How Should You Feel After Weights Training?

nukemdukem · 9 Jul 2013 at 06:09

Hi Guys,

I was wondering how most people feel after weights training - obviously after cardio training (cycling high intensity for 45 mins, or body pump wieghts many repitions) i normally feel quite exhausted at the end - and feel like i've had a good workout physically.

But i dont really feel like that after my weights training - is that perfectly fine?

I'm phasing over to more weights training per week instead of cardio to start growing more muscle mass, and i wanted to know how i should feel after a good weights training exercise....

For example on a shoulders / tricep day i do this (i do feel i need maybe 1 more set of shoulders):

Shoulder presses - 4 sets of 10
Lateral raises 4 sets of 12
Shoulder shrugs 4 sets of 10
Tricep pull downs 4 sets of 12
Tricep dips 4 sets of 12
Then finished with kettlebell squats into shoulder press (using kettle bells)

This normally takes me 40 mins.

Now each set of exercises by the last set was tough, with my muscles feeling pumped and approaching failure.

But at the end of the whole workout, i did not feel tired or lacking energy.

This may be a stupid question, but wanted to see how others felt after a good weights training workout

Many Thanks

mrthingyx · 9 Jul 2013 at 06:18

The urge ro be violently sick occasionally comes around. As does the inability to use certain muscle groups.

If your muscles aren't screaming at the end of the second/third set (IMHO) meaning you dread the end of your rest period, your weights aren't big enough.

So I effectively think you aren't working hard enough.

spoffle · 9 Jul 2013 at 06:49

You need to lift heavier

arknor · 9 Jul 2013 at 06:50

I think your body adjusts a bit like when you first start lifting and the next day you can really feel the whole muscle when you tense it as if it's bruised and shredded to hell.

I never had that ever again after the first few weeks/months

spoffle · 9 Jul 2013 at 06:52

arknor said:
I think your body adjusts a bit like when you first start lifting and the next day you can really feel the whole muscle when you tense it as if it's bruised and shredded to hell.

I never had that ever again after the first few weeks/months

Increase the amount of weight you're doing to stress the nervous system and muscles and that feeling will come back with a vengeance.

arknor · 9 Jul 2013 at 08:19

spoffle said:
Increase the amount of weight you're doing to stress the nervous system and muscles and that feeling will come back with a vengeance.

http://fhs.mcmaster.ca/pediatrics/mark_tarnopolsky.html
Sounds like this guy knows his muscles

"White blood cells start to repair the damaged muscle after about 12 to 24 hours and they release a number of chemicals which are likely to be involved in the generation of local muscle pain," said Dr. Mark Tarnopolsky, a specialist in neuromuscular disorders at the McMaster University Medical Center in Hamilton, Ontario. "You see damage at the microscopic level immediately after exercise, yet the soreness is usually delayed for about 24 hours and peaks at 48 hours."

The good news is that as these little tears repair themselves, they prepare the muscles to handle the same type of exercise better the next time.

"The muscle gets more resilient, meaning the next time you do that same exercise you won't get damaged as much," said Dr. Priscilla Clarkson, a professor of exercise science at the University of Massachusetts and a leading researcher on muscle soreness. "That doesn't mean you are stronger, or mean you can lift more weight. It just means your muscle fibers are likely stronger so they won't tear as easily. Over time they'll build up and become a stronger fiber to lift more weight."

Doesn't sound like he thinks muscle fibres should be tearing all the time he seems to be under the impression the fibres get stronger without the need for tearing which would likely just slow down your gains anyway as you would need more recovery time.

BTW, incase your confused I didn't mean I get no muscle pain and I'm not lifting the same weight since forever.

just you never ever feel that burn like you do when you first started working out

LiE · 9 Jul 2013 at 08:20

You should feel like death.

mrthingyx · 9 Jul 2013 at 08:29

LiE said:
You should feel like death.

What doesn't kill you... :cool:

Random Guy · 9 Jul 2013 at 08:42

And if you want to go the extra mile to punish yourself, combine some intense CV at the start of your workout, with heavy lifting

(TBF that is more of a fat burning approach, but even if you don't need to lose weight, it is one hell of a workout).

LiE · 9 Jul 2013 at 08:44

CV before lifting? DYEL?

Admiral Huddy · 9 Jul 2013 at 08:50

spoffle said:
You need to lift heavier

You need to lift wisely with good form.

I was watching some chap in the gym yesterday preaching 40kg. Every body part was moving except the target area. His feet and lower back were moving and his elbows moved no more than a few cm. If he could see himself he'd realise his efforts were fruitless. My point is focus on getting good reps/sets and find a challenge. Work the muscle through. I see too many people pausing and resting between each rep.

LiE · 9 Jul 2013 at 08:53

Admiral Huddy said:
You need to lift heavy enough with good form.

