am I supposed to be sore?

[willc86]

6 months into the gym, and I still get sore.

Is that normal? isnt my body supposed to get used to it?

I been doing splits

mon chest
tues back
wed legs
thursday arms
fri shoulder

then back on monday.

[SXIPro]

I'd be worried if I didn't get sore. If you are increasing your intensity(which is good), you should get sore. If you just do the same thing day in and day out, you won't.

Someone is going to chime in that soreness doesn't mean anything, but I disagree in advance.

[bigdavid]

It really depends. Are you making progress in your goals still? That is what matters.

[willc86]

Yeah, everytime I go to the gym I add more weight or I decrease 10% but do more reps.

for example, I do bench press

Mon - I add 45 and 25lbs on each side do 8-10 reps (usually struggling like crazy)

next monday - add 45- 35 do 4-6 reps

next monday - add 45 - 25 10 12 reps

next monday add 45 - 45 - 4-5 reps

next monday add 45-35 8-10 reps

and so fourth.

but I always end up sore...i mean not as bad, but enough to last 2 or 3 days

yeah, I been lifiting a lot more and gaining weight...but i am not sure if its a sign of over training or anything. I am just making sure

[bigdavid]

I think that if you are making progress keep doing what you are doing. There have been plenty of studies showing you can have muscle growth without soreness. Some people like being sore. But if you are making progress still why change it?

[Torobestia]

LOL @ soreness being a sign of overtraining. You'll know you're overtraining if you not only plateau but can't lift at like 90% of your intensity, have thoughts of killing yourself or others, or are otherwise in a generally BAD mood at all times of the day. Until then, carry on.

[bigdavid]

Yeah if you are overtraining youll feel like **** all the time and prob wont even want to go to the gym lol

[Go Away]

Sounds to me like you're killing it in the gym, making great progress. If you're rocking with some anabolics while making these big number progressions, be aware of joint sensitivity - adding 45's every week for more than three weeks is ramping up the intensity at a substantial rate... Wouldn't wanna snap some **** up in there you feel me?

Go ahead and get sore my dude. And stretch a lot - before your workout, in between sets, afterwards, and throw some foam rolling in there before bed nightly and it'll help with recovery, gains and soreness.

Glutamine helps with the sore feeling as well. 5g post workout and 5g with a shake before bed. Also helps with GH production when taken before bed.

[willc86]

thanks guys =)

No I am not using anabolics, at least yet. lol. I am still learning my work outs. My arms are the ones I always been struggling with. I mean strength, I gained load. I am curling 45 lbs now with good posture and before, that was insane to me; but size on my arms, going veryyyy slowly.

But once I figure out my body and diet, I will get some anaobolics, lol.

Just do not know whether to do a 4 week cycle or an 8 week cycle.

[bossbaker]

Don't do any anabolics untill you stop growing naturally and exhaust all your other means of breaking plateaus (creatine, nata test booster, change workout, diet,) but you probably know this..

[Go Away]

Another thing I've noticed with a lot of people in regards to curls and arm size... Most use a lot of front deltoid support in the curls so the arms don't grow but the poundage does. Try having your wrist bent (supinated) to take stress off the delt - the weight amount will def go down and the burn will be insane ... That is, if you aren't already doing this

[SXIPro]

thanks guys =)

No I am not using anabolics, at least yet. lol. I am still learning my work outs. My arms are the ones I always been struggling with. I mean strength, I gained load. I am curling 45 lbs now with good posture and before, that was insane to me; but size on my arms, going veryyyy slowly.

But once I figure out my body and diet, I will get some anaobolics, lol.

Just do not know whether to do a 4 week cycle or an 8 week cycle.

Remember that the majority of 'arm size' comes from the triceps, so don't forget those. I've got decent sized bi's and I don't do any curls. My back workout pretty much destroys my biceps. (in a good way)

[AForney]

Are you taking a Bcaa supplement during or after your workout? How about fish oil, raw almonds and/or cissus during the day? If not try adding some supps to your regimen and see if that helps.

[murk01]

i get sore as hell, but like it. like some if i dont get sore, i feel like i slacked off. i tried glutamine, vit b, i tale at least 10 fish oil + 10-15 unilivers aday. nothing realy helps soreness, but i do need to get the streach game better.

[MusclestoGo]

Being sore is great! It's caused by lactic acid buildup, and high Lactic acid concentrations increase muscle growth, btw it was mentioned earlier by someone to stretch before lifting.. that can take away some of your power and strength during your workout which means lower intensity. Warm up with plyometrics or low weight, then stretch after your finished.

[Rodja]

Being sore is great! It's caused by lactic acid buildup, and high Lactic acid concentrations increase muscle growth, btw it was mentioned earlier by someone to stretch before lifting.. that can take away some of your power and strength during your workout which means lower intensity. Warm up with plyometrics or low weight, then stretch after your finished.

This is incorrect. At one point, it was believed that DOMS was caused by lactic acid, but it's actually due to inflammation from the microtrauma caused by lifting. This trauma leads to minor bleeding; think of it like a bruise.

Regarding static stretching, this really only applies to a max effort situation as hypertrophy is not based on power at all. If you're going for a new 1RM, I still say to go through some light static stretching, foam rolling, and dynamic work. The studies showing the lowered power output generally have multiple sets of up to 45s. I do maybe 8-10s stretches after I foam roll and then I do a dynamic warm-up followed by starting very light (I do 2-3 sets of just the bar on bench and squat before even adding a plate).

[MusclestoGo]

Hm, good information. Thanks for the correction. Was that found out recently?

[Rodja]

Hm, good information. Thanks for the correction. Was that found out recently?

I first heard about it in '04 or so.

[MusclestoGo]

Ok thanks.

[alexoc949]

i don't know about everyone else, but i kill it in the gym.. i'd never go in the gym and half ass it. my soreness is very minimal, i mean to the point i'm in the gym and my muscles aren't doing anymore.. i think you need to look at your nutrition and what you're doing when you're not in the gym.. what you're eating, how you're sleeping. To be sore after six months like you're a beginner.. doesn't sound right to me