Question about muscle pain after lifting weights - Saxperience

Toad · 12th March 2010, 15:35

Hey guys.

I've been getting back into the fitness swing of things, and been attending the gym quite regularly for the past 6 weeks.

I have a question about muscle pain after lifting weights.

One of my favourite exercises is inclinded presses, using dumbbells. It's probably the one exercise I do on each visit to the gym - other exercises I do mostly every other visit. Anyway, today is the first day after going to the gym (the previous day) where I've felt no pain in the pectoral area at all. Normally I've got some pain somewhere... When I was at the gym yesterday doing this exercise, I pushed myself hard as usual, and also managed to do a set with heavier weight, so there's progress.

I did a few other exercises obviously, one of them lat pulls, and my lats are aching big time. However, the last time I did lat pulls was over a week ago...

Sooo... I guess my question is, am I reducing the gain from doing the same particular exercise too frequently? I've never done the incline presses when my pectorals have been in pain still. What do you think?

Craddock · 12th March 2010, 16:21

After a few weeks, you'll hit a wall and start to see no gain. Mix it up a bit, everyone wants to perfect pecs, but do different muscles each visit for better gains. Your muscles need time to repair, if you give them a week repairing, you will be able to lift/do better weights, this is what I see anyway.

The pain is probably just from working hard, I'm used to it every night. You should push yourself every gym session (with different muscles of course).

admad · 12th March 2010, 17:34

wot craddock said doing the same exercise every day is over training your muscle rest more and eat more and you'll see growth

you could also do some dropsets to really put yourself in pain lol

carl · 12th March 2010, 20:00

Stop doing the incline dummbell press for a while and use maybe flat or decline. Like stated above look up some routines, a good place is http://www.muscleandstrength.com/wor...-building.html just find one for how many days your willing to go and just alter some exercises according to your gym. Try stick to the foundations of the routines though as they are designed for all over body gains. You don't want huge pecs and a little body making them look like man boobs now do we

If your not on any protein or anything I suggest to get some as this will help repairs and gains. Myprotein on my sig below Is awesome and the Impact Whey Is only £24.99 now for 2.5k which will last you up to 3 months If you take 2 servings a day.

CarlosVT · 12th March 2010, 20:53

I'm a fitness instructor mate. I would recommend you to change your programme/exercises every 6 - 8 weeks because when your body gets used to doing the same things you will see little or no progress so you definately need a change every now and then.

Muscle pains/soreness are known as DOMS. You wont get doms if you warm up and stretch properly before and after exercise. The reason you get doms is because when you exercise you are left with a waste product called Lactic Acid and to get rid of it you have to do a proper cool down and stretch after working out. If you're not getting any pains/soreness and you are pushing yourself hard, its because you're doing the right thing; warming up, stretching, doing a cool down, etc.. so keep it up

Hope this helps

Toad · 12th March 2010, 22:24

Thanks everyone for your comments.

There's some slightly conflicting info here though. Can I just clarify that the inclined presses are just this one particular exercise I've being doing on a continual basis. I've been doing plenty of different exercises each visit, but the inclined press is one I've kept doing. I've been going to the gym roughy 2 - 3 times per week, so I've never worked a muscle group when still sore. I'll happy give them up for a while, that's fine. I was just curious if I was wasting my time by doing them regulary. And whether I might benifit more by giving them much longer to recover... I worked mostly the upper back yesterday, not something I do too often, and boy I can feel it now.

I've started taking Instant Whey by Reflex. Tastes great

I'm not a small person, I've got quite big legs and arms, and weigh just over 90kgs. I'm not fat, but want to lose some body fat and gain some muscle at the same time. I'd like to get my weight to around 85kg.

Craddock · 13th March 2010, 13:39

You can't gain muscle and lose fat.
You want to bulk up and then cut it off.

Powellyboi · 13th March 2010, 14:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craddock

You can't gain muscle and lose fat.
You want to bulk up and then cut it off.

I think you will find you can. Its not the easiest thing to do but is perfectly possible

CarlosVT · 13th March 2010, 16:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Powellyboi

I think you will find you can. Its not the easiest thing to do but is perfectly possible

Correct

Craddock · 13th March 2010, 18:11

I know it's possible but for a beginner like him, it would be hard.
Also the fact that he attends 2-3 times a week.

Building muscle requires eating more calories than you burn while losing fat requires eating less calories than you burn. When you're trying to lose fat and reducing calories, you won't be taking in the number of calories your muscles would need to grow larger.

That isn't to say that if you lose fat, you have to lose muscle too or that you can't get stronger while trying to lose weight.

It is better (for results) and easier to bulk up and then cut down.

Toad · 13th March 2010, 18:43

The general increase in fitness will help me lose weight. Along with a better diet. Protein suppliments will help me give what my muscles require.

Craddock · 13th March 2010, 19:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toad

The general increase in fitness will help me lose weight. Along with a better diet. Protein suppliments will help me give what my muscles require.

I wish it was that easy for me.

Toad · 14th March 2010, 10:35

Well I'm not just lifting weights. I'm doing some fat burn and cardio work too.

Toad · 16th March 2010, 09:01

Had a good workout yesterday. I replaced the inclined presses with declined ones, and have lot's of stiffness / pain in the pectoral area.

I'll leave the inclined training out for a few weeks... Thanks for the advice.

admad · 16th March 2010, 17:10

i wouldnt cut it out completely for weeks mate

try just doing all angles on the bench press once a week to keep strength and size up on all areas of your pecs

bullit · 16th March 2010, 17:14

pics????

DSDave · 16th March 2010, 18:08

What gym do you go to mate?
Have you tried writing an actual program? E.G a 3 way split for the 3 days a week you go to the gym?

-Dave

Toad · 16th March 2010, 19:46

Pics? Yeah right... lol.

I go to Advanced Gym in Reading.

I don't have a specific program, but I try to do similar exercises on the same days of the week. So Monday nights I might work shorlders and chest. Wednesdays I might work arms and back, and Saturdays I might work more core stuff...

Ryan^p · 16th March 2010, 19:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by carlosfilippsen

Muscle pains/soreness are known as DOMS. You wont get doms if you warm up and stretch properly before and after exercise.

DOMS is indeed oxygen debt in the muscles but its not as simple as just a decent warm down will prevent it. If the body is pushed hard enough the pain the next day can be just general fatigue and isnt as easy to stop

Ryan^p · 16th March 2010, 19:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toad

Had a good workout yesterday. I replaced the inclined presses with declined ones, and have lot's of stiffness / pain in the pectoral area.

I'll leave the inclined training out for a few weeks... Thanks for the advice.

depending on what you were trying to achieve you can just change the way you work the muscle rather than the activity.

So increasing the weight/increasing the number of reps/reducing the recovery, this is the general way people improve and get adaptations from training