I’m so happy you are sore!
One of my favorite things to hear is that you are sore after doing a workout…sorry not sorry. When you are sore after a workout it confirms which muscles you used during the workout and that you made a good mind-to-muscle connection. You are actually causing micro-tears in your muscles during the workout (don’t worry these are good tears). The soreness happens when your body causes good inflammation to repair your muscles, this is what causes the remodeling of your muscles.
When we do a new workout for the week you are typically doing a move that hasn’t been done in some time. The infrequency of doing a move, or a different combination of moves, may cause more soreness the first time you do the workout and then not necessarily as much the next time you do the same workout. Increasing your weight during a familiar workout may bring the soreness back if that’s what you are looking for.
So why are you not sore after EVERY workout?
There are a few things that cause you not to get sore. Your frequency of exercise is one thing that may lessen the amount of soreness. Your body adapts to the micro-trauma that a workout puts you through so it requires less repair. If you maintain the weights you are using or decrease the weights, you are less likely to get sore. It’s not a bad thing not to get sore, it just means you are maintaining your muscle structure more than remodeling it.
Not getting sore can also be because you are moving your muscles and not really using them. I can move my arm up and down pretty effortlessly, but if I really focus and squeeze my muscle as I’m lifting my arm, I’m more likely to feel some soreness. It’s not always about the weights that are in your hands but the concentration you put into the muscles you are using.
Are you sore or are your hurt?
Keep this in mind. Soreness will usually start 24 – 48 hours after a workout and will typically last up to 4 days. If you have pain, or the soreness lasts for more than 4 days, you may have an injury. Pay attention to your body and if you feel you have an injury it could be from overtraining and you should rest that body part for a while. If the pain continues you may need to see a doctor, physical therapist, or an athletic trainer.
One other thing, I’m not sorry for helping you be healthy BEFORE you NEED to be healthy.