If I'm sore today, should I rest?

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by Felix C

I think it depends on how long you have been increasing the intensity of your routine. You know your body and can tell if it is a good day to lift or not. I worked back, biceps and legs yesterday and feel a bit tight perhaps edging to soreness in those groups but today it is chest,shoulders,triceps and they will not really be affected except some overlapping muscle areas. But I have been doing this for a bit compared to when I started and I was severely sore then and would take a two to three days off.

I have to ask what is your routine like?

I'm not a hardcore fitness person or a gym rat or anything....I hate steady state cardio, it bores the crap out of me.

If I go to the gym, I'm going to lift heavy and do HIIT on machines that I don't have at home. I don't like to go to the gym; the equipment sucks, it smells, it's hot, the traffic stinks, etc.

Someone here said not to lift and HIIT on the same days. I've heard otherwise and it doesn't seem to be having a negative effect on me, so I'll keep lifting and hiitng on the same day. I do not lift heavy or do HIIT 2 days back to back, though.

I try to lift heavy weights at least 2x a week, trying to progress to 3x a week. Same with HIIT. On days that I don't do that, I do a 30, 45, or 60 minute circuit workout from a DVD. Usually 45 mins. Sometimes I lift light weights after. Sometimes I don't. I always warm up and cool down, sometimes stretching for several minutes after the DVD has ended. I stretch until I feel like I've stretched my muscles, not for as long as the DVD tells me to.

[Angorlee]

Always listen to your body. When your body says I'm sore then lay off until your body isn't sore. If your body says I hurt then don't do anymore exercises on the part of the body that hurts.

[nhdriver]

Rest. Bigger muscles you want to rest for 36 hours minimum. If you're sore after that it's fine to work out again as long as you're eating adequate amount of nutrients. Sore isn't always bad as long as you're not over training.

One reason a lot of people that train 4-5 times a week (or more) will target one area of the body with plenty of rest in between the days you're not doing your chest, shoulders, arms, etc. Just make sure you're taking in enough protein also. It's a huge factor in soreness aside from hydration.

[stan4]

Do something fluid/low impact like swimming. That also prompts you to lengthen and stretch the body.