I recently changed gyms (switched to LA Fitness) - and I guess as one of the "perks" they give you a free session with a personal trainer. So I worked out with a trainer on Tuesday, and we worked out for an hour - 30 minutes cardio, 30 minutes SERIOUS strength training. He had me do a few exercises where I couldn't complete the whole set of reps because I was so weak!

Anyway, here it is two days later, and I'm still sore. I'm no stranger to working out, so I feel like he has shown me a few areas where I'm "weak" and need work.

So my question to you guys is this - with strength training, do you think it needs to leave you sore for a few days periodically? Or is it possible to strength train without "making it hurt"? I'm asking these questions to see if this is where I'm falling short in terms of strength training, because I really can't afford to pay LA fitness for personal training sessions.

Strength training is a bit new for me, but from what I understand a little soreness here and there is good, but you should not be working out to the point where you are in pain for days afterwords. I was also told if I am going to do both strength training and cardio in the same day, to do strength training first, then cardio (because of the way your body uses the sugar, etc. in your muscles).

It is important to push yourself, but not to the point of being in pain for days and days. (I would think that would make it hard to continue with a strength training program)

And your trainer shouldn't be giving you exercises that are so hard you can't do all them. He should be giving you exercises that are challanging and that fatigue your muscles by the end of your reps. (meaning you couldn't do anymore reps)

Some things hurt a day or two after - I think it's ok, and usually I can make the soreness stop by warming up my body and stretching the sore areas - it's important to warm up well. (I usually jog 15-20 mins to warm up in this situation.)

If you are still sore after that, or the pain is very sharp and you can't use your body, then you have an injury. Otherwise, a little soreness is good now and then, in my opinion.

I always do cardio then weight training because I feel cardio warms me up. I've been doing it this way for a while and it works for me. I only lift two days a week and do cardio five.

Right, sore is ok, injured is not. Soreness tells me I've just kicked it up a notch. I know I'm on the right track if I can repeat/improve what made me sore the last time and not get sore the second time.

My first trainer I fired. He pushed me so hard I couldn't WALK and was practically bedridden for almost a week. Part of it was my fault I should have said stop- I did eventually but I should have said stop earlier on!

My second trainer was great- she knew what I needed- she worked me hard- but I was never sore for more than 2 days but it was always a good sore. I learned a LOT about muscle exercises after that.

I think if you never have any soreness than you have to wonder if you are pushing hard enough. For me it's like if I can easily do a rep of 12- then the weight is too light. I should be struggling to do the last 1-2 lifts or whatever I'm doing. That's how I know I'm doing it right.

I love being sore but in the beginning you tend to be more sore than later on. You don't need to be sore but it is a good sign if you are somewhat sore. Of course you should still be able to walk

I can walk, but it's a little awkward...LOL. I'm not injured though, just really sore (and I hate being sore, LOL).

I do think that previous to working out with the trainer, once I got past the "initial" soreness I probably wasn't pushing myself as hard as I should.

I guess my reason for asking this was to see if I should try and scrounge up the money to get a trainer. I think the answer is NO, I should be able to find exercises to target my "weak areas" without paying upward of $200!

So those of you that are regular exercisers and seen results...did you use a trainer or was this all "self work"? I am hoping the answer is YES...I really want to be able to get decent results without paying a ton of money. I reaaaaallly can't afford a trainer right now...

/side note - I've noticed my soreness doesn't usually set in until day two...isn't that weird?

I think it depends on your personality. I research a lot and I have the ability to tell myself, ok, no burn, two more then. I could do it on my own. I have a P/T whom I share with my husband, so every other week. He has been wonderful for teaching me difference ways of hitting various muscle groups. But I'm on my own more than I'm with him.

The next time you wont be as sore and it isnt because you didnt work as hard as you needed to. Each time it will hurt less.

A lot of the soreness is just because it is new

I run. It is VERY hard for me to run hard enough to make myself sore. It's something I do only on race days, and even then I have to really be pushing it to the breaking point.

For fun last week I broke out some of my old step aerobic stuff from the 90's. I used to do 3 classes a week with 3 risers. I am in MUCH better shape now than I was then. But I havent done a step class in 10 years. Holy batman. I was soooooore. That will last about 3-4 workouts and then I will have to do something else NEW to get sore.