I have been doing strength training for awhile now, but am getting mixed advice from everywhere I turn--help! I do a lot of free weights, squats and leg lifts and all those moves where you use your own body weight, plus some on a weight machine we have in the garage (like a bowflex). Okay, here is my question: how long do you wait between weight workouts?

I have heard to wait at least one day. Then I read somewhere to make sure my muscles had recovered. then just recently I heard somewhere that I need to do it again before my muscles completely recover, with at least one day in between...if I wait until they recover to do it again, then I lose some of the progress or something I am confused!

Friday I did a 40 minute TurboSculpt workout on ExerciseTV (same workout as the videos, it's tough full body using weights and body weight). I was very sore yesterday, and today I am still really sore in my shoulders (sore from workout, not injury) and my legs have recovered but I can still feel just a little soreness there...it's like I can really feel the muscles when I move, if that makes sense! SO, can I go on and do weights today again, or do I wait until all the soreness goes away? What do I do...so confusing and don't want to hurt myself.

Hi Purple. I'm not sure of the answer to your question. I have always heard to wait at least 24 hours before working the same muscle again. I recommend posting your question over in Exercise on the Weight Training forum. Those ladies there are very knowledgeable and will surely have your information.l

Have you checked out the lifting forum here. There's probably great input there. You should give your muscles time to recover and repair. I do my weight routines every other day. I know if I feel too sore (like needing ibuprofen sore) I wait an additional day. Maybe since your upper body is so sore, you could focus on lower body today? GL!

I am not sore enough to need ibuprofen! Yesterday my shoulders were, that workout hit them hard. But today they are just sore, I will not need medication. I was going to do it today since I did the other one on Friday, but keep thinking about all this different advice and I'm not sure!

I might go over there and post if someone doesn't pop in here today...I know many on here do workout a lot and might know.

You do need to rest your muscles. If you want to strength train every day, work out different muscle sets for each day.
For example on MWF, do upper body, then TTHS do lower body.

Okay, let me be clear--I am not doing it everyday. I did it on Friday, skipped yesterday, and might do it again today.

My question was basically this: is one day rest in between enough, or do you wait until you feel no soreness to go again?

One day rest is good. As you warm up at the beginning of your workout you should feel your muscles become more limber & less sore. As well, as you establish your routine & your body adapts to the new stresses put on it you'll find your recovery time becomes better & generally after a day you won't be as sore.

If one muscle group is particularly sore you may decide to skip exercises that focus on it & give it further rest, but I would only do this if the muscle was Really sore.

Good job hitting the weights!

Yes, you do need to give muscle a chance to recover and rebuild. So if you're doing a total body workout, you'll need at least a day in between, more if you're really sore. You won't lose progress because it's during that rest time that the muscle rebuilds and becomes stronger. If you don't lift for a week, however, you usually do lose some ability, but it's easy enough to get back to where you left off.

As someone mentioned, if you want to lift every day, then you can work different muscle groups. I prefer working out six days a week so I focus on three different areas twice a week. You can, BTW, do cardio every day if you choose to do so (you probably already know that, but thought I'd throw that in for anyone reading this ).

Taking an extra dose of vitamin C can, according to my trainer, help with the soreness.

This is how I have been trained. A FULL day's rest between muscle groups. Delayed-onset muscle soreness - basically means that the muscles become sore 24 hours after using them (this happens to me alot). My trainer taught me about this term.

People here are erroneously suggesting taking Ibuprofen. The reason why your muscles are sore is because the fibers in your muscles are being torn apart during the workout, in effect your muscles are also bleeding. The best thing for this soreness (IMHO) is to have some protein after the workout. Protein helps repair these fibers. I like to make a protein smoothie. In a blender I mix 2 cups skim milk, 1 scoop Whey Protein ($14 at Wal-Mart), 7 ice cubes, 2 scoops reg/decaf instant coffee (gives it that yummy cappachino taste!) Or, you can omit the coffee and add in 1-2 TBSP of Hershey's Unsweetened Cocoa (I prefer Special Dark). This contains about 330 calories, 42g of protein, 28g of carbs, 2g of fiber (if you use the cocoa), 1g of fat. This makes about a 36oz drink.

As soon as I get it in the mail, I will be adding in powdered peanut butter to this chocolately yumminess:

Nutritional Values

Serving size = 2 tablespoons (12 grams)

Calories 54.138
Fat Calories 25.44
Total Fat 2.84g
Saturated Fat .55g
Cholesterol 0g
Sodium 94.4mg
Carbs 3.7g
Dietary Fiber .3g
Sugars 1g
Protein 4.3g

Thanks ya'll...that is what I needed! Very interesting about the protein after the workout, I will do that tonight. I cleaned the house this afternoon and the soreness in my shoulders about disappeared...so I do see that with movement it gets better. I'll be doing TurboSculpt again tonight, then some cardio.

Of course this is how I incorporate protein, but there are other options, like meat products, egg whites, protein bars, etc. To each their own

Just want to second what others are saying. If you are pushing yourself during weight training you are tearing the muscles. As they rebuild, they get stronger. But this is most likely to happen only with proper nutrition! And protein is a big part of that equation.

My favorite post-workout smoothie is:
- 1 scoop whey protein powder
- 1 cup OJ
- 150 g frozen berries (usually equal parts blueberries, strawberries, raspberries)

Sometimes I make it a bit smaller -- 2/3 of everything. I love this smoothie!

I just bought an attachment to my blender at K-Mart, that will allow for a much smaller (on the go) smoothie. This is helping me with my portion control. Same ingredients, only 1/2. 14g of carbs, 145 calories, 20.5g protein, 1g fat. This is still a healthier serving then a protein bar. 16oz total

I make fruit smoothies for a sweet treat, but I only put OJ or 100% apple juice and different combos of frozen fruit...sometimes protein powder, but I didn't know it's good to have it after a workout. I'm going to workout then have supper tonight, because I'm having roast beef and that has lots of protein. It's in the crockpot ready as soon as I get the workout done..which requires getting the kids to bed first so I won't have to pause a thousand times

You guys are so helpful, I am going to try both your smooties this week soon as I get to the store.

Heather
Thanks for that. Sounds really good. I don't use powders but I do love smoothies. I have started doing more resistance training and I know I am not getting enough protein in my diet. I am only averaging about 40 to 50 grams a day most days.

Who would think a little stretchy cord with handles could make your body hurt so much lol. My hips hurt, the back of my knee hurts my thigh hurts. I think I am doing to much to fast lol. Going to back down a bit and ease into doing more.