical, going to start the stationary bike until I get a real one)
    Tuesday, Thursday - Les Mills Body Pump (Weights).

    I am always sore Tuesday even though I've been going to Pump for about 2 years now. I never want to get up and go run, but I do. I then find myself less sore. Though, I am not a trainer or anything so I have no idea if it is healthy or not...I do it anyways.
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    Do weights every other day. Don't do them every day if you're doing serious work.
  • ROBJ3411
    ROBJ3411 Posts: 72 Member
    Your muscles need rest. Not sure what your program looks like but a rest day/easy day is not a bad idea. Listen to your body!!
  • curvykim78
    curvykim78 Posts: 799 Member
    I've heard different storeis about leaving a day in between for 'rest' so the muscle can repair itself...yet others say work through the soreness and that's when it works best for your muscles. I don't know what to think anymore.
  • Mayor_West
    Mayor_West Posts: 246 Member
    It depends on your workout routine. If you're doing a full-body or upper/lower body split, then take a day and either rest or do cardio.

    If you're breaking up your workouts to target specific bodyparts (leg, chest, back, etc), then give that specific part 48 hours rest before hitting it again. In the meantime, make sure you get enough protein, drink plenty of water and above all else make sure you get enough sleep every night. All the gains we make at the gym actually take place with adequate rest and recovery.
  • ladyjoie
    ladyjoie Posts: 165 Member
    With weights, three or four times a week should be more than enough. I'd say take a rest day. Your muscles need to repair or they won't get stronger!
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    If you're working a split routine, you shouldn't need to take a day off but if it's a full body, give it 24 hours between workouts. Honestly, you don't need to hit the gym more than 3 times a week.
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    I've heard different storeis about leaving a day in between for 'rest' so the muscle can repair itself...yet others say work through the soreness and that's when it works best for your muscles. I don't know what to think anymore.

    Work through the soreness applies. Just work on the second day they are sore.
    Light cardio between weight days helps by pushing blood through your muscles.
  • dani_1977
    dani_1977 Posts: 557 Member
    I've heard different storeis about leaving a day in between for 'rest' so the muscle can repair itself...yet others say work through the soreness and that's when it works best for your muscles. I don't know what to think anymore.

    Work through the soreness applies. Just work on the second day they are sore.
    Light cardio between weight days helps by pushing blood through your muscles.

    ^^^^^^ This! Yes work through the soreness, light cardio will you help through it. Also Yoga or pilates!
  • curvykim78
    curvykim78 Posts: 799 Member
    Do weights every other day. Don't do them every day if you're doing serious work.

    "Serious work?" lol Nope, I'm just trying to shape up my arms and whatever else with some weights. I'm in need of something other than running and walking so weights were suggested to me. So I bought a home gym and have been using it for a couple of weeks now. I'm not going to be on a magazine cover any time soon....lol
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    Do weights every other day. Don't do them every day if you're doing serious work.

    "Serious work?" lol Nope, I'm just trying to shape up my arms and whatever else with some weights. I'm in need of something other than running and walking so weights were suggested to me. So I bought a home gym and have been using it for a couple of weeks now. I'm not going to be on a magazine cover any time soon....lol
    You joke, but workload intensity is very individual :) What does this contraption look like and what exercises are you doing on it?
  • curvykim78
    curvykim78 Posts: 799 Member
    Its a Weider Pro 8900. I'm lifting 36 pounds on any of my exercises, except butterflies. Can't do them damn things even with the lightest setting. But I have to start somewhere.

    http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?_adv_prop=image&fr=yfp-t-701&va=weider+pro+8900
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    I've heard different storeis about leaving a day in between for 'rest' so the muscle can repair itself...yet others say work through the soreness and that's when it works best for your muscles. I don't know what to think anymore.

    As long as you are working different muscle groups you should be fine to workout today. If you are doing the same muscle groups you need to rest a minimum of 48hours. Muscles get stronger and during the rest period, not the load period, so if you don't rest muscle groups enough, you will not see nearly the same results as you would if you got proper rest.
  • kaotik26
    kaotik26 Posts: 590 Member
    In the Army we always switched it up. Monday, Wed, Fri = Running/cardio and Tues, Thurs muscle strenghening. This gives one muscle group a break while you work on something else. I find that 2 days after I am even more sore but I work through it anyway. I have been told that the soreness is torn muscle fibers and if you keep pushing them they will rebuild stronger and that's how you get stronger and better. Of course like I said I was in the Army and sometimes they would tell us anything to make us run!
  • curvykim78
    curvykim78 Posts: 799 Member
    I've heard different storeis about leaving a day in between for 'rest' so the muscle can repair itself...yet others say work through the soreness and that's when it works best for your muscles. I don't know what to think anymore.

    As long as you are working different muscle groups you should be fine to workout today. If you are doing the same muscle groups you need to rest a minimum of 48hours. Muscles get stronger and during the rest period, not the load period, so if you don't rest muscle groups enough, you will not see nearly the same results as you would if you got proper rest.

    I pretty much do the same thing each day, just changing my hand positions, gripping the bar overhand/underhand, wider hand stances, turning around and pulling behind me, etc. I'm fairly new to this so I'm trying to figure out different ways/positions to lift in.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    I've heard different storeis about leaving a day in between for 'rest' so the muscle can repair itself...yet others say work through the soreness and that's when it works best for your muscles. I don't know what to think anymore.

    As long as you are working different muscle groups you should be fine to workout today. If you are doing the same muscle groups you need to rest a minimum of 48hours. Muscles get stronger and during the rest period, not the load period, so if you don't rest muscle groups enough, you will not see nearly the same results as you would if you got proper rest.

    I pretty much do the same thing each day, just changing my hand positions, gripping the bar overhand/underhand, wider hand stances, turning around and pulling behind me, etc. I'm fairly new to this so I'm trying to figure out different ways/positions to lift in.

    Then you should never work those same muscle on back to back days, you will breakdown the muscle each time and not give it enough time to rebuild before you break it down more the next day. Always take a minimum of 48 hours between working the same muscle groups. Since you have not before, start doing this now, you will notice the improvements in how much faster you will be able to increase the weight you are lifting.
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
    I've heard different storeis about leaving a day in between for 'rest' so the muscle can repair itself...yet others say work through the soreness and that's when it works best for your muscles. I don't know what to think anymore.

    As long as you are working different muscle groups you should be fine to workout today. If you are doing the same muscle groups you need to rest a minimum of 48hours. Muscles get stronger and during the rest period, not the load period, so if you don't rest muscle groups enough, you will not see nearly the same results as you would if you got proper rest.

    I pretty much do the same thing each day, just changing my hand positions, gripping the bar overhand/underhand, wider hand stances, turning around and pulling behind me, etc. I'm fairly new to this so I'm trying to figure out different ways/positions to lift in.

    If you are working the same muscle groups every time, you need at least one rest day in between. You could do cardio or something, rather than do nothing.
  • Miss_Chievous_wechange
    Miss_Chievous_wechange Posts: 1,230 Member
    I would do some cardio
  • vicky1804
    vicky1804 Posts: 320 Member
    Depends how sore I am and what im planning to do.
    If my arms/upper body is sore I will skip the weights and do cardio.

    Im currently on my 3 day off cardio. I exercised Thurs/Friday and rested Saturday. Got up Sunday and righ calf was incredibily sore, I couldnt get my heel to touch the floor and limped for 2 days.

    Its much better today but still sore so iv allowed rest and will be back to running tomorrow

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