Should I be sore after I lift?

[Grantsdu]

I'm never sore from lifting anymore. The only time i"m ever sore is if I set out from lifting for a while or I work a muscle that I don't normally work. Does that mean I'm not working my muscles hard or long enough or do they just get use to it?

 

[Y_lifter]

Not everyone gets painfully sore but...
Your body may be "used to" your current level of INTENSITY.
Bump that up if you want to get sore again.

 

[Robboe]

it's your body adapting to lifting.

this is a good thing btw. your body adapts to the exercises you are doing by growing. best growth comes after about 3-4 weeks of using the SAME routine. don;t be one of these switch-it-up-every-time folk. sure they grow, but progression comes more frequent and is easy to record if you keep all factors the same.

usually after about 8-12 weeks you see progression stagnate and it's time to change up an exercise or so to kick-start it all off again.

don;t worry about being sore - it doesn;t indicate growth, and lack of soreness doesn;t indicate lack of growth.

 

[Gladiola]

This is really helpful, Robboe! I posted on the Women's board about how much switching it up is bad & didn't get much response.

I've kept my split the same, & with most muscles I start off with the same thing, but there are some changes each week with the exercises.
i.e. chest day starts with bench & then has 2 more exercises
Usually 2nd exercise is:
flat bench db flies
slight incline db flies
cable crossover (if it's free)

Exercise 3 is:
Incline DB press
decline push-ups

I have similar variety incorporated into other days too - do you think this is too much variation?
The main answer I got was, "If it works, don't change it" - but even with this variety, I keep growing (strength and mass).
Thanks!

 

[DR. NOE]

Sorry bro, never had that problem. Eight years of lifting and every muscle hurts like hell still. IF you go full intensity and push yourself to failure, you should be sore..

 

[Robboe]

Gladiola, i'd say keep at least one exercise the same each week for the duration of the progression. maybe two would be better, depending on your routine.

for the sake of excitement and enjoyment leave the last exercise for that muscle group to be something you can play around with each week. you don;t have to, but if you want...

 

[Belial]

usually after about 8-12 weeks you see progression stagnate and it's time to change up an exercise or so to kick-start it all off again.

Why?

 

[Robboe]

I knew you'd say that if you saw it.

I said it cause progression starts to slow around about the 8-12 week mark. of course this doesn;t apply to the lad who progresses on everything every week. I wonder who that could be?....