Sometimes when I lift weights I am sore the next day. Sometimes the soreness skips a day and I am sore two days later. Which one is better? Does the delayed soreness mean a better workout? Or better recovery (something I ate after the workout)? Or lesser recovery?
121802
DOMS delayed onset muscle soreness. Search it on the web.
496549
Drinking water does not remove the lactic acid, but keeping the muscles moving and limber via massage. also drinking sport drinks help. There are also products on the market at sports stores that help with muscle recovery. but no it is not necessary to do anything, they will repair on their own, You will just be sore for a few days. Up to 3 days will be the worst soreness and then they should start to loosen up. If they don't improve at all then you may want to check to see that you have not injured them instead of just being the normal soreness after exercise. Lactic acid is what the body replaces the natural sugar that the body uses for fuel to make the muscles work, when it's gone it gets replace with lactic acid. You can also drink sports drinks during exercise to reduce lactic acid.
335866
I've been working out for 8 years now, so I'll tell you what I would do. If you were weight lifting yesterday....I would step it down for today and just take a walk with the dog if the weather is nice..If it's gloomy out hop on a treadmill for half hour or an hour. This will give the muscles you just worked out a little down time by workng other muscles. Hope I helped.
136789
It's normal to be sore, but don't use it an excuse to not go. Go again, but make sure you stretch really well before your workout. \nGood luck!
469966
In the location you described, it's probably a muscular strain.  It will need time to heal so lay off the weights for a few weeks.  If you can't stop lifting try Creatine.  If you notice swelling, use ice.  If not, a warm compress can speed up healing as well.  It is possible to continue to damage the muscle to the point of needing invasive treatment, so it may be best to just do aerobic stuff for a few weeks while using warm compresses.
151016
The actual benefits of strength training happen on the resting days.  You need a day or two for the muscles to repair themselves (which is what builds actual strength).  If you have to strength train every day, alternate what you're training.  IE:  legs on day one, upper body on day two, core muscles on day three.  This way, you still have some recuperation time.
240034
Of course. \n\nAll exercise breaks down your muscles tissues (this is however short or long you exercise). Once you finish your exercise you rest, and the muscles build themselves back up again. \n\nIf you do not leave enough time for the muscles to rebuild the damaged tissues will not get time to heal and become stronger, and therefore a downward spiral will start. \n\nOn the other hand, if you leave enough time for the muscles to rebuild, they would get stronger after each period of rest.\n\nIf you want to do endurance, you need to prepare for a long time, building up fitness slowly and give yourself plenty of rest. Listen to your body and take extra rest when needed.\n\nGood luck
543989
dude, i'm happy to help, but you have to take your picture off your little square. seriously.\nanyways, this is normal, your muscles are getting used to the stress you've put on them. you will probablly feel sore if you go really hard one day, but if you continue to work out everyday, it is normal, and GOOD not to feel sore after every workout.\nkeep it up!
351237
You're going to have microtears in your muscles no matter what when you lift weights, there just comes a point where you are over doing it.  \n\nNot being sore is not a bad thing.  You have to learn how your body reacts and adapts to training.  I am rarely sore, perhaps a little stiff or tight, but not sore, however I continue to grow and get stronger.\n\nOn whether or not you need to lift more weights or do more reps, you may need to think about the goals you are actually trying to achieve to determine that answer.\n\nThere is not plain cut answer for you here, just because some one is a trainer or a fitness instructor doesn't mean they have any idea what they are talking about.  Most of them just regurgitate what was taught to them in a 2 day class or the latest body building magazine that's loaded with crap.
