Hello,

I just started weight training for the first time--I've actually tried for a few weeks here and there in the past, but nothing serious. For my arms I am using 15lb dumbells--2 sets of 10 reps--does this sound okay? I am wondering if it's best to lift every other day/on a set schedule, or base it on when my arms stop feeling sore--in other words, should I go ahead and lift even while sore?

Also, if you stop working out, but aren't gaining or losing weight otherwise, will muscle that you gained necessarily atrophy? Just wondering if any of that muscle I gained a few months ago managed to stick around or if I'm starting from scratch.

Looking forward to your input

Hi SweetLife Welcome!

If you are lifting to the point where you can't do an other rep at that weight and are experiencing muscle soreness, the general rule of thumb is to rest 4 days. That doesn't mean you can't workout at all, just don't do arms again. If you are doing full body workouts and not lifting to the point of total muscle fatigue on each body part, you can lift every third day or even every other day if you are using what are light weights for you. If you are really sore, I wouldn't work the same body part until some of the soreness lessens. It's actually tiny tears in your muscle fibers healing themselves, stronger than they were in the first place.

Unused muscle does atrophe- but it seems to come back faster once you start using it again in less time than it takes to build it the first time round. This is called "muscle memory", and from personal experience, it really does seem to exist.

Hope that helps,
Mel

Hi Mel,

Thanks so much for the information! Wow, I am going to go read up on muscle memory, sounds interesting

A good way to lift is to split your body. A good magazine to read is Oxygen. It is for women who lift weights. I train my upper body one day then lower the next. I have several different splits so I don't over train one muscle over the other. Have a great new year.