Not sore after leg day-getting stronger or not working hard enough

[bluebandana457]

I worked out legs yesterday, am feeling a little sick so maybe I didn't push myself hard enough but I am not sore today-usually legs will feel a little sore after leg day

3x10 squat 70lbs
3x10 deadlift 80lbs
Walking lunges 40lbs 3x10 each leg
Barbell glute bridge 50lbs 3x20
Barbell hip thrust 60lbs 3x10
Reverse hyperextension on ball no weight 3x20

Was going to do hiit at the end but like I said I have a bit of a headcold

[bosgirlin09]

I always hear stories about how people are just immobilized by their leg workouts, and Ive read some comments where people say if you don't feel that way (aka...can't put on your pants, cant use the toilet, etc) that you're not working hard enough.

That isn't my experience, generally. I feel more tired; sometimes extremely tired...get fatigued walking up the stairs, etc. I can feel the muscles that Ive worked, but Im not in any incredible pain. Ive had great progress with my legs in terms of size and strength. I feel that I lift heavy and push myself hard and do all the heavy compound lifts. Maybe everyone's body responds differently. If your lifts are progressing than Id assume you're doing OK.

Now, when I train my shoulders; Im in serious pain during and after my workout ( I do compound movements, but isolate arms and shoulders one day as well)...go figure

[thehobbes]

Lack of soreness doesn't mean you didn't get a good workout in. The day after leg day is weird for me, sometimes I don't get anything, other times I'm limping around for a couple days.

Can you easily complete your 3x10s for squats and DL? That's a sign you could use a bump in weight. That's a high rep range for those two lifts anyways, so you're probably stronger at them than you think you are.

[illiniStrive]

Soreness can be an indication of a good workout, but lack of soreness is not an indication of a bad one. Are you making/measuring progress? That's the important question.

[KasaraBrianne]

On my leg days, I literally feel like I could puke/pass out or both. I train legs 2x per week and can't walk after both for a few days - but I've only been training since January.

[bluebandana457]

thanks for the responses

i started a new workout plan last week, so this is only my second week, and i will def increase weight next time. i just felt really weak and didn't want to overdue it.


today i am guzzling liters of diet sprite, soup, and jello. HELLLLLLLO bloat

[ktkoch]

I would say if you're not sore from Legs... you could probably push yourself further... My legs are usually shaking after my workouts, and I walk kind of funny for about 30 minutes. I train twice a week, and I would say my legs are always in a state of soreness or tightness depending on the day. Other body parts don't really get that sore like shoulders (even though I train them hard and fatigue them fully).

[bethanyboo]

I always hear stories about how people are just immobilized by their leg workouts, and Ive read some comments where people say if you don't feel that way (aka...can't put on your pants, cant use the toilet, etc) that you're not working hard enough.

That isn't my experience, generally. I feel more tired; sometimes extremely tired...get fatigued walking up the stairs, etc. I can feel the muscles that Ive worked, but Im not in any incredible pain. Ive had great progress with my legs in terms of size and strength. I feel that I lift heavy and push myself hard and do all the heavy compound lifts. Maybe everyone's body responds differently.

I agree. I used to have that omg-I-can't-walk feeling after my leg workouts, but not anymore. And I can't really up my weights without sacrificing my form. I KNOW I'm pushing myself enough.

[Barefoot_Zosia]

Can you easily complete your 3x10s for squats and DL? That's a sign you could use a bump in weight. That's a high rep range for those two lifts anyways, so you're probably stronger at them than you think you are.

Just to second what Hobbes said here... I'm lifting about the same weight as you on hip thrust and walking lunges, but can manage 5x5 115lbs squats and 150lbs deadlifts. So you probably will be able to increase those lifts fairly soon, and might feel it a little more.

[summertown74]

i started a new workout plan last week, so this is only my second week, and i will def increase weight next time. i just felt really weak and didn't want to overdue it.

Seems pretty obvious to me...you felt sick, so you didn't push as hard, therefore didn't get sore..? You did the right thing, I think. Do you really wanna be sore as hell and sick too?

[JohannaMiller]

I did a leg day this week that was 3 days early and hobbled a friend of mine. Yet the next day I barely felt it in my hip flexors.
I was hoping to FEEL an aftermath because I haven't for a long time.
My weights and reps are going up. I burn ( & @ times want to die) during the workout. My form is spot on .. 45 sec breaks .. circuit style multiple muscle exercises (walking weighted lunges - hack - pulses)
Am I getting stronger or am I slacking w/not enough weights?

[KBCanter]

I only recently started working out at a gym - and I found the very hard way that going by 'sore - not sore' as a measure of having a good workout, for some people, is BAD to do.

I kept going for that famed soreness - the one that tells you 'you've burned yourself out' - and by doing so I suddenly found myself so sick - slam-wasted with fatigue and an overall inability to function for five days - I thought I had come down sick with the flu and went to the doctor. I pushed myself too hard while seeking out this 'soreness' - and it took me more than a week to recover.

So you'll have to find something else to use as a measure of 'good workout' - quick recovery time is quite possible for people who have a firm grip on their diet and many other things. For me - I've had to accept that 'soreness' just doesn't really happen often.

[FitNissG33k]

I also just started on a new program and am on my second week. I was really sore last week but after my leg workout yesterday i barely have any soreness. I am confident that I did enough weight for the 8-12 rep range. I can not do anything more and be able to complete at least 8 reps. I have 2 more weeks at this range and will then be lowering my reps are increasing weight.

[doctoremma]

For me, the biggest factor in getting sore is trying a new lift, revisiting a very infrequent one or slightly tweaking form on a regular lift. So basically, novelty does it for me. I very rarely get the "can't lower myself to the loo" feeling (or worse, "can't get myself back up off it"), although it does occasionally happen.

For legs, I mostly just wobble around on jelly for ten mins, then feel a bit wiped out for the rest of the day. I can usually run the same day or the day after though (but not the day after lunges, they are a killer for runners).

I more frequently get very sore on upper body work. At least one point during the week, I'll be struggling to get my coat on. Once, I couldn't even push down the plastic cap on my takeaway coffee.