Sore

[KIAman]

So for all you lifters who have been lifting for a while, when does the after-workout soreness go away?

When I first started working out, the soreness was very painful. Now, I don't feel the pain but still feel sore, if that makes sense. I move around more slowly the day after and if I flex, I can feel a little pain in my muscles.

Basically, with my M-W-F routine, I am sore almost every day except Sunday.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

If you're constantly challenging yourself, you will likely be sore most of the time. Typically, you'll take a rest week every 8-12 weeks where you'll feel great. Other than that, you should feel at least some soreness.

 

[KIAman]

But to what extent? None of my soreness is like when I first started working out but I am sore enough that I grunt going in and out of my car, for example.

Also when I lift my kid in the air, I can feel the soreness in my shoulders. I just wonder what typical soreness is or am I feeling too much soreness.

 

[Sixguns]

Ive been lifting for over two years and Im still sore all the time.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

But to what extent? None of my soreness is like when I first started working out but I am sore enough that I grunt going in and out of my car, for example.

Also when I lift my kid in the air, I can feel the soreness in my shoulders. I just wonder what typical soreness is or am I feeling too much soreness.

It honestly depends on a lot of factors - the relative intensity of your lifting, the movements utilized, muscle groups targeted, nutritional status, sleep status, overall health, overall recovery activity, etc.

It shouldn't hurt, you should just notice mild-moderate soreness, especially if you go to activate quickly. If you notice you are, on average, getting more sore, stalling on weights, feeling tired, then that's an indicator that you need to take a week off. When is the last time you took a short break from lifting?

 

[KIAman]

Ive been lifting for over two years and Im still sore all the time.

Good, that gives me hope then.

It honestly depends on a lot of factors - the relative intensity of your lifting, the movements utilized, muscle groups targeted, nutritional status, sleep status, overall health, overall recovery activity, etc.

It shouldn't hurt, you should just notice mild-moderate soreness, especially if you go to activate quickly. If you notice you are, on average, getting more sore, stalling on weights, feeling tired, then that's an indicator that you need to take a week off. When is the last time you took a short break from lifting?

It's been over 8 months since I took a break. I have been stalling on my bench. I redid my form for squats (going lower) and it is going back up to 315 at the moment so that isn't stalling.

I've been on a cut the last month or so, only eating 2000 calories a day but I've felt sore even before that.

My wife calls me "old man" because of how much slower my movements are around the house, LOL.

Edit: I'm also sore enough that it makes it hard to sleep with my muscles twitching and sore.

 

[Malfeas]

I am sore all the time, it is not near as bad as when I first started, unless I take a week or so off then it is very bad.

 

[Zivic]

Good, that gives me hope then.



It's been over 8 months since I took a break. I have been stalling on my bench. I redid my form for squats (going lower) and it is going back up to 315 at the moment so that isn't stalling.

I've been on a cut the last month or so, only eating 2000 calories a day but I've felt sore even before that.

My wife calls me "old man" because of how much slower my movements are around the house, LOL.

Edit: I'm also sore enough that it makes it hard to sleep with my muscles twitching and sore.

you are due for a week off. take a week off from the gym and you will go back with renewed mental focus and motivation.

as far as soreness, I am more or less consistently sore throughout the week. my legs will stick with me for more than a few days alone, but if you are doing different body parts throughout the week at least some part of your body will be sore each day. Just try to keep from working the same body parts till they have recovered

 

[Koing]

Normal soreness most days. Less so on training days.

Do you stretch on your off days? Do you stretch after you work out? You got to do it.

If I take more than 7 days off training it's painful when I get back.

Koing

 

[SociallyChallenged]

you are due for a week off. take a week off from the gym and you will go back with renewed mental focus and motivation.

as far as soreness, I am more or less consistently sore throughout the week. my legs will stick with me for more than a few days alone, but if you are doing different body parts throughout the week at least some part of your body will be sore each day. Just try to keep from working the same body parts till they have recovered

This. You've been working out too long without a break. You should take a break every 8-12 weeks to prevent nervous system fatigue and overtraining (which I believe you may be experiencing right now).

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Normal soreness most days. Less so on training days.

Do you stretch on your off days? Do you stretch after you work out? You got to do it.

If I take more than 7 days off training it's painful when I get back.

Koing

Definitely agree with this as well. Stretching regularly prevents muscles getting excessively tight and thus generating excess tension (pathological tension). It doesn't actually reduce immediate soreness, but it does reduce injury risk and promotes long term wellness. It may reduce long-term or average soreness due to proper muscle length and, as I said, reduced tension.

 

[tedrodai]

My usual soreness is more of a fatigued feeling rather than a painful feeling. Every now and then I'll still get sore enough that it's a little painful--that'll usually be because I've changed the intensity of part of my workout, or I'm trying something new or different than my normal routine.

You may just be in somewhat of an overtrained state atm, or it's also possible you're pushing it a little too hard during each workout. It doesn't take me more than a few weeks, or perhaps a few months at most to adjust to the soreness when I start working out again. Though hopefully I've seen my last major layoff of a fitness routine (lol).

