Thread: Do i have to be sore to grow?

No, soreness does not always mean growth. Post your diet and rotuine and we will check those out which is what will make you grow.

I agree soreness does not equal growth.

If you ran 5 miles your legs would probably be sore, providing it's not something you normally do!
But, your legs will not get bigger from the 5 mile run.

However, you should be getting sore once in awhile. Are you using different exercises, set, reps, etc? Do you ever incorporate some super sets, forced reps, giant sets?

i rarely get sore bi's,genetic's and bio-mechanics play a big role in this.It would help to know your routine,arm measurements,and your height.

Even though my bicep growth is pathetic, but it still have a little progress nonetheless, and I hardly have it sore too. However, last week I tried a little 'different' approach in my bicep routine and it gets pretty sore. This is what I did.

1) Use moderate weights only
2) Perform higher reps like 10-12 rather than 6-8
3) The moderate weights allows me to squeeze my biceps even harder on the top movement, and I release it VERY slowly to keep the pressure
4) Last but not least, perform a few partal reps in every set when reaching failure, and continue to squeeze

I'm not sure will this work for everyone, but it did make my biceps sore for 2 days, which was really surprising.

I am 15 almost 16. My arms are almost 13 inches. I weigh 137 and am 5'8. I have been working out for about a year and have gained maybe a half inch on my bi's.

for arms i do
3 sets x 8 reps preacher curl
" " DB curls
" " EZ curl bar
pull ups
3 sets x 5 reps skull crushers
3 sets x 10 reps push downs
3 sets x 8 reps close grip bench press
" " bench press

All these exercises are done really heavy.
I just started cell tech, l-glutamine, flax seed oil 2 days ago.

I can curl 80lbs
skull crush 70lbs
bench press 185lbs

Although soreness (DOMS) is usually linked to high levels of lactic acid, it is not actually known as to what causes it. Soreness does not mean you had a good work out, or does not equal growth. Take Prince's example, you can run around all day and be sore a for a few days later, but your muscles did not grow, and most likely have become damaged or have experienced apertrophy. Hoever, what does define a good work out is progression. Make sure each work out, you are progressing by a rep or two, or even adding weight. Just a suggestion, you should incorrporate squats into your routine. Big guys lift heavy weights. Merely doing arm curls and benching will not get you big all around.

I can mostly avoid soreness if i make sure to get a good stretch routine after and before a workout. Give that a shot.

And make sure not to take colder showers after or it may strain the muscle.

orphro,looks good,do one thing....... BE PATIENT.......ive been lifting since i was 15 and now i'm 38, my bis are still growing,just be PATIENT and try to squat and pull some deads,IT DOESNT
HAVE TO BE A LOT OF WEIGHT,use good form,light wt,10-12 reps

Thanks for the advice

Originally posted by orphro13
I am 15 almost 16. My arms are almost 13 inches. I weigh 137 and am 5'8. I have been working out for about a year and have gained maybe a half inch on my bi's.

for arms i do
3 sets x 8 reps preacher curl
" " DB curls
" " EZ curl bar
pull ups
3 sets x 5 reps skull crushers
3 sets x 10 reps push downs
3 sets x 8 reps close grip bench press
" " bench press

That is a lot of arm work there

Arm size will come with increased muscular bodyweight. Your arms will get bigger when you gain 10+ lbs. Stick to the basic lifts such as squats, benches, deadlifts, bent rows, and overhead presses and your arms will grow along with the rest of your body.

Although I am not a pro, or even a really serious weightlifter, I would agree wholeheartedly with Gopro's advice. A few, basic, compound exercises will give you a lot more bang for the buck than marathon sessions trying to isolate each and every muscle in the body. In addition to the exercises listed by Gopro, I would add one additional exercise. A close-grip, underhand, lat pull down (or chin-up if you prefer). This is another basic, compound exercise that could be utilized in building mass. It is also has the advantage of being an exercise that will work directly on the biceps, in addition to your lats.

Work on strength and size will follow, thats what Im working towards

If you want to grow you should count on being sore. The good soreness that comes after an intense workout, not bad form.

at first you get the impression thats true because you are always sore cause your new to liftin but in due time you will see that forcing your self to be sore will lead in injury and a good workout is plenty to get ya growin

How do you know you've done enough??

When you progress in a lift or ?

Originally posted by Mik
How do you know you've done enough??

When you progress in a lift or ?

As you get more use to weight training, you'll get to know how to read your body,
whats to much,
when you can do a little more.
The key is to set some goals and keep trying to better them all the time and learn as much as you can, no one answer works for everyone but there are some general gidelines that work for everyone.

holy shit i cnat belive u till i see a pic of u
u say your little ass can curl 80lbs how many times??
i way 140-150 my arms are like 13.25 but they are not yet perfectly trim but htey are trim and i dont want to be trim anyway im trying to gain mass so i eat like 6 times aday??/

freakin old thread bro. I will get some pics up soon my stats now are i am 16 years old 5'8 145lbs bench 225 curl 100lbs and skull cruch 125lbs. i am not cut so dont rip on me. Oh yea and my arms are 14 inches now. how long u been training frank

front lat spread

not long
kikass so when will u have pics

So I don't have to be sore to grow. Wow, thanks.
I always tried to hurt my muscles.

Originally posted by PowermanDL
So I don't have to be sore to grow. Wow, thanks.
I always tried to hurt my muscles.

It's not that black and white. If you do not get sore every work-out that is fine. But if you continue to never be sore I would question the intensity of the work-outs, or suggest changing your routine, some type of variation whether it be increased weight, sets, etc.

owww prince is the wise one ...... i agree

This board rocks!
Thanks again.

i see soreness as your muscles being used...when you rest them at night they get stronger