Should you continue to workout when your muscles are sore?

Question

I just started lifting back from a 2 month break. My muscles are sore from the 1st week. Is it good to hit the muscles again while they are still sore or should I let them recover first?

Answer 1

A 2 month break without lifting weights! Yes you are going to be sore, and if you continue you will have some serious problems.

I hope you have a book and record your weight by exercise and date. If so, after 2 months, you should be starting again between 20 to 30% of the weight you lifted before. If you do not record your weight, go very light at first, you will pick-up more weight in a few weeks.

Most people give up weight lifting because they do not see any gains. And why most people do not see any gains is because they OVER TRAIN!

You should not be training the same muscle groups every day. You should also workout with the larger muscles first, then the smaller muscles.

Use a 3 on 2 off system, or perhaps better Monday, Wednesday, and Friday keeping Tuesday and Thursdays for Cardio.

In the future, 2 weeks is maximum for weight lifters. After 2 weeks the muscles will start declining, strength will also decline, and also your will power will disappear.

Answer 2

It is a good thing you muscles are sore.it means the workout is doing its job....If you do the same thing that made them sore the soreness Will go away because you will be breaking up the layer of lactose that has set up on the muscle fibers. The answer to you question, You can work out 3 or 4 times a week if they are sore but you must give them time to recover. After a while, you wont get as sore and you can bump the workout to 4 or 5 times a week. Some people wil workout 7 days a week but you must have rest for the muscles.....If you plan on working out 6 or 7 days a week two days should be light stuff....something to keep you busy not strenuous.

Answer 3

I never hit them hard again, but without a doubt the fastest recovery is by continuing to use your muscles.

If you have sore legs, then I would hit the treadmill for 10-15 minutes a couple times a day. If you work upper body or arms, then I would do extremely light exercises with those body parts a couple times a day.

Tons of water and you will recover quick.

Answer 4

When you exercise your muscles what happens, is they basically rip. The tissue then builds up over top of this and becomes a stronger one. You should wait out the ripping and healing period, so that it will heal affectively. The next time you go and hit the weights again, you will notice you can lift them a bit easier..you won't be as sore, so you will also enjoy the experience more.

Answer 5

When you are sore it means your body is telling you something.
It takes 14-16 days to heal properly. The best thing to do is work one area a week, giving that area 7 days to heal. Day 1, arms, day 2 core, day 3 legs. (not in a row mind you), the other days do some cardio.

If you dont give yourself time to heal you will damage and rip muscles, in the end can cause perminate damage.

Answer 6

You shouldn't lift after a session that has made your muscles sore. Just wait until they feel good enough to lift agian. Eventually, they'll be up to the shape they were in 2 months ago.

Answer 7

You should definitely allow recovery time in between reps, but as long as you aren't tearing your muscles, working out when they are sore should actually be more benefitial (but I the healing time will be longer). I don't know this for sure, but since they are sore because you are tearing them, which makes them grow, if you continue, they will tear more, making them grow more. Personally, I feel I get the best ab workout when I do it when they are sore.

Answer 8

Within reason, you can workout even if your muscles are sore, but use less weights and fewer rep's. If they're really sore, I'd go for a jog or a power walk instead.

Answer 9

You should have breaks between your workouts. You don't need to be sore free before working out again, but you shouldn't be hurting badly.

When you workout, you should always work out to failure, or to the point where you can't life anymore. Otherwise you arn't going to gain any muscle.

Answer 10

When getting back into a weight training regimen (sp?) it is always good to start out easy and not push yourself too hard until your muscles can adapt, or you could seriously injure yourself. give time for muscles to regrow. the way weight training works, is when u workout u make tiny tears in your muscle fibers, they regrow and that what makes your muscle stronger and larger. taking a suplement such as protein will decrease your recovery time dramtically.