Not lifting enough or just quick recovery?

AB1980!

Hi all. Long time reader, 1st time poster.

I wonder could you give me some advice?

I am a 29yo female who has just started a weights programme. It's self designed from articles, books, etc.

All the advice I've read says to lift heavier weights, lower reps. I also had second hand advice from a friend's PT that if it doesn't hurt the next day you aren't lifting enough.

Now the ab work and lower body is going grand, and it does hurt! But I'm not sure where i am going wrong with the upper body work.

OK so as an eg last night I was doing upper body (i do a 3 day rotation), doing different exercises at different weights, the heaviest I could mangage at each one.

I'm going for 3 sets of 10. So bicep curl, 1st set, fine, second set, just about manage 10, 3rd set, couldn't do more than 8.

And so on for the other exercises. This is right isn't it? That would seem to be the right weight for me?

But today, no pain. I was stiff last night, did a lot of stretching to work it out, but don't feel it at all today, in fact I feel like I could do it all over again no problem.

Now I do have a very quick recovery time with running and other cardio, so is it just that, or am I not lifting enough?


(Sorry this is long winded, I'm sure there is a quicker way of saying all that, my muscles are fine but my brain is a bit fuzzy today!)

Brian?

AB1980! wrote: »

I'm going for 3 sets of 10. So bicep curl, 1st set, fine, second set, just about manage 10, 3rd set, couldn't do more than 8.

And so on for the other exercises. This is right isn't it? That would seem to be the right weight for me?

That's perfect. When you can do 3x10 its time to up the weight.

Chet Zar

AB1980! wrote: »

Hi all. Long time reader, 1st time poster.

I wonder could you give me some advice?

I am a 29yo female who has just started a weights programme. It's self designed from articles, books, etc.

All the advice I've read says to lift heavier weights, lower reps. I also had second hand advice from a friend's PT that if it doesn't hurt the next day you aren't lifting enough.

Now the ab work and lower body is going grand, and it does hurt! But I'm not sure where i am going wrong with the upper body work.

OK so as an eg last night I was doing upper body (i do a 3 day rotation), doing different exercises at different weights, the heaviest I could mangage at each one.

I'm going for 3 sets of 10. So bicep curl, 1st set, fine, second set, just about manage 10, 3rd set, couldn't do more than 8.

And so on for the other exercises. This is right isn't it? That would seem to be the right weight for me?

But today, no pain. I was stiff last night, did a lot of stretching to work it out, but don't feel it at all today, in fact I feel like I could do it all over again no problem.

Now I do have a very quick recovery time with running and other cardio, so is it just that, or am I not lifting enough?


(Sorry this is long winded, I'm sure there is a quicker way of saying all that, my muscles are fine but my brain is a bit fuzzy today!)

Your friend's PT is wrong - it doesn't HAVE to hurt the next day to mean you're working hard. Sometimes you get soreness sometimes not - the main thing is that you are looking to up the weight you are using session on session week on week.

Colm_OReilly

Soreness can be a poor indication of workrate, really. It depends on a lot of factors including the movements themselves, diet, sleep, etc.

What's your current routine?

Sangre

I find volume results in stiffness rather than the weight of the exercise. Unless its a new movement.

AB1980!

Colm_OReilly wrote: »

Soreness can be a poor indication of workrate, really. It depends on a lot of factors including the movements themselves, diet,I am following a low carb diet at the moment sleep, sleep like a log, 7.5-8.5 hrs a night etc.

What's your current routine?

I'm doing cardio (5km on the treadmill in intervals, taking me about 35 mins, knocking a min off every couple of sessions) about 3 times a week.

Strenght work is either at home or in the gym after the cardio, most days.

On a 3 day rotation as I said, upper body one day, abs the enxt, lower body the next.

Upper body is where I don't seem to be feeling it.

I'm doing bicep curls, hammer curls, single arm rows, single arm extensions, and push-ups. I definitely feel it at the time and straight afterwards but not the next day whereas I would with the ab work and lower body stuff.

I do a lot of stretching (throw in some yoga most nights), so maybe that's it?

bman

AB1980! wrote: »

I'm doing cardio (5km on the treadmill in intervals, taking me about 35 mins, knocking a min off every couple of sessions) about 3 times a week.

Strenght work is either at home or in the gym after the cardio, most days.

On a 3 day rotation as I said, upper body one day, abs the enxt, lower body the next.

Upper body is where I don't seem to be feeling it.

I'm doing bicep curls, hammer curls, single arm rows, single arm extensions, and push-ups. I definitely feel it at the time and straight afterwards but not the next day whereas I would with the ab work and lower body stuff.

I do a lot of stretching (throw in some yoga most nights), so maybe that's it?

I find it mostly affects me in the abs and legs also. I wouldn't worry too much about it. If it's difficult to complete at the time then you're likely doing it right.

Yapamillias

Soreness after exercise isnt any indication of quality if the workout. You may feel sore the day after and you may not. It can depend on the type of exercise that you did (if your not used to it previously). As mentioned previously if your increasing weight lifted/volume of weight lifted then progress is being made.

If your missing that burning feeling then by all means finish each workout with lunging plyometric jumps