589663
Was this you first workout?  And you expect to see results right away?  Don't be silly.  \n\nHow long will depend on what kind of workout you are doing.  If you are lifting weights, that is the best way to build muscle and burn fat, it will still take a few weeks before you begin to notice changes.  In term of how your muscles feel you will notice changes tomorrow and especially the day after.  You should lift three days a week and always skip a day in between.  When you work the muscles hard it tears down tissue--it takes more than 24 hours to heal enough to build on.  If you work out everyday you will build up slower than if you do what I told you.\n\nDon't worry about a quick fix.  If you are overweight you have to realize that it did not happen overnight.  Getting in shape and burning off fat will also not happen overnight.  Be patient and be diligent.  No whining allowed--always go to the gym on your scheduled day.  Especially when you don't feel like it.  That is the hard part--once you are there you have to lift--what else is there to do?  Again be patient--this has to be a life-long commitment.
664783
Are you getting enough protein before and after your workout? Protein right after your workout is very important for muscle recovery. And be sure you know what your doing in the gym read up on a good work out routine book or get a personal trainer for what you want accomplished in the gym.
283866
best to rest.  Muscles fatigue -- they get torn up in order to rebuild even stronger.  So give them a rest, every other day.\n\nStart with 3 sets of 10 reps, with a 30 sec rest in between.  Build yourself up.  Eventually, lower the rest periods...until there is no rest period at all.\n\nTake it easy -- and train your muscles...not STRAIN them.\n\nGood luck!
352384
Stretching BOTH before and after the workout.  Warm up before for about 10 minutes doing cardio after the stretches.  Make sure you're hydrated. Eat a banana afterwards.  Enjoy a hot tub or bath.  OR maybe just don't work quite so hard!!  :o)  The phrase "No pain, no gain" is overrated!  If you gradually build up your muscles instead of tearing them, you'll feel better the next day and probably more like continuing the training sessions.  If you hurt all the time, you may give up too soon.  :o)
422499
Registered Nurse here; First of all terminate your trainer.  Believe me there are trainers out there without an attitude.  Secondly you should NEVER have bruising associated with any type of training, this is a clear indication, your being pushed to far to fast.  Soreness yes, bruising NO!, Apply ice for the first twenty four hours, then heat after that.  Ice for the first twenty four hours to stop interstellar bleeding, which is what bruising is.  Heat after twenty four hours, to facilitate your body to reabsorb the blood and extracellular fluid that was literally ruptured out of your cells. Now hopefully, you didn't tear a tendon, muscle, ligament, or do any other type of injury to your muscular/skeleton system.  Ibuprofen is excellent for pain, plus it's a non-steroid anti inflammatory, which will assist greatly in the healing process.  Providing you don't have any stomach problems.  Take with food to decrease irritation of the stomach.  If the soreness, discoloration or pain increases in your leg, I strongly recommend you go into your physician for an evaluation.  Speedy recovery!
258958
It's ok to workout a few days in a row, as long as you are training different muscle groups each day. Do not workout everyday of the week, you need days off so the body can recover.\n                  good luck....
415468
Good question. We do not do aerobics such as running, riding a bike or skiing on Elliptical trainers on the day after we do resistant training on our legs, butt and lower back. The back and lower back take most time to recover, to do each body part twice a week is fine but the fact is if you do upper body exercise more frequently is more effective and reasonable. The biceps take shortest time to recover. So, take a break off the aerobic machine on the day after your lower body work-out. You need to reserve your energy anyway, to lift hard enough the next day. Don't put too much work on your lower back and knees, if you are overtrained, you have to take time off for months, take care.
365611
Hmm tough one this - there are many schools of thought.\nFirst thing I would say is that if you are going to work out every day that you focus on different body parts each day:\nDay 1: Back and Chest\nDay 2: Legs\nDay 3: Arms/Shoulders\netc.\nIf you are training that intensely it is best to allow your body to recuperate for a day between sessions (allows the body to grow too).\nOvertraining is counterproductive in that you don't allow your body time to recupe.\n"Ignoring pain"? If you mean train just beyond the pain barrier and don't wimp out then no issues but don't ever train if you have an actual injury (tendon/muscle strain etc).\nAlso, you will only build muscle if you eat the right foods at teh right time (protein after training etc). Try to consume 1g of protein/day for every pound of body weight.\nHope that helps