Fixed

Richdog · 9 Jul 2013 at 08:54

nukemdukem said:
Now each set of exercises by the last set was tough, with my muscles feeling pumped and approaching failure.

But at the end of the whole workout, i did not feel tired or lacking energy.

If you are still feeling fresh at the end of the whole 40min session then imo you need to do more weight (sticking to safety levels, but I would imagine you're not pushing yourself enough due to working out solo) and aim for 3x sets of 8 reps instead.

I'm not a big guy, but when I finish a workout after 40 mins I literally cannot do another set, my arms burn, muscles feel tight, and it's straight for a protein shake and a good meal to feel normal again.

Random Guy · 9 Jul 2013 at 09:10

LiE said:
CV before lifting? DYEL?

Endurance is the game here, my friend - don't knock it till you have tried it. Obviously you can't perform both at peak using a combined CV-Strength Training workout, but you wouldn't do something like this as part of your regular program.

Admiral Huddy · 9 Jul 2013 at 09:14

LiE said:
Fixed

this is what i meant haha

BigPecsPeter · 9 Jul 2013 at 10:29

mrthingyx said:
If your muscles aren't screaming at the end of the second/third set (IMHO) meaning you dread the end of your rest period, your weights aren't big enough.

I don't agree with this - it's far too general.

It depends what kind of weight training one is doing. Rep ranges with more of a fatigue stimulus will be painful and feel hella difficult. On the other hand, when dealing with pure strength training (e.g. doubles and triples), or lower rep range bodybuilding methods (5-8 reps) which typically have longer rest periods, there is much less of a fatigue stimulus involved. It should feel challenging, but won't necessarily make one feel like they dread the last set. That's gonna be more the case in more fatigue/sarcoplasmic hypertrophy oriented work, as above.

spoffle · 9 Jul 2013 at 10:53

Admiral Huddy said:
You need to lift wisely with good form.

I was watching some chap in the gym yesterday preaching 40kg. Every body part was moving except the target area. His feet and lower back were moving and his elbows moved no more than a few cm. If he could see himself he'd realise his efforts were fruitless. My point is focus on getting good reps/sets and find a challenge. Work the muscle through. I see too many people pausing and resting between each rep.

LiE's response was the essence of my post really. I know the feeling of a good session because my muscles are crying tears are gainzzz (not DOMs).

You'll always get some people who compromise their form and safety to feel like they're lifting big, like those bench monkeys that every gym has, when as the weight increases the amount the bar moves each rep decreases loads.

spoffle · 9 Jul 2013 at 10:56

BigPecsPeter said:
I don't agree with this - it's far too general.

It depends what kind of weight training one is doing. Rep ranges with more of a fatigue stimulus will be painful and feel hella difficult. On the other hand, when dealing with pure strength training (e.g. doubles and triples), or lower rep range bodybuilding methods (5-8 reps) which typically have longer rest periods, there is much less of a fatigue stimulus involved. It should feel challenging, but won't necessarily make one feel like they dread the last set. That's gonna be more the case in more fatigue/sarcoplasmic hypertrophy oriented work, as above.

The thing I'm talking about is after you've done. An hour to a few hours later when you can feel the ache setting in and the temporary weakness with that. It doesn't come on unless I give my muscles and CNS a good rinsing with singles, doubles and triples.

mrthingyx · 9 Jul 2013 at 10:57

BigPecsPeter said:
I don't agree with this - it's far too general.

It depends what kind of weight training one is doing. Rep ranges with more of a fatigue stimulus will be painful and feel hella difficult. On the other hand, when dealing with pure strength training (e.g. doubles and triples), or lower rep range bodybuilding methods (5-8 reps) which typically have longer rest periods, there is much less of a fatigue stimulus involved. It should feel challenging, but won't necessarily make one feel like they dread the last set. That's gonna be more the case in more fatigue/sarcoplasmic hypertrophy oriented work, as above.

Absolutely. But considering the OP, do you really want to get more specific?

nukemdukem · 9 Jul 2013 at 11:07

cool thanks for the advice

I think my problem is muscle fatigue, my muscles feel tired because they dont have the stamina to do 4 sets of the required reps.

Hopefully this will change over time, i dont want to go too light as then its no effort at all... these were the weights i did:

Shoulder presses - 4 sets of 10 (22kg)
Lateral raises 4 sets of 12 (6kg - anything higher i had rubbish form)
Shoulder shrugs 4 sets of 10 - (16kg)
Tricep pull downs 4 sets of 12 - (16KG)
Tricep dips 4 sets of 12
Then finished with kettlebell squats into shoulder press (using kettle bells) - 5kg each arm

First 2 sets are ok, no issues, 3rd set becomes difficult and 4th set is very hard - sometimes cannot complete all the reps - i think i will just stick with it and see how it goes for a month or so.