Should I Be Hurting More?

[reboundstudent]

I've been getting back into weight lifting for about two months. I am making satisfactory gain on my strength goals. For example, at the beginning of January I could only do 3 sets of 8 push-ups, and 3 sets of 8-9 bench press with just the bar. Currently, I can do 3 sets of 12 push-ups, and I'm up to 3 sets of 8 with +10 (with bar) weight.

 

I try to do 3 sets of at least 8, and when I hit 3 sets of 12, I raise the weight to the next increment. I do a 3-day rotation of:

 

Day 1: Lunges, Push-ups, pull-ups (with machine assist, I know I know, I'm working on it)

Day 2: Squat, Overhead Press, Dumbbell Row

Day 3: Dead lift, Bench press, pull-down

 

Recently a friend started coming along to my work-outs, and I LOVE having a work-out buddy. However, she only comes on 1-2 of the days (I go 3-4 times a week), and just sort of copies what I do, occasionally exceeding my reps but usually sticking with the same reps/sets/weights. We are roughly the same body type (she's a little taller but only about 10-15 pounds heavier than me.)

 

The thing is, each time we're finished, she talks about how sore she is. Ya know, "the good burn," how she has difficulty with stairs the next day. Sometimes I'll feel a little sore in one particular muscle (lunges KILL my butt), but never to the degree she describes herself as feeling.

 

My question is-should I be pushing myself harder? Should I be hurting more?? I try to do as many reps (up to 12) with good form, and the last few reps usually see me shaking with some effort. But I am rarely sore the next day. 

 

Am I doing it wrong? Should I be pushing with heavier weight? 

[Gainsdalf the Whey]

Nope, you're fine. DOMs (muscle soreness) typically come most in the beginning when your body isn't used to an exercise, but your muscles adapt and they fade to being very faint if non-existant. Your friend feels them because she doesn't do the exercises enough to force the adaption. You do them often enough that your body is used to them. If you didn't walk for 2 months, you'd probably get DOMs just from standing upa nd wlaking around at first, but you don't get them on a regular basis.

A personal example is that after my 2-3 month break from lifting form when I moved, I jumped back into squats and had terrbile DOMs again for a week or so, but they're gone now even though I'm wokring out heavier than before.

[Flex Luthor]

Soreness is not a good indicator of how hard you worked out.

 

There are a number of factors that affect soreness such as protein intake, volume, and prior training history. All of them can affect how sore you are or are not. If you're getting stronger and seeing results. Don't worry about it.