Good Training Rule of Thumb?

[klowndog]

Hope I'm not filling in Sactosd's shoes with a dumbass question here, but here goes:

The way I see it, If I work a bodypart to failure and I am sore the next day, as long as I get the proper rest/nutrition I will build muscle. Is this a good rule of thumb?

Example, I worked chest Saturday. I didn't go balls to the wall screaming like a banshee, and hoopin and a hollerin, I just did 6 sets of declines to failure, and the 4 sets of decline dumbell to failure for a good stretcch. Does the fact that I am sore now tell me that I did enough for chest that day, even though I'm a masochist and feel like I should have had a lot more pain, but since Im sore thats all I really needed to do. Or If I would have done 10 more sets, and flies, and pec dec, etc., would I get more muscle?

 

[notsobig32]

Hope I'm not filling in Sactosd's shoes with a dumbass question here, but here goes:

The way I see it, If I work a bodypart to failure and I am sore the next day, as long as I get the proper rest/nutrition I will build muscle. Is this a good rule of thumb?

Example, I worked chest Saturday. I didn't go balls to the wall screaming like a banshee, and hoopin and a hollerin, I just did 6 sets of declines to failure, and the 4 sets of decline dumbell to failure for a good stretcch. Does the fact that I am sore now tell me that I did enough for chest that day, even though I'm a masochist and feel like I should have had a lot more pain, but since Im sore thats all I really needed to do. Or If I would have done 10 more sets, and flies, and pec dec, etc., would I get more muscle?

IMO, no soreness is not the best indicator of working a muscle sufficiently. Going to failure on many sets (for me) would cause me to overtrain. We are all different and when i did use a volume approach, i tended to go a bit short of failure on all but maybe the last set on each exercise. A better indicator is keeping track of the weights you use and beat them a little bit with either reps or weight each week(DC).

Just my 2 cents and its not a dumbass question.

 

[jdchaffin]

not a dumb question. But I agree with notsobig that soreness is not a good indicatore of progress. being consistant and noticing changes in the mirror are the best indicatores.

 

[klowndog]

So less is more, and more is less, I guess it depends on the person training. I'm doing 5 day training, so trying not to overdo anything. I guess the proof is in the pudding we'll see here in a few weeks. Thanks.

 

[notsobig32]

So less is more, and more is less, I guess it depends on the person training. I'm doing 5 day training, so trying not to overdo anything. I guess the proof is in the pudding we'll see here in a few weeks. Thanks.

Personally for me, training 5 days and going to failure that many sets would have me in a constant state of overtraining. It is all relative though and some people recover faster than other from CNS fatigue and all. The muscle recovers fairly quickly in most people.

Try it out and see what works for you.

 

[brisk walk]

Actually, this was a very excellent question, soreness is not a good indicator that you worked the muscle thoroughly. If you train consistently, you may not get sore that often, so no, soreness isn't a good way to judge. Get your sets in, 10 sets for big bodyparts, 8 sets for smaller bodyparts. Judge by photos or the way your clothes fit. Remember that less is more, when it comes to training.....stay away from over training. My 2 cents.

 

[Creation]

lately ive been doing DC training except i do 1 on 2 off and when i used to do more high volume workouts 4-5 times a week i would never be sore, but now on dc im sore every single time after the workouts and im getting stronger from workout to workout, so imo soreness can sometimes be a good indicator..

Correct me if im wrong but some of the soreness is caused by damage to the muscle and lactic acid build up

 

[tkav1980]

the best measure of your workouts is progression. did my weights progress? now this is almost entirely decided by diet. When i do widowmakers im sore as hell the next day, but if i didnt eat right, and my weights or reps didnt progress on the next workout them my workout was unsucessful.

 

[klowndog]

I know you have to get the right diet and sufficient rest to grow, but for the training portion, the goal is to tear down the muscle, so that it will grow back bigger and better.

To me being sore is an indicator that this has been done sufficiently. I tore the muscle down, now it will grow back bigger. To me, when a muscle stops getting sore on a certain exercise, it's time to change the exercise, or confuse the muscle.

I guess it just goes back to basic DC principles.