If you don't feel sore, have you really, truly worked out (you know what I mean!). Should you be sore after every meaningful workout?
Your husband hugs you and you scream.
Your kids touch your legs and you wince.
You can barely get in your PJ's for bed.
YOU ARE SORE.
This has been me the past two weeks. I feel like a skinless zombie made up of raw nerves. I've been doing P90X and Insanity for months now, and have gleefully headed back to the gym and I'm dying. DYING.
Plus, I've been working out with this trainer who has no mercy and I'm pretty sure she has a screw lose.
Oh, wait, I am my own trainer.
Anyway, Alison, to answer your question, soreness is one indicator of a good workout, but not the only one. Soreness typically comes from putting your body through something it hasn't really done before. Or in my case, hasn't done in quite some time.
A lot of times, when I first start working with clients they are crazy sore. Like can't sit down on the toilet sore. Like calling me from the stair well of the gym to help her get to her car sore (yes, this did happen :) But then, after several weeks, their bodies start figuring out that this is the new normal. They start getting better at the workouts and their soreness level decreases.
Evaluate your workouts by honestly asking yourself the following questions:
1. Are the 3-5 last repetitions in each set you are doing very challenging?
2. Has your strength increased?
3. Are you going up in your weights?
4. Has your body fat % decreased?
5. After several weeks, what do your measurements look like?
If the answer is no to questions #1-3 , that tells me that you aren't giving it 100% of your efforts. STEP IT UP, SISTER. I will say if the answer is no to questions # 4 and 5, just keep plugging away. Body fat reduction and a decrease in measurements take time and consistency. That will come!
This leads me to one of my favorite topics: CHANGE. You should be changing your workouts every 4-6 weeks to challenge your body. I personally change my workout every single time I workout simply for creative purposes (this is the only thing I do creatively -- no quilting or scrapbooking talents here). So, I find that I am tender usually one out of my three workouts that week.
Thanks for the questions. KEEP THEM COMING! Email me here anytime and I will do my best to get back to you ASAP!
8 comments:
Great question! I've been thinking the same thing myself. When I was training w/ a trainer after not working out for awhile I could barely move...and that was 3x a week. I've been doing p90x for 4 weeks now 7x/week plus spin 3x/week and although I occasionally get tight--the pain is nowhere near as bad...I'll step it up a bit (although I think I'm working pretty hard). Thanks again!
Great info! I'm in training to run a 1/2 marathon and trying to do a couple weight workouts a week too. I need to mix in some cross-training workout (and more plyometrics...hint, hint...) so that I don't get "stale".
My legs don't really get sore anymore, probably because of all the running, but my upper body definitely does! My legs definitely feel fatigued throughout the day after running/working out...is that the next best thing as being sore?
This makes lots of sense! I was thinking I needed to always be sore, but it's true that when I started running I was sore...the longer I have been running it takes different workouts to cause soreness
If you are a regular runner and your legs are tired/fatigued -- you've gotten the job done.
Thanks Mandi, I was going to email you with this same question. I also change my weight/cardio day up each time. I try to kick my own boo tay each time, and have at least one sore-ish body part sore a couple times a week. Thanks again for all you do!
This is a great post... In my neck of the woods we have found a balance between being painfully sore (like when you first workout) and having what we call 'Muscle awareness' knowing you have had a great workout feeling the muscles but not unable to function daily life without discomfort.
I personally love that feeling and after a workout with this awareness I know I have given it my all!
I LOVE this post! Although most of your posts answer questions I've been wondering
I love that muscle awareness. Perfect description!
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