Am I working out a muscle if it doesn't hurt?

[jmsx521]

Sometimes at the gym I can't feel pain on the muscles that I am working out... whether arms, abs, or legs; it doesn't indicate to me that I am building that muscle. Normally you apply heavier weight to start working it out then.... But, applying heavier weight doesn't give me that pain that you know builds the muscle. It just feels that it is applying more pressure on the joint, or bone, not the muscle itself.

That normally happens to me when I go to the gym daily, and from day to day my body is used to working out; and I am not feeling any type of tiring, just wasting time. However, if I skip going daily, and work out 1-2-3 times a week instead, then I get more tired easier, feel sluggish a little, and I can get the feeling that I am building my body.

 

[tricky]

Sometimes at the gym I can't feel pain on the muscles that I am working out... whether arms, abs, or legs; it doesn't indicate to me that I am building that muscle.

The laymen answer is . . . don't use pain or "soreness" as indication that you've stimulated growth. Instead use a logbook and track your results.

The science-y answer is that you should look for two things after a work set . . .

1) If you feel a burn in the muscle, it means that you've taxed the "energetics" (ATP-CP) of the muscle. This means you've stimulated an effect that will improve the anaerobic conditioning of the muscle. This is useful for performance training and dieting (if it's a big muscle group like legs or back.) And it suggests that you've also stimulated an effect that will improve the joint/ligaments around that muscle.

2) If you feel a slight stretch or very slight tight tensation in the muscle after the work set, it means that you've cause some microtrauma in the muscle, which will lead to improved muscle growth. This however is harder to track especially if you're extremely warmed up.

3) If you're shaking, it means that you've tapped out the intensity (neural drive) you can apply, and that ideally you need to take a few minutes off before starting again.

 

[iradical18]

The laymen answer is . . . don't use pain or "soreness" as indication that you've stimulated growth. Instead use a logbook and track your results.

The science-y answer is that you should look for two things after a work set . . .

1) If you feel a burn in the muscle, it means that you've taxed the "energetics" (ATP-CP) of the muscle. This means you've stimulated an effect that will improve the anaerobic conditioning of the muscle. This is useful for performance training and dieting (if it's a big muscle group like legs or back.) And it suggests that you've also stimulated an effect that will improve the joint/ligaments around that muscle.

2) If you feel a slight stretch or very slight tight tensation in the muscle after the work set, it means that you've cause some microtrauma in the muscle, which will lead to improved muscle growth. This however is harder to track especially if you're extremely warmed up.

3) If you're shaking, it means that you've tapped out the intensity (neural drive) you can apply, and that ideally you need to take a few minutes off before starting again.

Perfectly stated, I always work to feel what you listed at #2. When I'm done with that particular muscle group I like my muscles to feel tight, or sort of wound up, easy to feel when you're doing hamstrings especially.

 

[BeHappy]

Tricky is ripped?

 

[superman1]

This doesn't make any sense to me, unless you are in fact Superman and can lift any weight in the gym an unlimited amount of times without tiring.

Obviously you are not using enough weight, and are probably not doing the correct exercises with the correct form.

 

[Vermillion]

Tricky is ripped?

Yes, he went a little (a lot) over the top and he is currently muscle bound.

That's is why he spends his time on this board going every specific details for each strokes when he is teaching someone.

"These strokes aren't meant for the muscle bounded like me," he said.

"If I can't play tennis, then I shall teach tennis"

That's why he is my hero. He loves the game more than all of the muscle bounded population combined.

(I had too much cinnamon, forgive me).

 

[DY3K1D]

Sometimes at the gym I can't feel pain on the muscles that I am working out... whether arms, abs, or legs; it doesn't indicate to me that I am building that muscle. Normally you apply heavier weight to start working it out then.... But, applying heavier weight doesn't give me that pain that you know builds the muscle. It just feels that it is applying more pressure on the joint, or bone, not the muscle itself.

That normally happens to me when I go to the gym daily, and from day to day my body is used to working out; and I am not feeling any type of tiring, just wasting time. However, if I skip going daily, and work out 1-2-3 times a week instead, then I get more tired easier, feel sluggish a little, and I can get the feeling that I am building my body.

i am a fitness trainer in training and your muscles dont have to hurt everytime. if the dont hurt the for a consecutive times then move up in weight. keep in mind you dont want flabby muscle. you want soft and hard muscle when you flex.

 

[westy]

keep in mind that there are two types of muscle contraction. isometric and isotonic. in isometric contraction the muscle does NOT get shorter or longer, but it is still working. the advantage is that the muscle will not hurt or ache afterwards. there are disadvantages also, of course.