Back during high school, I'd get painfully sore exactly once each year...when we resumed weight training each summer .

 

[Sixguns]

I forgot this in my other post but after a good night sleep the soreness isnt as bad.

 

[Wyndru]

Ugh, I know I have to start lifting again, but I am not looking forward to being sore again.

I had taken a few week break last year and when I came back I decided to knock about 15% off of my weights thinking that would help. I was still extremely sore for about 5 days. From the squats, it was seriously painful walking, and I looked like I was an elderly man walking around. I haven't been back to lift since, which I know was a bad move since now I'm really going to be sore if I lift again.

I'm thinking about starting a beginner program at low weights just to get past the initial soreness stage, maybe it won't be as bad.

 

[Pantlegz]

I'm normally not sore. That or I've gotten to used to it that I don't notice it any more. If you're sore I would suggest stretching and/or foam rolling for about 10-15 min after your workouts. I've got a few stretches I always do every night and I foam roll as needed.

 

[ViperXX]

I've been lifting weekly for over two years and I'm sore all the time. But it's not like the first week soreness where you can't even wipe your own ass because your so sore. You'll get used to it.

 

[KIAman]

I stretch after workout for about 15 minutes, hitting most of my muscle groups and I foam roll on my off days. I guess it's just time for a week off. Thanks all for the feedback.

 

[Koing]

Definitely agree with this as well. Stretching regularly prevents muscles getting excessively tight and thus generating excess tension (pathological tension). It doesn't actually reduce immediate soreness, but it does reduce injury risk and promotes long term wellness. It may reduce long-term or average soreness due to proper muscle length and, as I said, reduced tension.

I also find a light session helps out a lot. I just go in, do my usual routine and hit about 80% on my FS for a single. Go 5-10kg lighter on the OLifts and 10-15kg lighter on pulls. When I next go heavy I feel MUCH better.

Koing

 

[SociallyChallenged]

I also find a light session helps out a lot. I just go in, do my usual routine and hit about 80% on my FS for a single. Go 5-10kg lighter on the OLifts and 10-15kg lighter on pulls. When I next go heavy I feel MUCH better.

Koing

Yeah, to be perfectly honest, even just going for a light jog can help out. I prefer sport specific active recovery days though, like the ones you do. I'd probably even go lighter, but that's because I'm not a well-trained Oly lifter like you

 

[Koing]

Yeah, to be perfectly honest, even just going for a light jog can help out. I prefer sport specific active recovery days though, like the ones you do. I'd probably even go lighter, but that's because I'm not a well-trained Oly lifter like you

80% of my usual training intensity, not of my absolute 1RM . Now anything less than 80% means nothing. Going heavy tomorrow on BS, aiming for 160 x4 x4, which is up +5 from last week and Sn 115? Maybe 117? Maybe 120? Depends how fresh my legs are after the BS.

On the other hand going for a *jog* would ruin me as I never run...

Koing

 

[Corporate Thug]

I'm normally not sore. That or I've gotten to used to it that I don't notice it any more. If you're sore I would suggest stretching and/or foam rolling for about 10-15 min after your workouts. I've got a few stretches I always do every night and I foam roll as needed.

I'm usually not sore either...maybe not pushing hard enough at the gym? who knows.

 

[Wyndru]

Rather than creating a new thread, I figure I would ask this in here.

After coming back from a long break this week (2 months), my squats killed me again. I only started with 125 lbs (after a slight warmup session incrementing from bar to 125), and I still can't walk normally 2 days later. It's actually getting worse the more days that go by.

Is it safe to work out again tonight if I just do very light (or even just body-weight) exercises? I see some suggestions that say take a break, and others that say power through it.

I did a little elliptical last night, but that didn't help. I tried stretching, that didn't help either. I feel like an idiot for going so long without lifting. Especially looking at all of the progress I made the last 2 years. It's amazing how quickly your body reverts back to being weak and fat.

 

[SaurusX]

You can easily overdo leg workouts as I also found out years ago. It always feels like you can do more, but you will pay for it for days later. You have to start out much lower than you think you can handle to test out what your real limits are. You should chill on doing any leg work until they've had a chance to fully recover.

When I was working out with a buddy of mine I warned him not to go too extreme on the legs at first, because I knew what could happen. Did he listen? Of course not. He was banging out hack squats with more and more weight while I just sat back and shook my head. For the next week he was practically a cripple and was afraid to do leg work afterwards.

 

[Wyndru]

Cool, thanks for the suggestion. My upper body feels fine, so maybe I'll just work on that tonight and skip the legs.

I just thought that doing 50% of my normal workout weight after a 2 month break wouldn't hurt so much. I guess with squats and deads you basically have to start from scratch after a break.

 

[tedrodai]

Yeah let them rest a bit til the pain goes away. Soreness usually peaks at 2-3 days after the exercise, then it should start tapering off. To get the most from your strength training, you probably don't want to exercise sore muscles (your body's telling you they need to heal back up), but it's probably safe as long as it isn't limiting your motion or causing pain that you'll compensate for (by sacrificing form, etc. I'd go light on sore muscles, maybe just to get them warmed up and get blood pumping through em.