Sore Muscles

[Morena]

Is muscle soreness a sign of muscle growth? i.e. Do your muscles need to be sore every time you lift weight in order for them to grow? I've been lifting for a while, I change my routine frequently, I train one body part a day, I pump hard, but most of the time my muscles are not sore. Sometimes I can feel my legs, or abs, and that feels great. But most of the time I don't feel a thing! For example, I cannot make my shoulders sore no matter how hard I try. So, what is the industry saying on this one?

Thanks.

[MsFit]

You can't gauge muscle growth on soreness. Growth will occur when you stimulate the muscle, feed it, and allow it to rest.

[imperfectly_lou]

This is a toughie....

In my humble opinion, you should be at least a LITTLE sore when you are doing something new. So unless you are doing the same routine, number of reps and weight every week.... you should be sore.

Make sure you are lifting heavy enough so that you reach technical failure in 8-12 reps.

[Bignbuff]

Soreness is not any type of indicator of growth or a good workout. Only time and results can tell.

[elescher]

Originally posted by bignbuff
Soreness is not any type of indicator of growth or a good workout. Only time and results can tell.

I agree. I am always sore for 2-3 days after I work my legs, but am rarely sore after my back/tri or chest/bi workouts - and I'm pretty proud of my back & arms. I think soreness is an individual thing.

[chinamsmuscle]

I think "NO PAIN, NO GAIN"so I work hard every training rep and get the burning feeling of my muscle,sometime I even can not move my training bodypart but I like the feeling and my muscle growing!
Here is my picture taken 3 months after the biginning of bodybuilding training.

[sabreman]

Well, in three months, I think you've come a very long way! Way to go! As for me, I think soreness is good after a workout...it lets you know you pushed yourself. But, it shouldn't be used as a gauge for muscle growth as others have said. I think the mirror and the tape speak for themselves in that area.

[Laurie]

The only real soreness I get from a workout is from my left shoulder due to an old trauma rotator cuff tear. Since finding this last March (through MRI), I pulled back on some exercises, changed others and performed isolation rotator cuff exercises to keep from causing further shoulder impingement. Still have full movement, just a pain twinge when moving my left arm over to my right shoulder.

Still a slight weakness when lifting. If my right can do 3 sets at 8 reps of 25lb dbl curls easily. My left will give out at 6-7 reps in the final set. I just have to push harder with my left during the last set of the 125 bb bench press. Things like that. Something I will always have to be aware of (Do not need surgery, thank goodness!). But something I can keep from getting any worse with proper lifting form and careful building back up.

Otherwise, no other "pain". If I do a really good leg workout...then I get the "wet noodle" syndrome, though.

As was pointed out. IF the exercise really hurts to do it.....stop!
My first indication of major left shoulder problems came from trying to do lateral raises in the beginning. Even with lower weights, it HURT after doing a number of reps. My instructor (former bodybuilder) wisely told me to stop doing those. No sense in making it worse.

I finally went to a doctor a few months later. Was making good gains overall, but my left shoulder was still abit weaker than my right (although pretty close). I wondered why and had a MRI done.

Just make sure the "No Pain, No Gain" does not point to a possible hidden injury.

[chinamsmuscle]

Laurie:
Thank you for sharing your experence with us,although I use heavy weight and make my muscle pumping up very strong,even can not move bodypart trained after 1 set,I take more care of the response of my muscle,if I can not control the weight ,I will stop training at once .When I do training ,I always have a boy to protect me (he is stronger than me)
I always notice my body response to training ,if I feel fatigue or menstruated,I will quit training and have a thourough rest.
I beleive if I HURT by training ,I will make more slow progress than nomal ,so "SAFETY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT " in the bodybuilding ,I think I train my body and gain mass muscle not hurt my body and worse my health.

[ROCK CRUSHER]

although i've never been sore from a "bad" workout. you don't need muscle soreness for hypertrophy.